Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy online
Winona and Midi are both Hormone Replacement providers who have started flooding my social media feeds. Like most companies that offer HRT as telemedicine, they have some similarities and many differences.
Does Join Midi Accept Insurance?
Midi is very upfront that visits are $250 and may be covered by PPO Insurance plans like, BlueCross, Aetna, Anthem, United Health Care, Cigna, health net, CareFirst, blue California and Allways Health Partners.
They recommend that if you are a prospective patient; to reach out to discuss if your insurance is accepted. They also indicate that follow up visits will range from $120 to $250, again these may be covered by your insurance. Whether you have met your deductible for the year and standard co-pays will impact your out-of-pocket costs for appointments and any prescribed medications.
Although WINONA doesn't accept insurance, the price point for HRT products is almost identical to what you'll pay out of pocket with insurance. Winona doesn't charge a consult fee, doesn't require a 1:1 telehealth consult and doesn't ask for lab/blood work.
Both Winona and Midi accept HSA Credit Cards.
Which States do they (Midi and Winona) practice medicine?
Join Midi is available in all 50-States.
Winona is available in 33 states. Click here to see if your state is included.
Will they help me if I have had Breast Cancer?
Join Midi is very clear that they are prepared and able to help even if you have a breast cancer history or a family history of breast cancer.
Winona doesn't mention breast cancer specifically as a specialty.
Which HRT products and formulations do Midi and Winona offer?
Much like your doctor doesn't 'advertise' the meds they prescribe, neither does Midi. In my experience they offer the standard formulations of Hormone Replacement pills, patches and creams. The cost will be determined by your prescription insurance, so it's understandable why they are not able to disclose pricing per product. Again, expect the same experience as you would with a traditional doc. They prescribe, then you learn the out-of-pocket cost.
Winona on the other hand, is able to list the HRT products they offer; they also provide the specific price for each. Due to the fact that they are asking you to pay out of pocket versus using prescription insurance, they can disclose individual product pricing.
Products Offered:
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DHEA Pills - $27/3 Mos
Estrogen Body Cream - $89/Mo
Estrogen w/Progesterone - $89/Mo
Estrogen Patch - $149/Mo
Estrogen Tablet - $45/Mo
Progesterone Body Cream - $89/Mo
Progesterone Caplet - $39/Mo
Vaginal Estrogen Cream - $89/Mo
Blossom (female Viagra cream) - $79/Order
Neither Midi nor Winona offer Testosterone as part of their Hormone Replacement Therapy. If you've done your research and want to add "T" to your HRT regimen, then check out Joi Women's Wellness.
How much does Midi and Winona HRT Cost?
I have been a patient of Winona and a patient of Midi so I have first-hand experience on what I found as I progressed through their Hormone Replacement Therapy process and through receiving my meds.
If you are looking at Midi, you'll first want to determine if they accept your insurance and if so, that's great. We've covered that the cost of initial visit is $250 and then $120-$250 for subsequent visits, again insurance may cover some or all of this. Sometimes, bloodwork is expected/needed. There are no costs of testing online, similar to what you'd expect from a traditional doctor's office, and they don't publish costs of services or products. From there, depending on what your insurance provider expects from you in the way of co-pays and deductibles, that will be the cost you can expect. I know, not very clear, but that's the way it works if you want to utilize your insurance.
When I average out four doc visits for a year, 12 months of patches and 12 months' worth of tablets, my out-of-pocket with Midi is $120 per month, using my prescription insurance.
Winona doesn't ask for an initial fee to get started or any on-going fees. Also, they don't require an in-person telehealth visit or bloodwork. All communication is done via their free patient portal or via email, no appointment needed. From their list of available products, most menopausal women will need an estrogen product, a progesterone product or a combo medication that offers both. Winona's Estrogen/Progesterone Cream combo is $89/month based on their pricing list. If you no longer have a uterus, you likely won't need a progesterone product.
Get 15% off your first order of WINONA. Use this link to create an account and get started today.
Is Winona or Midi a better fit for you?
The bottom line is that if one, you want to use your insurance and/or two, you have had breast cancer or you are concerned because of family history, then I'd suggest you begin to research Midi to see if they accept your specific insurance. Be prepared to schedule time, via telehealth with a Midi Doctor for both your initial visit and any follow-up visits as needed.
However, if you don't have insurance or if you already know your insurance won't cover HRT, then Winona is a great option. If your goal is to be prescribed bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, with a simple process no subscription cost, no testing and you don't want to be bothered with setting time aside for a virtual doctor's visit, then Winona is likely the best fit for you.
Personally, I have tried WINONA and was pleased with the service, the products and their follow up. I appreciate their transparency on their pricing for products and the fact that beyond purchasing 3-months' worth of product per order, there was no other commitment.
See my YouTube video of my experience with Winona Hormone Replacement.