Essential Wellcare

About Essential Wellcare

What is Essential Wellcare?

Essential Wellcare is a primary care and wellness clinic at 3419 NW Evangeline Thruway, Suite A-8, in Carencro, Louisiana. Weight loss is one of its services, alongside wellness exams, sick visits, physicals, STD testing and treatment, medical marijuana consultations, and vitamin injections. It also offers telehealth to patients anywhere in Louisiana. The clinic does not list hormone therapy, peptide therapy, or longevity services.

The prescriber named is Sherelle Sion Pickney, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC. She is a nurse practitioner with more than 26 years in healthcare, including over 3 years in chronic weight management. The weight loss program may include prescription medications, and the clinic names GLP-1 medications as one option. It does not name specific GLP-1 drugs. The program also includes nutritional guidance, lifestyle recommendations, and lab monitoring. In its own words: "Our medically supervised weight loss program is personalized to your individual needs and goals." The clinic has a 4.9 rating from 52 Google reviews.

What does it cost?

The clinic does not publish weight loss prices, and it does not say whether medication is included in any price. The only weight loss fee it states is a $35 refundable deposit to secure your consultation. That deposit is applied to your visit at the time of service, but it is forfeited if you cancel or reschedule with less than 24 hours' notice. A $75 cash fee appears with its telehealth service.

The clinic accepts most private insurance plans, Medicare, and Medicaid for eligible services. It says weight loss coverage varies by plan, so check with your insurer first. It also accepts HSA and FSA payments. For cancellations, it asks for at least 24 hours' notice, and late cancellations and missed appointments may be charged a fee.

What should you ask before you book?

Ask who writes and signs the prescription, and whether the nurse practitioner sees you at every visit. Ask whether the program price includes the medication, and whether the medication is brand-name or compounded. Ask which GLP-1 drug they would recommend for you and what it costs each month.

Recent lab work from within the last 6 months is required before your first visit. You can send results from your own provider or order labs through the clinic. Ask what the labs cost and what follow-up visits cost. Ask what the cancellation fee is.

The clinic lists conditions that rule out GLP-1 treatment, including a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, pregnancy, a history of pancreatitis, and allergy to GLP-1 medications. Ask the nurse practitioner whether any of these apply to you before you pay the deposit.

Who is it a good fit for?

This is a good fit if you want primary care or a weight loss program with a nurse practitioner, in person in Carencro or by telehealth in Louisiana, and you are comfortable paying a deposit and lab costs without a published price. If you are looking for hormone, peptide, or longevity care, this clinic does not list those services.

Sources: essentialwellcares.com, essentialwellcares.com/faqs, essentialwellcares.com/services, essentialwellcares.com/contact-us, essentialwellcares.com/about-1

Services Offered