Pricing methodology
How we obtain, display, and compare telehealth medication prices.
What we measure
- Total Costs™ (price): the amount the vendor charges once at checkout, adding the plan price, membership, shipping, start and consultation fees, minus promotional savings.
- Access Ease™ (getting started): what it takes to order, scored from 100 minus penalties for question screens, ID verification, dual authentication, email/phone, date of birth and SSN.
- Trust Check™ (verification): a letter grade from billing cycle, legal address, BBB rating, pharmacy model (503A/B), LegitScript, PCAB and HIPAA. See vendor verification.
How Total Costs™ is calculated
Total Costs™ is what the vendor charges at checkout for your first order: the first billing period's charge plus every required fee. It covers one plan period, whether that is 23 days, 4 weeks, a month or a year. It is not a monthly or yearly price. Renewals after checkout are shown separately as ongoing billing.
Formula
Total Costs™ = Plan price + Membership + Shipping + Start fee + Consultation − Promotional savings
| Factor | How it is scored | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Plan price | The price of the medication package for the first billing period. | + |
| Membership | A one-time membership or program fee, when the vendor charges one. | + |
| Shipping | Delivery cost for the first order. | + |
| Start fee | Any fee charged to open or start a plan. | + |
| Consultation | The clinician consultation or medical review fee. | + |
| Promotional savings | Discounts the vendor applies to the first order. | − |
Example: a $299 plan with a $49 membership, free shipping, a $25 consultation and a $50 first-order discount gives $299 + $49 + $0 + $0 + $25 − $50 = $323.
If we cannot confirm a membership, shipping or consultation fee, the figure is labelled “Estimated checkout cost” or “Known checkout cost” instead of Total Costs™, and the card lists which costs are unverified.
Every amount has a time basis
Plans bill on different schedules, so each amount we show states the period it covers.
| Amount | What it is | Time basis |
|---|---|---|
| Total Costs™ | Charged at checkout; covers the first billing period. | One-time |
| Ongoing billing | Each renewal charge after checkout, including renewal fees. | Per billing period, e.g. every 4 weeks or every 3 months |
| Monthly equivalent | Ongoing billing spread evenly over a year. For comparison only; never the billed amount. | Per month (approximate) |
| First-year estimate | The checkout charge plus every renewal in the first 12 months. | Per year |
Where prices come from
Prices are supplied through vendor websites, partner feeds, manual review, or admin imports. Each offer can record a source type and last-checked date when available.
Billing amounts vs monthly equivalents
When a plan does not bill monthly, we show the amount charged each billing period and an approximate monthly equivalent. We never present only a monthly figure for a quarterly or annual charge.
The billing period comes from the vendor's stated plan duration. A plan that bills every 4 weeks is not a monthly plan: it charges 13 times a year, not 12, so its monthly equivalent is higher than the amount of each charge.
Formula
Monthly equivalent = (Ongoing price + Renewal fee) × Billing periods per year ÷ 12
First-year estimate
Formula
First-year estimate = Total Costs™ + Ongoing billing × (Charges per year − 1)
Introductory pricing
When introductory pricing exists, we show the intro price and duration together with the ongoing price. Offers are not sorted by introductory price alone. Default sorting uses lowest ongoing monthly cost.
Required fees
Where known, consultation, shipping, and membership fees are included in checkout or ongoing estimates. When inclusion is unknown, we show a warning that some costs may be missing.
When offers are not equivalent
Plans may differ by dose, supply, formulation, or services. We warn when comparison may not be apple-to-apple.
Report incorrect prices
If you find a wrong price, contact us via the contact page with the vendor and offer details.
ClarityHealthRx does not prescribe, dispense, or sell medication. Always confirm current pricing with the provider.