UC San Diego Health
Verified listingAbout UC San Diego Health
What is UC San Diego Health?
UC San Diego Health is an academic health system at 200 West Arbor Drive, #8907, San Diego, CA 92103-8907. Its main business is primary and specialty medical care, and weight management is one of its services. Surgical weight loss runs through a separate unit, the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute. The appointment line is 858-657-8860.
Its nonsurgical Weight Management Program offers individual consultations with physicians and registered dietitians, referral to a structured lifestyle program called SLIM, prescriptions for weight loss drugs or injections when they are right for the patient, and one-on-one health coaching. Surgical options include the gastric balloon, gastric banding, gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy.
SLIM is led by Deepa Sannidhi, MD, who is trained in weight management, lifestyle medicine and integrative health. It runs over five to six months, with five one-on-one appointments and 12 group medical visits, in person and virtual. Patients need a referral from a UC San Diego Health provider. Google shows a rating of 3.7 from 3 reviews.
This listing is for its San Diego office at 4303 La Jolla Village Dr Ste 2110, L1.
What does it cost?
It does not publish prices or a consultation fee, and it does not say whether medication is included in any price.
Insurance is the main route. In its own words: "Our medically supervised SLIM program is covered by insurance." You may still owe co-pays, depending on your plan. Consultations are generally covered too, though you should confirm with your plan and ask your primary care doctor for a referral if needed. One-on-one health coaching is not covered by insurance. Medicare does not cover weight loss medications, and some plans may not either, so you may pay out of pocket. Flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts may cover some costs.
What should you ask before you book?
Ask who writes the prescription. Deepa Sannidhi, MD, is the only prescriber named, and she leads SLIM. No one else is named for medication visits.
Ask whether any fee includes the medication, and whether the drug is brand name or compounded. The medications it prescribes are not named.
Ask about the shortage. Pharmacies may be low or out of stock, and no one can say how long the shortage will last, so ask what that means for a prescription you would start.
Ask what lab work, follow-up visits and coaching cost, and which of them will be billed to your insurance. Ask how to get the SLIM referral, and if you are not yet a patient, how to become one. Ask how cancellation works, including what you would owen if you leave partway through. No cancellation policy is published.
Who is it a good fit for?
This is a good fit if you already see a UC San Diego Health provider or can get a referral, and your insurance covers the SLIM program. Eligibility for a weight loss prescription typically starts at a BMI of 30, or a BMI of 27 to 29 with a chronic condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure. If you want a cash-pay option with posted prices, call first, since none are posted.
Sources: health.ucsd.edu/care/weight/weight-loss-programs, health.ucsd.edu/care/weight/weight-loss-programs/slim
Services Offered
What we confirmed
Read off UC San Diego Health’s own website on 2026-10-11. These are their words, not ours.
- ✓Medical weight loss — listed on their site as “SLIM (Supervised Lifestyle and Integrative Medicine) Weight Loss” source
We have not yet collected published prices or prescriber credentials for this clinic. When we do, they will appear here with a link to the page they came from — or a note saying the clinic publishes none, which is itself worth knowing. Call them for a price in the meantime.