The NCOA Adviser Reviews Team researches these products & services and may earn a commission from qualified purchases made through links included.
The NCOA Adviser Reviews Team researches these products & services and may earn a commission from qualified purchases made through links included. NCOA does not receive a commission for purchases. If you find these resources useful, consider donating to NCOA.
It’s not unusual to experience problems in the bedroom as we go through life. Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects men of all ages, but it becomes more common after middle age [1] Ferrini, M.G., et al. Aging Related Erectile Dysfunction – Potential Mechanism to Halt or Delay Its Onset. Translational Andrology and Urology. Feb. 9, 2017. Found on the internet at https://tau.amegroups.org/article/view/13319/13808 . According to research, one of the most common causes of ED (in all ages) is poor inflow of blood to the penis, but it can also be a sign of dangerously high blood pressure, diabetes onset, or arterial and heart disease, so it’s important to talk to your doctor about it as soon as possible to rule out these and other potential causes. Our January 2024 survey found 48% of men* postpone this conversation with their doctor for months.
As long as you have been screened for these and other conditions and cleared by your doctor to take ED medications, urologists say it’s okay to use telehealth services for ED treatment [2] Khera M., et al. Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA)/American Urological Association (AUA) Telemedicine and Men’s Health White Paper. Journal of Sexual Medicine. Feb. 28, 2024. Found on the internet at https://academic.oup.com/jsm/articl . Over the past few years, numerous websites have started to offer online ED diagnoses, allowing men to more easily get a prescription for Viagra or Cialis without ever having to leave home.
Optum Store is one of those websites. In this review, we’ll tell you how much ED medication costs through Optum Store and what to expect during the sign-up and screening process. We’ll also highlight how the platform compares to telehealth alternatives like Hims to help you choose the best option.
Learn more about aging and sexual health with our collection of articles on the unique sexual and intimacy needs of older adults.
*For brevity, we refer to all people assigned male at birth as men throughout this guide.
If Optum Store isn’t right for you, consider Hims. This telehealth platform offers ED medication, and consultations are always free.
If you want to use an HSA or FSA card to cover the cost of sildenafil, Optum Store is a good choice. Its medication prices are similar to competitors like Roman and Hims, but the $15 consultation fee makes Optum Store more expensive over time.
“My experience with Optum Store is pretty similar to other ED platforms: answer some questions, upload my ID, choose a pill, and wait for approval.”
— Optum Store tester
Viagra and Cialis may be ineffective or dangerous based on your health history and current medications.
Some of the most common chronic conditions affecting older adults—including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes—can damage penile blood vessels and nerves [3] Defeudis G., et al. Erectile Dysfunction and Diabetes: A Melting Pot of Circumstances and Treatments. Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews. Sept. 13, 2021. Found on the internet at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/dmrr.3494 , leading to new or worsening ED that doesn’t respond to Viagra or Cialis. Fortunately, several other ED treatments are available [4] McMahon C.N., et al. Treating Erectile Dysfunction When PDE5 Inhibitors Fail. British Medical Journal (BMJ). March 11, 2006. Found on the internet at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1397768/ , including penile injections, intraurethral suppositories, vacuum erection devices, and discreet penile prosthesis, among other solutions.
ED can also appear as one of the first symptoms of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, anxiety, and other chronic health concerns [5] Capogrosso P., et al. Erectile Dysfunction in Young Patients is a Proxy of Overall Men’s Health Status. Current Opinion in Urology. March 2016. Found on the internet at https://journals.lww.com/co-urology/abstract/2016/03000/erectile_dysfunction_in_y . Given the strong association between ED and these conditions, telehealth services without a physical exam may overlook serious conditions [6] Hsiang W.R., et al. Evaluation of Online Telehealth Platforms for Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction. Journal of Urology. Feb. 1, 2021. Found on the internet at https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/JU.0000000000001378 . Visit your doctor in person to ensure underlying conditions are diagnosed and treated alongside the ED.
Viagra and Cialis shouldn’t be taken with some medications used to treat chest pain, high blood pressure, or lower urinary tract symptoms. Viagra should also be avoided in men taking protease inhibitors—a specific class of medications used to treat HIV.
Combining nitrates or alpha-blockers with ED pills may cause a severe, life-threatening drop in blood pressure, which can be associated with feeling dizzy, fainting, falling, and even death.
This is not a complete list of medications that should not be taken with Viagra and Cialis. Talk to your provider about everything you take—including recreational drugs and vitamins—when discussing potential ED treatments.
Cialis and Viagra use should be closely monitored by a physician for people with low resting blood pressure, uncontrolled high blood pressure, inherited disorders of the eye or retina, recent heart attack or stroke, or uncontrolled heart disease. These medications, and their generic equivalents, can also worsen abdominal pain for men with stomach ulcers.
Optum Store is an online discount marketplace for health care products. It also offers virtual care services for a small number of prescription products:
To request any of these prescriptions, you’ll need to fill out a health survey, upload a photo ID, and checkout. One of the doctors employed by Optum Store then reviews your data. They approve your request if you seem like a good candidate for the prescription. Sometimes doctors will make modifications, like starting you on a lower initial dose than what you selected.
Optum Store then sends your prescription to a pharmacy called Truepill, which prepares the medication and ships it to your door in about one week.
Optum Store charges $15 per consultation, but the first one is free. Expect to pay this $15 fee every three months for prescription renewals.
Shipping is free if your prescription costs at least $35 and you live in one of the contiguous (lower 48) U.S. states. Otherwise, shipping costs $5.99 (standard) or $9.99 (expedited).
Erectile dysfunction medications cost $6–$80 per tablet, depending on brand and dosage. Compare costs in the table below.
| ED Treatment | Cost per tablet |
|---|---|
| Viagra 25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg | $80 |
| Sildenafil (generic Viagra) 50 mg | $6 |
| Sildenafil (generic Viagra) 100 mg | $10 |
| Cialis 5 mg | $17 |
| Cialis 10 mg, 20 mg | $71 |
| Tadalafil (generic Cialis) 5 mg, 10 mg | $7 |
| Tadalafil (generic Cialis) 20 mg | $9 |
These are not the lowest prices on the market. You may be able to get them for less if you go through your personal doctor. You’re paying primarily for the convenience and discretion of using an online ED medication platform like Optum Store.
If price is a concern, consider getting the prescription from an Optum Store provider and then filling it through an online discount pharmacy like Cost Plus Drugs. Optum Store customer service can help transfer the prescription. Otherwise, unless you ask for a prescription transfer, Optum Store fills the prescription through its pharmacy partner, Truepill.
Like most other ED medication platforms, Optum Store sells Cialis and Viagra, and also their generic versions, tadalafil and sildenafil. If you’re interested in Levitra (vardenafil), consider using the telemedicine platform BlueChew. For Stendra (avanafil), it’s best to visit your doctor—we have not come across any ED medication websites that prescribe it.
When you think of ED medication, you probably think of Viagra. The “little blue pill” is well-known not because it works better than others, but because it was the first FDA-approved option on the market and it got a lot of news coverage. Now, Viagra faces competition from Cialis, Levitra, and Stendra, as well as its lower-cost generic form, sildenafil.
Optum Store sells name-brand Viagra in doses of 25 milligrams, 50 milligrams, and 100 milligrams for $80 per tablet. It also sells sildenafil—which is chemically identical to Viagra—in doses of 50 milligrams and 100 milligrams for $6–$10 per tablet. Consider name-brand Viagra if you need the 25-milligram dose. Otherwise, you’ll save quite a bit of money and get the same effects by choosing the generic version.
Sildenafil works exactly like Viagra. It should be taken 30–60 minutes before you plan to have sex, and its effects wear off after about 6–8 hours. Because it’s not meant to be taken daily, Optum Store sells sildenafil and Viagra in batches of four, six, eight, or 10 tablets per month.
Viagra/sildenafil works best when taken on an empty stomach [7] Nichols D.J., et al. Pharmacokinetics of Sildenafil After Single Oral Doses in Healthy Male Subjects: Absolute Bioavailability, Food Effects and Dose Proportionality. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. March 6, 2002. Found on the internet at h , said Ohio-based urologist Nannan Thirumavalavan.
“There’s a big difference in how well it’s absorbed,” Thirumavalavan said in reference to taking Viagra on a full stomach vs. an empty stomach. “Most people have sex in the evenings after dinner, so it becomes logistically challenging to take Viagra on an empty stomach.”
Common side effects of sildenafil include headache, runny nose, heartburn, and facial flushing. Sildenafil has also been known to produce blurry or blue-tinged vision.
Cialis (tadalafil) is a PDE5-inhibitor like Viagra, but its effects last much longer—up to 36 hours [8] Young J.M., et al. Tadalafil Improved Erectile Function at Twenty-Four and Thirty-Six Hours After Dosing in Men With Erectile Dysfunction: US Trial. Journal of Andrology. Jan. 2, 2013. Found on the internet at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2 . Cialis is safe to take daily in 5-milligram or 10-milligram doses, making it a better choice for men who prefer frequent or spontaneous sex. The 20-milligram dose is suitable for taking as-needed. Even so, Optum Store doesn’t offer daily quantities of Cialis or tadalafil. As with Viagra, you can only get four, six, eight, or 10 tablets. Because of this, our Reviews Team recommends looking into other prescription providers if you want to use tadalafil daily.
Suppose you’re shopping for an ED medication that you would only take on occasion or as needed. In that case, there are a few more things to know about tadalafil: It can be taken with any type of food and doesn’t produce vision-related side effects like Viagra does. But back aches and muscle cramping are more common with Cialis compared to Viagra. Cialis can take up to two hours to begin working.
As with Viagra and sildenafil, the major difference between Cialis and tadalafil is cost. Optum Store sells Cialis for $17–$71 per tablet based on dosage. tadalafil costs $7–$9 per tablet.
To request erectile dysfunction medication from Optum Store, go to the virtual care portal and click the box that says “Erectile Dysfunction.” From there, click the blue button that says “Start Your Free Consultation.”
You’ll be asked for some basic information, like your name, sex at birth, birthday, and ZIP code. Optum Store won’t let you continue with the erectile dysfunction survey if you are younger than 18, were assigned female at birth, or live in an ineligible state. At this time, Optum Store does not provide erectile dysfunction services to residents of North Dakota or South Carolina.
Next, you’ll be asked to take a health survey, which asks 17 questions about your erectile health, blood pressure, current medications and conditions, and recreational drug use. The assigned doctor uses all of this information to determine whether ED medications are safe for you, so answer honestly. Don’t worry—other ED treatments are available if prescription drugs can’t be used.
At the end of the survey, you’ll be told whether or not ED medication seems safe for you. You’ll be asked to create an account if you’re a good candidate for this treatment. If you’re not a good candidate, Optum Store will advise you to talk to your primary care doctor in person.
Your assigned Optum Store doctor will review your health data, too, and they may have some concerns that weren’t caught by the automated assessment. Passing the survey doesn’t guarantee the prescription will be approved.
After you create an account, you’ll be asked to select the kind of medication you want, in what dose, and in what quantity. Optum Store provides very little information to help you make a decision here, so be sure to read our guide to Viagra vs. Cialis. Once you select the medication you want, you’ll need to upload a photo of yourself (taken by the webcam), along with your photo ID. Just hold the ID up to your webcam.
Finally, the checkout process begins. Once you submit delivery and payment information, you’ll need to wait for an Optum Store doctor to review your request. This can take up to 72 hours. After your prescription has been approved, expect to wait about five days or so for delivery.
You can reach Optum Store customer service by:
Optum Store accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and Diners Club. Optum Store also accepts the Optum Bank FSA card or UnitedHealthcare FSA card.
Erectile dysfunction treatment is eligible for reimbursement through a flexible spending account (FSA), health savings account (HSA), or health reimbursement account (HRA). To receive reimbursement through these accounts, your doctor must write a letter verifying the treatment is medically necessary.
Based on our expert consultations, research, and testing, we determined the following factors to be essential for our readers when signing up for an erectile dysfunction medication platform:
We had all of our reviews medically reviewed by an expert in the field to ensure the information is appropriate for NCOA readers’ needs. Read more on our erectile dysfunction research methodology.
Our Reviews Team recommends Optum Store, but it is not the right solution for everyone. This online service only prescribes four to 10 doses at a time, with a five-day waiting time for new prescriptions. For men who want to take a daily dose of Cialis (or its generic equivalent), Optum Store will not be able to meet this need. We believe the Optum Store is best suited to people looking for as-needed, or occasional, ED medication.
When signing up, our mystery shoppers appreciated not having to enter their contact information until passing several eligibility checks, and the survey itself was educational. But very little information was provided to help users understand the differences between Viagra and Cialis. Unless you feel confident about your ED medication choice, it’s best to choose “I don’t know” and discuss your needs with the Optum Store health professional during your initial consultation.
The biggest benefit of using Optum Store virtual care services is that you can pay with your Optum Bank FSA or UnitedHealthcare FSA card. Optum Store charges average prices for ED medications and provides a similar user experience to other telehealth platforms, like Hims.
The results of our January 2024 survey suggest Optum Store provides a reliable service. All Optum Store users who responded to our survey said contacting the providers and customer service representatives through the platform was easy.
Optum Store employs licensed providers to review your information and write prescriptions. Those prescriptions are handled through Truepill, which is licensed to dispense controlled substances in all 50 states. To learn how your information is stored and handled, read Optum Store’s privacy policy and consumer health data privacy policy.
Yes and no. If you haven’t had a physical exam in the last year, visit your doctor to make sure you don’t have high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, or any other condition that could interact badly with ED medications. Assuming all is well, it’s safe to get an ED medication prescription online through reputable sites like Optum Store or Hims.
Do not buy ED medications over the counter—the FDA has found harmful hidden ingredients in more than 400 OTC ED products [9] U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Tainted Sexual Enhancement and Energy Products. Jan 1, 2024. Found on the internet at https://www.fda.gov/drugs/medication-health-fraud/tainted-sexual-enhancement-and-energy-products . Team up with a doctor—either in-person or through telehealth—to find a safe solution to treat your ED.
Have questions about this review? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org.
