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Do Functional Medicine Doctors Accept Insurance?

by | Nov 25, 2020 | Functional Medicine

Integrated functional medicine – to do, or not to do?

Many factors impact a person’s decision to start functional medicine treatment. Access to an integrated functional medicine practitioner, type of health concerns, desired health outcomes, and cost of treatment are all essential components to consider when exploring functional medicine therapies.

But do functional medicine doctors accept insurance?

What is Functional Medicine?

Integrated functional medicine does not work on the typical conventional medicine treatment model. Rather than focusing on making a diagnosis and covering symptoms with medications, functional medicine works to treat the true source of the disease dysfunction.

Dr. Grewal is the best integrated functional medicine doctor in the United States. She developed individualized treatment plans based on thorough patient assessment and diagnostic testing. Functional medicine plans combine conventional medicine (medicine, surgery, etc.) and holistic medicine (understanding the connection between our health, diet, and lifestyle choices).

For a more thorough explanation of functional medicine, please visit our blog post, What is functional medicine?

Insurance and Holistic Medicine

Most insurance packages in the United States do not offer coverage for functional medicine.

Historically, holistic medicine has not been covered by insurance companies. Despite this, it is estimated that 33% of American adults utilize at least one holistic health service or product each year.

Traditional or conventional medicine is the most common form of medical practice in the Westernized world. More holistic or conventional medical methods such as chiropractors, massage, acupuncture, and functional medicine are not as highly emphasized as treatment options for chronic health conditions.

In recent years, there has been an influx of interest in holistic medicine therapies in the United States. The shift towards a more patient-centered approach to medicine is highlighting the strengths of integrated functional medicine.

Are There Benefits to Paying Out of Pocket?

Though it may not seem like it, there are actually many hidden benefits to not having insurance cover your functional medicine treatment fees.

Conventional medicine is significantly restricted in options for treatment due to insurance claims. Because insurance is the primary source of payment for many traditional medicine offices, conventional medicine doctors are limited to offer services that are covered by general insurance packages.

Because holistic medicine options are rarely covered in insurance packages, a holistic medicine doctor can prescribe more precise and specialized diagnostic testing to get better insights into your health conditions.

As well, functional medicine doctors are not limited by time restraints for treating patients. Insurance companies often bill for treatments in specific time amounts (aka the shorter the time spent with the patient, the more money made by the doctor). Integrated functional medicine is fundamentally built on the concept of patient-centered care and building professional interpersonal relationships. Without these restrictions, your functional medicine doctor is not pressured to rush throughout a consultation, and can spend time building a meaningful one-on-one relationship with each client.

For more information about the benefits of functional medicine, please read our blog post, Is a functional medicine doctor worth the money.

Is It Possible to Get Insurance Coverage for Functional Medicine Treatment?

So, the big question – do functional medicine doctors accept insurance? The answer is complicated and different depending on individual cases.

If you are wondering about functional medicine and your insurance, please contact your insurance provider and inquire about holistic medicine benefits.

While many insurance packages do not cover functional medicine, it may be possible to use health spending accounts or paid additional benefits packages that specifically cover functional medicine.

Dr. Grewal does not accept insurance as payment for her treatments. She is able to give her patients a superbill for pay per visit appointments, which can be turned into your insurance company for reimbursement (if you have holistic medicine coverage). She also accepts HSA cards.

Is Functional Medicine Worth It?

Integrated functional medicine is a fantastic option for the treatment of many different chronic health conditions. For a full list of the conditions treated by Dr. Grewal, please visit our Center for holistic medicine for more information.

If you are a person who is looking to take control of their health, integrated functional medicine is for you!