Form Health Review – Does it Work for Weight Loss?

Weight loss can be mind-bending-ly frustrating. Despite diet and exercise efforts, many people struggle to shed extra pounds that just won’t budge. If you’re doing everything right and still not getting the weight loss results that you want, it may be time for a different tactic.

Prescription weight loss programs can help when cookie-cutter weight loss methods fail. Every body is different, after all – with a weight loss program that’s tailored to how your unique body functions, many people can find greater success. With direct-to-consumer services in the weight-loss realm, these programs are now within reach of the average consumer. 

In this article, we’ll review a new telehealth weight loss program called Form Health. Form Health offers personalized virtual medical care from board-certified doctors and dietitians who only use research-backed weight loss methods.

We took a closer look at Form Health to see what its weight loss program entails and how it stacks up against competitors. Do they offer a legit, healthy, and sustainable way to lose weight? Let’s get right into it.  

What is Form Health?

Form Health is an innovative direct-to-consumer telehealth startup that approaches weight loss from a medical standpoint. By viewing obesity as a treatable medical condition, Form Health helps people attain a healthier weight through science-backed methods. Understanding that your weight is contingent on many aspects of your life — not simply diet —  Form takes a holistic approach to weight loss coaching.

The medical professionals at Form Health are highly qualified. As an example, Florencia Halperin, MD, the Chief Medical Officer, is an endocrinologist who trained at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Halperin and the entire Form Health team only recommends clinically proven, research-backed weight loss methods. Fad diets, weight loss trends, and questionable products never come into play. This ensures that your weight loss is not only safe, but also effective and sustainable.

One of the main components of the Form Health program is identifying weight loss barriers. Acknowledging that obesity is impacted by biology and genetics – not just a lack of effort – everyone who enrolls in the program receives a thorough medical evaluation. In addition to covering your medical history and other vital information, this evaluation examines your lifestyle and how your weight impacts your wellbeing. With this information, the Form team will collaboratively craft a personalized weight loss plan tailored to your individual needs. This plan will then be continually adjusted according to your progress for the best possible results. 

All medical care through Form Health is managed through the program’s mobile app so that you can access it anywhere, from any device. This includes care team messaging, meal tracking, and educational resources. 

Who is eligible for Form Health?

While it may be a powerful weight loss path for many, Form Health isn’t a universal program for everyone. There are certain qualifiers that you must meet to sign up, including:

• Age: You must be 18 years or older. 
• BMI: You must have a BMI of 30+ or a BMI of 27+ with health risks associated with your weight (i.e. high blood pressure)
• Primary care: You must have a primary care physician and have had an appointment with them in the last year. 
• Medical complications: During the enrollment process, Form Health will ask about certain health problems that could put your safety at risk while you’re on the program. 

To stay safe, it’s crucial to keep the Form team updated with accurate, current medical information. If anything changes while you’re on the program, let them know! It’s in the best interest of your health and safety for your medical advisors to have a complete picture of your physical condition. 

What to expect when joining Form Health

When enrolling in Form Health, you’ll need to meet all of the qualifiers that we listed above. You’ll be asked about your medical history, lifestyle, and weight loss goals. Additionally, Form Health will ask for permission to look over your medical records and exchange information with your primary care provider. This is so that if any health issues arise that aren’t related to weight loss, your Form care team can adjust your plan as needed to ensure that it doesn’t interfere with your overall health. 

Once you complete the enrollment process, you’ll then download the free app. From there, you can schedule virtual appointments with your Form Health doctor and dietitian from anywhere. After completing the initial telehealth visits, you can text your care team (also via the app) at any time, however often you’d like. You can also share your food photo journal with your care team to receive feedback and recommendations. As a Form Health member, you’ll have a virtual visit with your doctor about once monthly and with your dietitian about twice monthly. 

What diet does Form Health recommend?

Form Health recommends foods that you can find at any grocery store such as:

• Fruits and vegetables
• lean proteins and dairy
• healthy fats and starches

Ultimately, no overpriced, packaged diet food here! While typical diet meal plans like Nutrisystem do help millions of Americans lose weight every year, they’re far from cheap, and thus can be difficult to sustain. Form’s dietary approach, by contrast, aims to help patients develop lasting, sustainable dietary habits. This makes it far more accessible than trendy diets that involve fasting, cutting out entire food groups, and other rigid nutritional rules.  

How much does Form Health cost?

Form Health offers two different membership packages. Since this program is considered a qualified medical expense, you have the option to use your FSA or HSA to cover the cost of doctor visits through Form. 

The two monthly subscription options are:

• $99 per month: For patients with health insurance, Form offers a plan for just $99 per month. All doctor visits, lab tests, and prescription medications are billed through your insurance, although depending on your plan, you may be on the hook for standard copays, coinsurance, or a deductible just like any other traditional medical visit.

• $199 per month: If you don’t have health insurance, worry not – this option is an all-inclusive flat fee. Form Health won’t bill your insurance, and the flat fee includes the cost of all your doctor visits and coaching.

Both of these monthly program fees provide you with:

• A scale and blood pressure monitor
• Access to Form’s team of board-certified doctors and dietitians
• Access to Form’s custom app, which provides unlimited: 

 –   Care team texting

–    Meal photo sharing

–    Personalized education content

While Form doctor visits are either billed through insurance or covered in the $199 fee, virtual visits with your dietitian are always included in the $99 membership fee.

If Form Health ends up not being a fit, can I cancel?

Form offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, meaning that if you’re unsatisfied with the program in the first 30 days, you’ll get a full refund, no questions asked. Should you want to cancel your Form Health membership after that initial 30 days, they also make it exceedingly easy. Unlike other weight loss programs that require a year-long membership, Form Health’s monthly format offers greater convenience and less commitment.

What type of Rx weight loss medications does Form Health prescribe?

For many patients, prescription meds can support weight loss efforts for better results. In cases of obesity, for instance, medications can help reduce cravings and increase patients’ control over their eating habits. But clearly medications aren’t right for everyone, and they’re only effective when combined with healthy lifestyle habits. The board-certified doctors at Form Health can determine whether prescription weight loss medications are the right choice for you. 

Form Health only prescribes medications that are approved by the FDA for weight loss. FDA-approved weight loss medications have been rigorously studied and tested to ensure patient safety. Some medications are approved for long-term use, while others are only approved for short-term use (up to 12 weeks).

Form Health will closely monitor your health and progress with the medication. Your success with the medication will be continually evaluated so that the dosage can be adjusted as needed, and so that you can stop using the medication when it’s no longer needed. 

How does Form Health compare to popular weight loss apps?

Let’s see how Form Health stacks up against other popular virtual weight loss programs like Calibrate, Noom, Found Health, and Cerebral.