HRT Doctor: Who Can Prescribe It, and 8 Ways to Find One (2026)

Which HRT doctor fits you, and who prescribes at each online clinic?

Start with your situation, not the title on the door. Each line points to the route that usually fits it best.

• You have PPO insurance: Midi Health, or an in-network OB-GYN. A PPO is a plan that lets you see specialists without a referral.
• You want a doctor certified by The Menopause Society: Alloy, or the free directory explained below.
• You want the simplest start with no visit fee: Winona.
• You want HRT handled with the rest of your primary care: PlushCare, if your insurance is in its network.
• You want testosterone included in one price: Fountain.
• You prefer one cream and a price that drops after six months: Inner Balance.
• You want a low-cost menopause membership with messaging: Evernow.
• You're on Medicare: a doctor who takes Medicare, in person or by video. None of the online clinics here bill Original Medicare.
• You already have a prescriber, or just need a name: The HRT Club's free directory.

Winona: our pick for the simplest start

Winona says board-certified doctors prescribe its treatments. It calls them menopause specialists, but it doesn't name their certifications.

You start with an online health form, with no video call. There is no visit fee, and follow-up messages with a clinician are free.

You pay for each product. Estrogen tablets cost about $55 a month. The FDA-approved patch costs about $150. Progesterone capsules start at about $40.

Winona serves 37 states plus Puerto Rico. It takes no insurance, but HSA and FSA cards work. Its Trustpilot score is 4.6 from about 8,600 reviews.

• Pros: no visit fee · board-certified doctors · FDA-approved patch, tablets and capsules · free messaging
• Cons: not in every state · no insurance · no video visits or testosterone · each product billed on its own

Read our Winona review.

Alloy: doctors certified by The Menopause Society

Alloy says all of its consult doctors have been certified by The Menopause Society for over 10 years. Its site also calls them board-certified doctors who specialize in menopause.

Care runs through an online form and messaging, with no video visits. The first consult costs about $50, paid once.

The estradiol patch costs $100 a month, shipped and billed every three months. Progesterone starts at about $25 a month. The estradiol pill starts at about $40.

Over a year, the pill route costs less than Winona's tablets, even with the consult fee. A pill plus progesterone comes to about $805 in year one.

Alloy covers all 50 states. It takes no insurance but accepts HSA and FSA cards. Its Trustpilot score is 4.3 from about 3,990 reviews.

• Pros: certified doctors in all 50 states · clear per-product prices · no labs needed to start
• Cons: no insurance · no video visits · progesterone is a separate line

Read our Alloy review.

Midi Health: menopause clinicians who bill your PPO

Midi says its clinicians are board-certified nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, doctors and naturopathic doctors. Each one goes through Midi's own training in perimenopause and menopause.

Visits are virtual. Midi is in network with most PPO plans, so you often pay your specialist copay plus any deductible left.

Without insurance, the first visit costs $250. Each follow-up costs $150. Medicine and labs are billed separately.

Medicare is out of network, so Medicare patients can only pay the self-pay price. Midi can't take Medicaid right now. Its Trustpilot score is 4.1 from about 1,700 reviews.

• Pros: most PPO plans accepted · menopause-trained clinicians · HSA and FSA accepted
• Cons: high visit prices without insurance · follow-ups add up · medicine and labs cost extra

Read our Midi Health review or see how Midi works with insurance.

Inner Balance: one compounded cream, with a price that drops

Inner Balance says a licensed clinician reviews and approves every prescription. Its founder is Dr. Sarah Daccarett. It doesn't publish the names of the clinicians who review new patients, so ask for yours at intake.

Its only treatment is Oestra, one compounded cream with estradiol and progesterone. You apply it vaginally, and it acts on the whole body. Compounded means a pharmacy mixes it, so it isn't an FDA-approved product.

The first six months cost about $200 a month. After that, the price falls to about $100. Clinician follow-up is included, and labs are optional. Inner Balance says a dose change may cost extra.

Its Trustpilot score is 2.3 from only 32 reviews, too few for the table to show stars.

• Pros: one price for care and cream · low rate after six months · no labs needed to start · HSA and FSA accepted
• Cons: compounded, not FDA-approved · clinicians not named · cash only · few public reviews

Read our Inner Balance review.

PlushCare: primary care doctors, with your insurance

PlushCare says your visit is with a board-certified online doctor. It is a primary care practice, not a menopause clinic, and it may refer complex cases to a specialist.

With in-network insurance, most patients pay $30 or less a visit. Without insurance, the first visit costs about $130, and follow-ups cost about $100.

The prescription goes to your own pharmacy, where your drug plan applies. PlushCare offers pills, patches, gels, vaginal creams and rings, but no injections or pellets.

Since January 1, 2026, PlushCare no longer accepts Medicare Part B. It does take some Medicare Advantage plans, the private plans that replace Original Medicare. Its Trustpilot score is 3.4 from about 2,800 reviews.

• Pros: most major insurance accepted · uses your local pharmacy · same doctor team for other health needs
• Cons: not menopause-focused · no Original Medicare

See PlushCare's visit and membership fees.

Fountain: video visits with testosterone in the price

Fountain calls its clinicians concierge medical providers. Its HRT page doesn't say whether they are doctors or nurse practitioners.

Care happens through ongoing video visits. One fee covers the visits, a hormone kit and shipping. Testosterone is part of the kit when your provider thinks it fits.

Fountain bills every four weeks, so a year has 13 charges. Paying as you go costs about $200 a cycle. The lowest rate is $150 a cycle, with 48 weeks paid upfront, about $1,800 at once.

Fountain publishes a 20-state list and takes no insurance. Its Trustpilot score is 4.4 from about 395 reviews, a profile shared with its men's program.

• Pros: face-to-face video visits · testosterone included when appropriate · one fee for visits, medicine and shipping
• Cons: clinician credentials not described · best price needs a big upfront payment · labs not included

Read our Fountain review.

The HRT Club: a free list of HRT prescribers

The HRT Club is not a clinic. It is a mail-order pharmacy membership with a free directory of more than 3,000 HRT prescribers.

It calls the directory curated, but it doesn't say how prescribers are checked. Don't assume anyone listed is certified by The Menopause Society. You can check the license yourself, as shown below.

The directory is free. Membership costs $12 a month or about $100 a year and lowers drug prices. The prescriber you find bills their own visit fee. The club has no Trustpilot reviews yet.

• Pros: free directory · works with any prescriber · lower cash prices on FDA-approved drugs
• Cons: doesn't prescribe · no published vetting · no insurance · no refunds

Read our review of The HRT Club.

Evernow: a menopause membership with messaging

Evernow says it connects you with clinicians specially trained in perimenopause and menopause. They must be licensed in your state. Evernow doesn't say whether they are doctors or nurse practitioners.

The membership costs about $50 month to month. The 12-month plan works out to about $35 a month, paid as one $420 charge. It includes 24/7 messaging with a clinician.

Video visits are billed on top. Evernow bills UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield, or charges $150 a visit. Medicine is extra, and it doesn't take Medicare or Medicaid.

Its Trustpilot profile is unclaimed, with a 2.0 score from only 15 reviews. That's too few to judge, so the table shows no stars.

• Pros: menopause-only care · low membership on the yearly plan · insurance for video visits with four carriers
• Cons: visits and medicine cost extra · yearly plan paid upfront · no Medicare

See how it compares in Midi Health vs Evernow.

What kind of doctor prescribes HRT? OB-GYN, primary care, nurse practitioner or menopause specialist

Any licensed prescriber can write HRT. The real differences are how often they treat menopause, what you pay and whether you need a referral.

• OB-GYN: a doctor for women's reproductive health. Many prescribe HRT often, while others focus on pregnancy and birth. Federal rules say a plan that makes you pick a primary care doctor generally can't require a referral to an in-network OB-GYN.
• Primary care doctor or internist: often the easiest visit to book. Comfort with HRT varies a lot from one doctor to the next.
• Nurse practitioner or physician assistant: both can prescribe HRT, and many online clinics rely on them. Ask how much menopause care they do, as you would with a doctor.
• Menopause Society Certified Practitioner: any of the clinicians above who also passed The Menopause Society's exam. The short name is MSCP. It is the clearest sign of menopause training.
• Endocrinologist: a hormone specialist, most useful for complex cases. More on that below.

How to find a perimenopause doctor covers where to look for each type and what to ask at the first visit.

Is a gynecologist the best doctor for HRT? Finding a gyn who specializes in menopause

An OB-GYN is a natural first stop. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, or ACOG, calls systemic estrogen the best treatment for hot flashes and night sweats. Its patient guide saying so was last reviewed in December 2025.

Training is uneven, though. In a 2019 survey of 183 US residents in family medicine, internal medicine and OB-GYN, only 6.8% felt adequately prepared to manage menopause.

About a third said they would not offer HRT to a newly menopausal woman with symptoms and no medical reason to avoid it.

Getting in can take time too. In AMN Healthcare's 2025 survey of 15 large US metro areas, the average wait for an OB-GYN appointment was about 42 days.

To find a gyn who focuses on menopause, try these filters:

• The Menopause Society directory: set the profession to physician, then look for MSCP after the name.
• The practice's own website: look for a named menopause clinic or midlife program.
• One question to the front desk: ask whether the doctor prescribes HRT for perimenopause and menopause.

What is a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, and how do you check one near you?

An MSCP is a licensed clinician who passed The Menopause Society's exam in menopause care. The credential used to be called NCMP. It took its new name in July 2023, when the North American Menopause Society became The Menopause Society.

Any licensed health professional can take the exam. It runs four times a year, in March, June, September and November.

The credential expires on December 31 of the third year after it is earned. To renew, the holder completes 45 hours of continuing education or passes the exam again.

One point matters most for HRT. Certification is not a license to prescribe. That right comes only from a prescriber's license, so a certified pharmacist or educator may not be able to write your prescription.

How to search the directory

• Open the tool. The Menopause Society's directory is free to use.
• Pick a tab. Search by ZIP code for in-person care, or by US state for clinicians who offer telehealth.
• Filter by profession. The list includes physicians and nurse practitioners, but also nurses, pharmacists and social workers.
• Look for MSCP after the name. The directory lists both certified clinicians and Society members who asked to be included.
• Expect gaps. Clinicians who aren't taking new patients aren't listed, and the Society says it doesn't endorse anyone on the list.

How to check a license and board certification

Board certification means a doctor passed a specialty board's exams. A license is the state's permission to practice. Both take a minute to check.

• Doctors and physician assistants: DocInfo, from the Federation of State Medical Boards, shows active licenses and any discipline. Your state medical board's site holds the official record.
• Board certification: Certification Matters, from the American Board of Medical Specialties, is free. For OB-GYNs, the ABOG lookup shows current status.
• Nurse practitioners: Nursys QuickConfirm is free and shows license status and any discipline.

Can a nurse practitioner prescribe HRT?

Yes. A nurse practitioner, or NP, is a registered nurse with graduate training who can diagnose and prescribe. NPs can prescribe in every state.

What changes is how much a doctor must be involved. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners tracks this on its May 2026 map.

• Full practice, in 27 states plus DC: NPs evaluate, diagnose and prescribe under their own license.
• Reduced practice, in 12 states: the law requires an ongoing collaboration agreement with another provider.
• Restricted practice, in 11 states: the law requires ongoing supervision by another provider.

For you, the prescription works the same either way. Physician assistants also prescribe, under their own state rules.

Many online clinics rely on NPs, and Midi lists them first among its clinicians. Training matters more than the title.

Testosterone has extra rules. It is a Schedule III controlled substance, a drug with tighter federal limits. Under a DEA rule extended through December 31, 2026, it can still be prescribed after a video visit. How to get an HRT prescription covers testosterone in more detail.

Should you see an endocrinologist for menopause?

Usually not as a first step. An endocrinologist treats hormone and gland disorders, and many don't focus on menopause.

One can help when menopause comes with another hormone problem:

• Thyroid disease that is hard to keep stable
• Diabetes or another metabolic condition
• Periods that stopped before 40, called premature ovarian insufficiency
• A complex hormone history, such as a pituitary or adrenal problem

The Endocrine Society endorsed a 2025 European guideline on menopause care. It is written for primary care doctors and for specialists who treat more complex cases.

With an HMO, you will likely need a referral first. An HMO is a plan that routes you through your primary care doctor before you see most specialists.

Online HRT doctor or in person: wait time, price and what changes

The medicine is the same either way. What changes is how you reach the prescriber and how you pay.

• Licensing: an online clinician must be licensed in the state where you are. Evernow, for one, says it needs providers licensed in each state it serves.
• Format: Winona and Alloy work from an online form and messaging. Midi, Fountain, PlushCare and Evernow use video visits.
• Billing: Winona, Alloy, Fountain and Inner Balance include the medicine in their price. Midi and PlushCare bill the medicine separately, often through your drug plan.

In person, an in-network visit costs your usual copay. Local practices that don't take insurance set their own cash prices, so ask for the self-pay rate before you book.

HRT near me covers local options and the situations where an office visit is the better choice.

Does insurance or Medicare cover a visit with an HRT doctor?

Usually yes, if the doctor is in your network. You pay a copay, a fixed fee per visit, or coinsurance, a share of the bill.

With a PPO, you can book an in-network specialist directly. With an HMO, plan on a referral for most specialists, though in-network OB-GYNs are generally an exception.

Online, only a few clinics here bill insurance. Midi bills most PPO plans, PlushCare bills most major insurers, and Evernow bills four big insurers for video visits.

If you're on Medicare

Medicare Part B covers medically necessary doctor visits, including visits with nurse practitioners. In 2026, you first pay the $283 Part B deductible.

After that, you usually pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount.

Telehealth counts too. Through December 31, 2027, Medicare covers telehealth visits from anywhere in the US, including your home.

The hard part is finding a clinic that bills Medicare. Midi sees Medicare patients only as self-pay, Evernow doesn't take Medicare, and PlushCare stopped taking Part B in January 2026.

A local doctor is often the simplest route. You can also search the directory's telehealth tab, then ask each clinician whether they take Medicare.

What a first year costs without insurance

• PlushCare, care only: about $425 for a first visit and three follow-ups. Medicine is extra.
• Evernow, care only: about $570 for a prepaid year and one self-pay visit. Medicine is extra.
• Midi Health, care only: about $700 for a first visit and three follow-ups. Medicine and labs are extra.
• Alloy, medicine included: about $805 for the pill and progesterone, consult included.
• Winona, medicine included: about $1,115 for estrogen tablets and progesterone capsules.
• Inner Balance, medicine included: about $1,790 in year one.
• Fountain, medicine included: about $1,950 to $2,585 a year. Labs are extra.

HSA and FSA cards, the pre-tax health accounts many employers offer, work at Winona, Alloy, Midi, Evernow, Fountain and Inner Balance. HRT and insurance covers drug coverage, and HRT without insurance covers the medicine side.

How to tell if a doctor will actually prescribe HRT, before you book

A five-minute check can save you a wasted visit.

• Ask the office one question: does the doctor prescribe hormone therapy for menopause symptoms? A plain yes is a good sign.
• Read the practice's website: look for FDA-approved patches, gels and pills among the options.
• Check the credential: MSCP in the directory, plus an active license.
• For an online clinic, read who prescribes: its own description of its clinicians, as quoted above.

Some offers deserve a closer look. ACOG's 2023 guidance says compounded bioidentical hormones should not be prescribed routinely when FDA-approved options exist.

The same guidance doesn't recommend saliva or blood hormone tests to set compounded doses. It also favors forms other than pellets for testosterone.

That doesn't make every compounded product wrong. Some women need one for an allergy or a dose that isn't sold. It does mean an FDA-approved option should come up first.

Hormone pellets and compounded HRT explain both in detail.