
You are probably weighing two practical questions right now: what programs in Columbus are structured enough to help, and what do they actually cost. The city’s hospital systems run supervised programs with clear steps and published fees, while private clinics tend to emphasize access and extended evening hours. Below is a straight comparison of the options that publish real details and take patients today.
Ohio State’s Lifestyle Weight Management programs list exact, pay-up-front fees. Living Well runs as either a 12-week track for $450, a 12-week extension for $350, or a 24-week track for $800. The companion Healthy Living plan is $390 total. All are self-pay; if you are covered by the OSU Health Plan, the program states you may be eligible for up to 50 percent reimbursement based on attendance, and you can use a Lifestyle Spending Account when applicable. These classes meet at OSU’s Martha Morehouse Outpatient Care at 2050 Kenny Road, Columbus 43221, with virtual components laid out in the program materials.
OSU also runs Exercise is Medicine, a structured activity series delivered at partner facilities around Central Ohio. That program is $225 total, physician referral required, with the same participation-based reimbursement note for OSU Health Plan members.
OhioHealth’s clinic-based program takes a different approach. It enrolls patients through the OhioHealth Medical Weight Management service and assesses patients with a medical provider and dietitian, then places them into ongoing education and support. The program’s new-patient materials publish a $65 per month program membership fee, plus tax. The program lists separate dues if you add gym access at the McConnell Heart Health Center on Olentangy River Road in Columbus, which means the $65 covers program participation but not the fitness center.
Two private options round out the landscape. Options Medical Weight Loss operates storefront clinics and advertises a free consultation. The Ohio locations page lists clinic hours; for example, the Dublin site at 7537 Sawmill Road is open Monday to Thursday until 7 pm, with Friday and Saturday hours through 2 pm. Options states that it does not bill insurance directly, accepts HSA and FSA cards, and has a posted same-day cancellation fee policy of $20 for a medical appointment and $25 for a consultation. Central Ohio Nutrition Center (CONCI), established by Columbus physicians in 1979, offers a free orientation and says most medical services are covered by insurance. CONCI’s medical offices are at 648 Taylor Road in Gahanna and 1904 Bethel Road on the Northwest Side, and the clinic prescribes GLP-1 medications when medically appropriate alongside meal-replacement plans.
| Provider | Program type | Published cost info | Insurance/payment notes | Local access details |
| Ohio State Wexner Medical Center Lifestyle Weight Management (Living Well, Healthy Living) | Non-surgical, coach-led programs with nutrition, exercise physiology, and weekly education | Living Well 12 weeks $450, extension $350; 24 weeks $800. Healthy Living $390. Exercise is Medicine $225 with referral | All listed as self-pay. OSU Health Plan participants may get up to 50% reimbursement based on attendance | Martha Morehouse Outpatient Care, 2050 Kenny Rd, Columbus 43221; virtual components included where specified |
| OhioHealth Medical Weight Management | Clinic-based medical evaluation, dietitian consults, group education; GLP-1 considered when appropriate | Program membership fee $65/month plus tax. McConnell Heart Health Center fitness dues are separate | Program membership fee applies; fitness center membership billed separately if added | McConnell Heart Health Center, 3773 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus 43214, plus satellite clinics in Westerville, Pickerington, and Delaware |
| Options Medical Weight Loss (Dublin, Gahanna, Grove City) | Private clinic with physician-directed plans; GLP-1 prescribing and non-prescription plans | Free consultation. Same-day cancellation fees: $20 medical appointment, $25 consultation | Does not bill insurance directly; HSA/FSA accepted; medication may be filled at a pharmacy that bills insurance | Evening hours to 7 pm at Dublin and Gahanna; Saturday hours to 2 pm. Multiple locations across Franklin County |
| Central Ohio Nutrition Center (CONCI) | Medical office with physician supervision, meal-replacement programs, GLP-1 when indicated | Free orientation; specific program costs reviewed after insurance benefits check | States most medical services are covered by insurance; telehealth limited | Gahanna at 648 Taylor Rd and Northwest Side at 1904 Bethel Rd; Columbus-based staff and support |
OSU’s Lifestyle Weight Management programs are structured around education and coaching rather than brief medication-only visits. Living Well is offered in 12- and 24-week tracks and includes an initial orientation, a MedGem metabolic test, an individualized exercise prescription, weekly food and activity log review, monthly one-on-ones with members of the care team, and weekly virtual group classes. The program fees are published as $450 for 12 weeks, $350 for a 12-week extension, or $800 for 24 weeks. Healthy Living is a personalized three- to six-month plan listed at $390, with specific numbers of 15- to 60-minute check-ins spelled out in the program outline.
These programs are self-pay, not billed to insurance. OSU Health Plan members are told they can receive up to 50% reimbursement contingent on attendance. Sessions are anchored at Martha Morehouse Outpatient Care on Kenny Road with some sessions held virtually, which helps if you live in Grandview, Upper Arlington, or campus-area neighborhoods and need an after-work plan that does not require crossing town.
OhioHealth’s program enrolls through its clinic network. Patients complete a new-patient packet, then meet with medical and nutrition staff and are slotted into ongoing education. The program’s fee schedule distinguishes between the weight-management program and separate fitness center amenities. The published program membership is $65 per month plus tax. If you want gym access, the McConnell Heart Health Center on Olentangy River Road has its own dues and one-time enrollment fee; those are separate from the weight management program’s monthly fee.
For location access, the core clinic inside the McConnell Heart Health Center puts you a few minutes from Clintonville, Worthington, and Old North Columbus via OH-315. OhioHealth also lists weight-management appointments at Westerville Medical Campus on Polaris Parkway, at OhioHealth Pickerington Methodist Hospital on Refugee Road, and at the Delaware Health Center on OhioHealth Boulevard. If you need a straightforward commute from Westerville or Pickerington, those satellites avoid a cross-town drive.
Options operates retail-style clinics that post hours suited for commuters. The Dublin clinic at 7537 Sawmill Road, the Gahanna clinic on East Johnstown Road, and the Grove City clinic on Gantz Road list weekday hours to 7 pm on select days, and Saturday hours to 2 pm. The company advertises a free consultation to review your labs, goals, and a plan that may involve GLP-1 medications or non-prescription options.
Payment policies are posted. Options states it does not bill insurance directly for its program services, though prescriptions can be sent to a local pharmacy that does bill your plan. They accept HSA and FSA cards. Same-day cancellations have a listed fee structure of $20 for a medical appointment and $25 for a consultation. If you want later weekday slots without navigating a hospital campus, those evening hours are a clear differentiator in the Columbus suburbs.
CONCI is a long-running, physician-directed clinic with two Columbus-area offices. The Northwest Side office is at 1904 Bethel Road, and the east-side office is at 648 Taylor Road in Gahanna. The clinic emphasizes medically supervised care with board-certified physicians and registered dietitians, offers tailored meal-replacement plans, and prescribes GLP-1 medications when appropriate. CONCI states that it is a medical practice and that most medical services are covered by insurance. A free orientation is the first step, which is when pricing is reviewed after the clinic checks your benefits.
Telehealth is described as limited and by request. If you prefer a long-established local practice that works within traditional insurance contracts and does hands-on monitoring, CONCI’s setup is purpose-built for that. If you need walkable access, the Bethel Road address sits near the Bethel and Sawmill corridor, while the Taylor Road office is convenient to Gahanna, the Easton area, and New Albany.
OSU’s Lifestyle Weight Management programs are self-pay and do not bill insurance. They do not require a referral to enroll in Living Well or Healthy Living. The related Exercise is Medicine series is listed at $225 and does require a physician referral. OSU’s Comprehensive Weight Management clinic at Martha Morehouse operates differently: visits there are billed through insurance and include physician-level care with optional metabolic testing and nutrition classes.
OhioHealth’s Medical Weight Management program uses a published $65 monthly membership for program participation. You complete a new patient packet and are contacted to schedule enrollment. The program references separate fitness center dues if you choose to add McConnell gym access. For details about how medical visits and labs process under your plan, the program directs patients to its intake materials and phone enrollment team.
Options Medical Weight Loss outlines a cash-pay structure and clearly says it does not bill insurance for program services. The company accepts HSA and FSA cards and can route prescriptions to an external pharmacy that may bill your insurer. Their Ohio locations list a 24-hour cancellation policy with same-day fees. CONCI advertises that it is a medical office where most services are covered by insurance. The clinic starts with a free orientation and benefit review so you can see what your plan will cover before you commit.
Hospital-based programs at OSU and OhioHealth prioritize multidisciplinary oversight and long-term education. OSU publishes exact program deliverables and flat fees, so you know what each 12-week or 24-week track includes before you register. If you carry the OSU Health Plan, the attendance-based reimbursement is a meaningful cost offset. OhioHealth builds care around the medical visit and class environment, then separates the optional gym access through McConnell. Its footprint across Westerville, Pickerington, Delaware, and Olentangy River Road is helpful if you want a site close to home or office.
Private clinics lean into convenience and access. Options posts evening hours to 7 pm and weekend availability to 2 pm, which is rare on a hospital campus. Its policy of not billing insurance directly keeps out-of-pocket costs predictable but shifts you to HSA/FSA or card payments for most services. CONCI splits the difference, operating like a traditional medical practice that works with your insurance while offering a free orientation and in-house monitoring. If you specifically want insurance-billed visits in a non-hospital setting, that is the option in this list designed for it.
Cost structure can be the tiebreaker. If you prefer a one-time, published fee, OSU’s tracks are transparent. If you want a rolling, lower monthly entry point, OhioHealth’s $65 program membership is a predictable subscription model, with separate optional gym dues if you add McConnell. If you need late hours, Options has the widest posted evening availability among the Columbus-area clinics listed here. If you want insurance-billed office visits and the ability to consider GLP-1s inside the same practice, CONCI is set up that way.
Expect three kinds of charges depending on where you go. First, flat program fees like OSU’s Living Well $450 for 12 weeks or $800 for 24 weeks, due up front. Second, a membership fee model such as OhioHealth’s $65 per month for program participation. Third, clinic visit fees and any optional product costs at private clinics. Options posts a free consultation, uses a cash-pay model for its services, and lists specific same-day cancellation fees of $20 or $25. CONCI begins with a free orientation, then bills most medical services to insurance if covered; the clinic reviews your benefits before you start so you can see potential copays and what meal-replacement products would cost.
Two additional cost quirks are worth planning for. If you join OhioHealth’s program and want gym access, McConnell Heart Health Center sets its own dues and an enrollment fee that are separate from the weight-management program. If you are an OSU employee or covered dependent with the OSU Health Plan and enroll in OSU’s Lifestyle Weight Management tracks, the program documents state you may qualify for up to 50% reimbursement based on session attendance. Always check your plan because eligibility is specific.
Yes. OSU publishes Living Well at $450 for 12 weeks or $800 for 24 weeks, a $350 12-week extension, Healthy Living at $390, and Exercise is Medicine at $225 with referral. OhioHealth publishes a $65 per month program membership. Options lists a free consultation and posted same-day cancellation fees. CONCI uses a free orientation and reviews your insurance benefits for covered services.
Options Medical Weight Loss posts weekday hours to 7 pm at its Dublin and Gahanna clinics and Saturday hours to 2 pm across its Columbus-area locations. Hospital-based programs vary by class schedule and clinic hours; OSU’s Lifestyle Weight Management includes virtual sessions, and OhioHealth runs classes and appointments through its medical sites, but their patient-facing pages emphasize enrollment steps more than storefront-style hours.
Programs differ. OSU’s Lifestyle Weight Management tracks are self-pay and not billed to insurance, though OSU Health Plan members may be reimbursed up to 50% based on attendance. OhioHealth’s program uses a published monthly membership and separates gym dues if you add McConnell access. CONCI states most medical services are covered by insurance and begins with a free orientation to confirm your plan’s coverage. Options does not bill insurance for its program services but can send prescriptions to a pharmacy that bills your plan.
If you want a defined curriculum and a single up-front fee, start with OSU’s Living Well or Healthy Living. If you prefer a modest monthly entry point and the option to add a gym, OhioHealth’s membership model is the simplest way to begin.
Published: September 9, 2026 · Reviewed by the Whats Up Columbus editorial team