Frequently Asked Questions
Clear answers before you begin.
Questions about insurance, Guided Care, telehealth, medications, and how WellifyCare works.
What is the first step?
Start with an initial cardiometabolic medical evaluation with Dr. Dere. We review your history, medications, prior testing, risk factors, and goals, then discuss a personalized plan.
Is the initial evaluation covered by insurance?
When WellifyCare participates with your health plan and the service is covered, the visit is billed to insurance. Your deductible, copay, coinsurance, prior authorization requirements, and other plan rules may apply.
Do I have to join Guided Care?
No. Guided Care is optional. You can receive otherwise available medically necessary covered care from WellifyCare without joining Guided Care.
What is Guided Care?
Guided Care is a self-pay program for patients who want monthly physician-led lifestyle coaching, a Personal Health Roadmap, education, planning, and more structured longitudinal support.
How much is Guided Care?
$200 per month with an initial four-month commitment, or $750 paid in full for the initial four-month Foundation Phase.
Why four months?
The four-month structure gives us time to understand your starting point, put your lifestyle plan into action, learn from real-life barriers, and reassess your next steps. No specific result is guaranteed.
What happens after four months?
You may continue Guided Care month to month at $200 per month, subject to the program agreement, or continue with insurance-based medical care only according to your clinical needs.
Is remote patient monitoring included in the $200 Guided Care fee?
No. Guided Care may use available trends to support coaching, but eligible remote patient monitoring is a separate medical service with its own clinical, consent, device, documentation, and billing requirements. It may be billed separately to insurance when applicable.
Can Dr. Dere adjust my medication during Guided Care?
Medication prescribing and adjustment are medical care. When a medication issue requires medical evaluation or management, WellifyCare uses the appropriate clinical workflow and bills insurance when applicable.
Do you prescribe GLP-1 medications?
GLP-1–based medications may be considered when clinically appropriate. No medication is guaranteed. Decisions depend on medical history, diagnosis, contraindications, potential benefits and risks, patient preferences, and applicable prescribing requirements.
Do you only treat weight?
No. WellifyCare focuses on diabetes, obesity, blood pressure, cholesterol and cardiovascular risk, fatty liver and related cardiometabolic concerns. Weight is one part of the larger picture.
Is WellifyCare primary care?
No. WellifyCare is a specialty medical practice focused on diabetes, weight, and cardiometabolic health. We recommend maintaining a primary care relationship and collaborate with other clinicians when appropriate.
Do you provide cardiology services?
WellifyCare provides cardiovascular risk assessment and management of relevant cardiometabolic risk factors within the scope of internal medicine and obesity medicine. Advanced cardiac testing, procedural cardiology, and cardiology-specific evaluation are referred to or coordinated with cardiology when appropriate.
Can I receive care by telehealth?
Telehealth may be available when Dr. Dere is licensed or otherwise legally authorized to provide care in the state where you are physically located at the time of the visit. Some clinical situations require in-person evaluation.
Can medications be prescribed through telehealth?
Medication may be prescribed after an appropriate clinical evaluation when telehealth is clinically appropriate and prescribing is permitted by applicable federal and state law. Some medications or clinical circumstances may require in-person care.
Do you treat PCOS?
WellifyCare can address cardiometabolic and weight-related concerns in adults with PCOS. Gynecologic, reproductive, and fertility needs may require collaboration with an OB-GYN or reproductive specialist.
Do you treat chronic kidney disease?
We address relevant diabetes, blood pressure, weight, and cardiometabolic factors and may use kidney-protective therapies when appropriate. Patients may also need nephrology care depending on the cause and severity of kidney disease.
Do you replace my cardiologist, endocrinologist, or nephrologist?
No. WellifyCare focuses on cardiometabolic care and collaborates with organ-specific specialists when their expertise is needed.
What ages do you treat?
WellifyCare currently focuses on adult patients.
Is WellifyCare a religious clinic?
No religious belief is required to receive care. Dr. Dere's Christian faith influences his personal commitment to service and stewardship, but patients of every faith and no faith are welcomed and respected.
When is WellifyCare opening?
WellifyCare is preparing to open in October 2026. Join the interest list for scheduling and launch updates.