FAQ
Do you accept insurance?
Our office does not bill insurance. You may pay by check, credit card, or HSA debit card. Upon request, we can provide you with a copy of the superbill which you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement for out-of-network care. The superbill is a detailed medical receipt that contains procedure codes, diagnosis codes, and the fees charged for your office visit. We cannot guarantee what reimbursement, if any, you may receive. We do not submit claims or call insurance companies directly. This is the responsibility of the patient.
We do not participate with Medicare, nor do we bill Medicare for any services rendered. A patient can NOT submit superbills to Medicare for possible reimbursement.
Do you offer payment plans?
No, at this time we do not offer any payment plans.
Why don’t you accept insurance?
Unfortunately, when doctors participate with insurance carriers, they enter into a contract that allows the insurance companies to dictate what services will be supplied, limiting the quality of care that we believe you deserve. As the costs of keeping a clinic running has continued to rise, reimbursement has fallen, forcing most doctors to see more and more patients a day, keeping office visits very brief. We believe this approach of seeing patients for shortened visit times does not allow us to create the personalized plan of care that is necessary in a functional or integrative approach.
Most laboratory services provided by LabCorp or Quest can be billed directly to your insurance plans unless you don’t have out- of-network coverage. For those that do not have good lab coverage we have partnered with LabCorp and negotiated a lower, fixed lab cost for our routine blood work labs. Most have found that this cost is less than their copay for the same tests. It also gives us the freedom to order a more comprehensive workup without concern for a denial of coverage, as the labs are paid for upfront.
Some specialty labs may not be covered by your insurance plans. Please check with your insurance company regarding deductibles and reimbursement for out-of-network labs. It is not the responsibility of Origins Functional Medicine to understand your individual insurance coverage.
Who is a typical Origins patient?
Anybody who wants to take control of their own health! Patients vary in complexity and health goals. We help people with complex chronic disease such as autoimmune disease, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart disease, arthritis, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, depression and anxiety (to name a few) to approach their disease with the goal of healing from the inside out. Many patients are able to tailor back their medications in this instance. We collaborate with the patient’s primary care physician and specialists before discontinuing medications.
We also assist patients who are otherwise healthy, but just “don’t feel right”. These patients may have seen multiple doctors, and their labs are all normal, however they are still plagued with fatigue, insomnia, mood disorders, brain fog etc. We use our advanced diagnostic testing to get to the underlying cause of these issues.
What do treatments entail?
Our treatment focuses on lifestyle intervention, focusing on nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress reduction and optimization of relationships. Herbals and nutraceuticals/supplements may be prescribed to help support your body, based on personalized needs. Prescription medication may be prescribed as well, depending on disease and symptom severity. This truly holistic approach incorporates both eastern and western options. And is overall directed by the patient’s goals and preferences; within context of safety and efficacy for the health concerns being addressed. A trusting relationship between patient and practitioner is paramount and an extremely valuable tool available to promote health and healing. Time is spent cultivating this relationship to build mutual trust and respect.
Are you my primary physician?
You are required to have a primary care physician. Dr. Linda Matteoli offers functional medicine consultation only and does not function as your primary care physician. You must have a primary care physician for yearly physicals, wellness visits and for after hours or urgent care purposes. We do not respond to urgent requests of any sort, including messages or phone calls, you must have a primary care doctor for this purpose.
