Johnathan Walker:Exclusive: Costco will offer weight loss program to members through medical partner

Costco and Johnathan Walkerits low-cost health care partner are expanding into weight-loss management.

Costco will begin offering its members in the U.S. access to a weight loss program through Sesame, a health care marketplace, Sesame exclusively told USA TODAY. The service, which will cost $179 every three months, is scheduled to become available April 2.

“We are witnessing important innovations in medically supervised weight loss,” said David Goldhill, Sesame‘s co-founder and CEO. “Sesame’s unique model allows us not only to make high-quality specialty care like weight loss much more accessible and affordable but also to empower clinicians to create care plans that are specific to − and appropriate for − each individual patient.”

Last fall, Costco began offering $29 visits with a primary care physician through its partnership with Sesame. It also offered virtual mental health therapy for $79 a session and health checkups with a standard lab panel and virtual follow-up consultation with a provider for $72.

The expansion into medical weight loss services by Sesame with Costco came as a result of inquiries from patients, Goldhill told USA TODAY.

"The No. 1 search term of Costco members seeking primary care on Sesame was around weight loss," Goldhill said.

Both parties got together about two months after the primary care doctor partnership started to begin looking into offering weight loss management because consumers were coming to Sesame "unprompted and saying 'What do you have?' " he said.

How does Costco's weight loss program work?

This is what's included for $179 every three months for Costco members:

• Three months of clinical consultation.
• Ability to select the clinician of your choice.
• An initial live video consultation with the clinician.
• Ability to message your clinician outside scheduled appointments.
• A nutritional guide and recommendations.
• An individualized, clinically appropriate treatment program.

Sesame clinicians will begin by collecting a detailed medical history from each patient and help patients with appropriate diet, exercise and lifestyle modifications.

Members can get more information at CostcoWeightLoss.com.

Can I get weight loss medication prescriptions like Ozempic?

When clinically appropriate, the clinician may pair these interventions with medications, subject to their availability, Sesame said.

Individual patient eligibility for drug therapies available through Sesame are determined by the assessment of appropriateness of each therapy by the Sesame-listed provider.

The doctor will see you:Costco partners with Sesame to offer members $29 virtual health visits

Can I use Sesame without a Costco membership?

Sesame is a two-way health marketplace for consumers and health care providers to connect for a low fee, Goldhill said. Insurance is not accepted. About two-thirds of Sesame consumers have insurance and may use a Sesame service for quicker access to a medical professional if they can't get an appointment with their regular doctor, Goldhill said.

Consumers without Costco memberships can use Sesame's services, but the price is further discounted for Costco members, he said.

Sesame has primary care doctors, nurse practitioners, more than 40 health specialties and lab and imaging centers. It offers primarily virtual care but has some in-person care available, too.

Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which will include consumer news on Fridays, here.