Insurance

My office does not file insurance or Medicare.  You will be given a copy of your bill with the ICD-9 codes necessary for you to file on your own. 

For my patients who choose not to file, there can be confidentiality form insurance discovery of your records.  More and more  of my patients are taking advantage of this.  If you have any questions about billing and insurance any of my staff will be willing to assist you.

New Patient Consultation

It is recommended for new patients to schedule a full physical examination.  The first encounter will last at least one hour but may go over, so schedule your day accordingly.  If you have had a recent checkup and/or have laboratory results to share, we ask that you bring these with you so tests are not repeated unnecessarily.  I also ask that you bring with you a log of basal body temperatures.  Try to check 5 days.

There is no standard intake list of laboratory testing since each person is unique, however, there are basic tests recommended for all.  These include:

                CBC-blood cell analysis

                UA-urine analysis

                Electrolyte analysis

                Liver function tests

                Kidney function

                Fasting blood sugar

                Blood proteins

                Comprehensive  Cholesterol testing (Total, HDL, LDL, Triglycerides, VLDL)

                Vitamin D level (25-OH Vitamin D)

                PSA (for men)

The cost for your initial full examination exclusive of labs will run approximately $165 for a new patient complete examination.  The charge for an established patient is $145.  For a problem focused visit (i.e. Thyroid), the office charge is $105 for new or $85 for a follow up or established patient.   For a simple acute visit (i.e. Respiratory infection), the office charge is $60 for new or established patients.The cost of the basic laboratory panel (see above) is only $115 or $137 with PSA.               

In addition, there are other specialty tests available from specialty labs including Metametrix, Diagnostechs, Spectracell,  Genova, and others for blood, saliva, and stool studies.  These tests will be   individualized for your condition after full consideration. 

All health begins with nutrition.  We specialize in nutrition testing to help identify nutrition deficiencies and understand the processes which led to them.  It is often not sufficient to measure levels of micronutrients in the serum as this does not indicate whether the tissues are able to utilize them.  Functional testing --or metabolic testing –gives us answers to this utilization.  Measuring metabolites in first morning urine guides us to a more full understanding of your health challenges –such as toxicities—and allows an individualized nutrition program.

For energy, sleep, and stress concerns, thyroid testing is done.  We use an advanced test including the free T3 and free T4 along with high sensitivity TSH and thyroid antibodies.  Interpretation of thyroid function is never based on laboratory results alone, but in conjunction with patient signs and symptoms –such as basal body temperature.  Thyroid balance is achieved by advanced testing techniques and coupled with individualized patient symptom reviews.  Most persons will require both T3 and T4 for proper function.  These are not found in synthetic thyroid replacement.  For mild symptoms, it may not be necessary to begin hormonal supplementation but to give thyroid nutrients instead.  These include Iodine, selenium and zinc.

A full adrenal stress test (consisting of 4 saliva samples throughout the day) may be indicated.  Adrenal function usually needs to be assessed with thyroid.  Supplementing thyroid without addressing adrenal insufficiency can worsen symptoms. 

For premenstrual problems and menopausal symptoms, hormone testing will be done using salivary samples for the most accuracy.  All three estrogens, progesterone and testosterone are evaluated along with pituitary hormones LH and FSH.   Hormone precursor DHEA is also checked. 

Testosterone and free testosterone are importantly checked in both men and women for many diverse reasons including libido, strength and vigor. Female Menopause and male Andropause each require balancing with testosterone improving energy and body composition.

 Growth hormone deficiency is checked and treated when necessary.  Symptoms of deficiency in adults may be fatigue, more frequent infections and more rapid signs of aging such as --shrinking muscle mass and weakness.  

Overall health is dependent on a healthy GI system.  Many symptoms from migraines, arthritis, dermatologic rashes and fatigue may be manifestations of food allergies and sensitivities.  Leaky gut syndrome can cause significant health challenges such as hives and osteoporosis.  When indicated we perform blood, saliva or stool testing for this.

Parasites in the GI tract are often overlooked in traditional medical offices yet may be causative of diverse symptoms.  Highly sensitive stool testing by Metametrix  Labs can correctly identify numerous parasites.  Eradication of these can often be through natural herbal remedies giving rapid symptom relief. Dysbiosis is the imbalance of bacteria in the gut.  Checking the flora (bacteria) in the colon to balance the “good” and eliminate yeast is also of extreme importance for the health of our immune system and for relief of bloating and gas.  Your exact bacterial makeup can be mapped through stool and saliva testing through Metametrix Labs.  Through a process of elimination of the “bad” bacteria and yeast with restoration of “good” bacteria, the gut function can be restored to optimal.

Expanded Lipid testing is done if there are concerns for cardiovascular risk.  It is now well accepted that the level of LDL (so-called “bad” cholesterol) is not the culprit in the development of coronary heart disease.  Half of all heart attacks occur with “normal” cholesterols.  To determine risk, the markers of inflammation and oxidation (homocysteine and C Reactive Protein-hs) are tested along with particle number.  It is better to know the number and size of LDL particles than the level of LDL.  Expanded testing may indicate lower risk and allow persons to safely come off the cholesterol medicines.   Reducing unnecessary pharmaceuticals is our goal.

Toxicity is another major aspect of health.  The question is no longer “Are you toxic” but “How toxic are you?”  Functional medicine practitioners focus on the underlying causes of illness and chronic disease, and toxicity is at the top of the list.  Since many environmental toxins ate stored in fat cells and bioaccumulate in the body, the toxins ate often disrupting the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems, as well as being passed on to the next generation.