FAQs
Our Most Popular
Frequently Asked Questions
The good news is that we do not bill insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. The reason this is a good thing is because it means we aren't limited in the types of testing we can order for you, or how long we can spend with you in appointments. Our patients have been glad that they stepped outside of the insurance model because it finally allowed them to get the testing and answers they'd been looking for!
We fully understand the financial challenge this presents to some individuals. Unfortunately, at this time, it is not feasible for us to participate in the insurance networks, and Colorado insurance companies do not allow naturopathic doctors to participate.
Although we do not bill insurance directly, most patients with Health Savings Accounts (HSA) or Flex Spending Accounts (FSA) can use their respective cards to pay for services, lab tests and supplements through our office.
We can also provide you with a superbill of services, which can be submitted to your insurance company (excluding Medicaid, Medicare or Kaiser) for possible reimbursement.
A very small percentage of our patients have received insurance reimbursement for visits, lab tests and/or supplements, but it varies greatly depending on your plan.
Since every patient’s plan is personalized, the cost can vary. Please schedule a discovery call to learn more.
We do not offer a sliding scale, but special rates are available for active or retired military, public servants, and health care professionals. Many of our patients are able to use their Flex Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) cards to pay for our services.
Yes, monthly payment plans are available. We do accept all major credit cards, Flex Spending (FSA) cards, and Health Savings (FSA) cards. Special rates are available for active or retired military, public servants, and health care professionals.
True healing takes time, which is why we offer 6- and 12-month programs. We offer one-time visits to our patients who have completed the program on an as-needed basis. Many patients who come to see us have complex health issues that require this length of time for true resolution.
In your Discovery Call with Dr. Alison, you learn about the program options that would best fit your unique case. People with less complex cases or who are not very sick may be eligible for an Advanced Lab Workup with review. This “mini-program” is for those who want to give functional medicine a try and don’t require extensive care.
If you are an established patient, the doctors will gladly consult with your other healthcare providers. If you are not an established patient, we are not able to discuss your case with your healthcare providers.
Our clinic does not provide these services, but our colleagues at Rocky Mountain Regenerative Medicine may be a great fit for you!
For legal and safety reasons, we are not able to interpret your lab results or give any health advice or health assessments unless you become an established patient of ours. If you are interested in becoming a patient, please schedule a discovery call.
Our clinic does not provide basic annual physicals, pap smears, or general primary care services. Therefore we recommend that you maintain a relationship with your personal physician or other licensed primary care provider for emergencies and basic health care needs. When appropriate, we do conduct physical exams related to your specific symptoms and health concerns.
We wait until the end of your first visit before making lab recommendations so that we can understand your case and which labs make the most sense for you. We will gladly review labs that you've already had done through other providers, but there's no guarantee that your doctor will order any new labs that you request. It can also delay your care if you have to make another appointment with someone else, and a lot of the specialized lab tests that we use are not offered by conventional providers. Also, if your other doctor does order a special test for you, and they bill your insurance, there is a strong likelihood that your insurance company will refuse to pay for that test, and then you may get stuck with a huge bill! We actually get special pricing on lab tests and pass along the savings to you.
While we would love to give a definitive answer to this question, it really depends on several factors, including the complexity of your condition, how long you've been struggling with it, how much time, energy and attention you're willing to devote to testing and treatment, and how well you respond to your treatment plan.
What we can say for certain is that habits, patterns and chronic health conditions don't develop overnight and you shouldn't expect them to turn around overnight, either. Stubborn or complex health issues involve multiple contributing factors, and they aren't resolved in a day, a week, or even a month. True healing takes time, which is why we offer 6- and 12-month programs. We ask you to commit because we have not seen a high level of success when patients don't allow adequate time for focused effort and treatment.
The good news is that most of our patients start seeing some improvement within the first month. Even better, the improvement typically snowballs each month thereafter until one day they wake up and realize they can't remember the last time they felt bad. Again, it's all about how strongly you're committed to making changes and how closely you follow the recommended lab evaluations and treatment plan. Everyone is different, but you'll have the best chance of success when you commit and decide to give it your all.
Our program is designed to give you all of the tools, knowledge, strategies and accountability you need to get you on the path to total wellness. It is a comprehensive plan designed to help you create a new, healthier and vibrant YOU from the inside out.
The good news is that we do not bill insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. The reason this is a good thing is because it means we aren't limited in the types of testing we can order for you, or how long we can spend with you in appointments. Our patients have been glad that they stepped outside of the insurance model because it finally allowed them to get the testing and answers they'd been looking for!
We fully understand the financial challenge this presents to some individuals. Unfortunately, at this time, it is not feasible for us to participate in the insurance networks, and Colorado insurance companies do not allow naturopathic doctors to participate.
Although we do not bill insurance directly, most patients with Health Savings Accounts (HSA) or Flex Spending Accounts (FSA) can use their respective cards to pay for services, lab tests and supplements through our office.
We can also provide you with a superbill of services, which can be submitted to your insurance company (excluding Medicaid, Medicare or Kaiser) for possible reimbursement.
A very small percentage of our patients have received insurance reimbursement for visits, lab tests and/or supplements, but it varies greatly depending on your plan.
Although we do not bill insurance directly, most patients with Health Savings Accounts (HSA) or Flex Spending Accounts (FSA) can use their respective cards to pay for services, lab tests and supplements through our office.
We can also provide you with a superbill of services, which can be submitted to your insurance company (excluding Medicaid, Medicare or Kaiser) for possible reimbursement.
A very small percentage of our patients have received insurance reimbursement for visits, lab tests and/or supplements, but it varies greatly depending on your plan.
We get special pricing on lab tests and pass along the savings to you.
Since every patient’s plan is personalized, the cost can vary. Please schedule a discovery call to learn more. Some labs are included in the price of the signature Whole Health Transformation Program. We get special pricing on lab tests and pass along the savings to you.
Functional medicine operates on a holistic model that views the body as interconnected systems, while conventional medicine tends to focus on treating specific symptoms or diseases. As a result, the tests used in functional medicine may not align with the traditional medical model or standard diagnostic criteria.
Functional medicine labs often use cutting-edge tests that are still evolving and may not be widely adopted or recognized by mainstream medical institutions. Some of these tests are less well-known or may have fewer large-scale studies backing them compared to traditional lab tests.
Yes! We treat children ages 2 and older on a case-by-case basis, and we require you to maintain a relationship with a licensed physician or pediatric health care provider to oversee your child's primary health care needs.
Yes, we offer special rates for additional members of your household who would like to establish care with us. These options can be discussed during your discovery call.
Professionally-trained naturopathic doctors complete a 4-year, accredited naturopathic medical program. When searching for a naturopathic doctor, it is very important that you select a provider who has attended CNME-certified program. Only these providers are eligible to take board exams and obtain a license or registration to practice.
NDs receive training in all of the basic sciences including anatomy, physiology, histology, genomics, biochemistry, pathology, immunology and microbiology. They are also trained in clinical sciences such as pharmacology, gastroenterology, cardiology, neurology, orthopedics, pediatrics, gynecology, psychiatry, dermatology and minor surgery, plus all aspects of diagnosis using labs, imaging (x-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound) and physical examination.
A naturopathic doctor completes an internship with over 1,100 hours of patient care and takes rigorous two-part board exams to become licensed or registered by a state or Canadian province. Some naturopathic doctors also obtain board certification in the areas of oncology or pediatrics.
NDs speak and understand the language of conventional medicine, but they have a broader set of tools and insights to offer their patients. Naturopathic medical education places a greater emphasis on healthy lifestyles, natural therapies and disease prevention, and less emphasis on pharmaceutical therapy. NDs also learn therapies such as Chinese medicine, physical medicine, hydrotherapy, botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, homeopathy, and counseling. In contrast, conventional medical school curriculum is based heavily on drug and surgical treatments, with few or no courses offered in nutrition, botanical medicine or non-drug therapies.
Where NDs differ greatly from MDs is in their philosophy and treatment approach.
Naturopathic doctors correct the underlying disturbances that are contributing to a person's illness rather than only suppressing symptoms. NDs prioritize gentle, non-invasive therapies first and use drug treatments or surgery referrals only when necessary. Prevention is paramount to naturopathic practice; instead of waiting for disease to surface, NDs work to intervene before it happens. Naturopathic doctors are known for spending a considerable amount of time with their patients, which is in contrast to the short appointments that are common in the conventional setting.
THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES ARE THE FOUNDATIONS OF NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE:
1. First, Do No Harm
Naturopathic doctors utilize methods and medicinal substances that minimize the risk of harmful side effects, using the least force necessary to diagnose and treat. Whenever possible, they avoid the unnecessary suppression of symptoms and acknowledge, respect, and work with the individual's self-healing process.
2. Harness The Healing Power of Nature
Naturopathic medicine recognizes an inherent self-healing process in each person. They nurture this process by removing obstacles to recovery and implementing therapies that support the body's natural mechanisms.
3. Identify and Treat the Cause
Naturopathic doctors are master diagnosticians. They seek to identify and remove the underlying root causes of illness. We do this with in-depth diagnostic testing not available within the insurance-based model, and deeply exploring your medical history to uncover what others have missed.
4. Treat the Whole Person
Naturopathic medicine considers the unique physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, genetic, environmental, and social factors that contribute to a person's state of health.
5. Doctor as Teacher (Docere)
Naturopathic doctors educate their patients and encourage self-responsibility for health. They also recognize and employ the therapeutic potential of the doctor-patient relationship.
6. Prevention is the Best Medicine
Naturopathic doctors emphasize the prevention of disease by assessing risk factors and recommending appropriate interventions to maintain health and prevent illness. Naturopathic medicine is committed to the creation of a healthy world in which humanity may thrive.
With all of their similarities and differences, both conventional and naturopathic medicine play important roles in our healthcare system, and both have strengths and limitations.
Naturopathy is a system of medicine that prioritizes natural, non-invasive therapies to support the body's self-healing mechanisms. Functional medicine emerged from the principles of naturopathic medicine. Functional medicine is simply the coined term for an approach to health care that is holistic and patient-centered and incorporates the latest scientific understanding about how environmental and lifestyle factors interact with individual biology to influence sickness and health. Like naturopathy, functional medicine aims to prevent disease and help the patient live with more vitality.
Naturopathy is a system of medicine that prioritizes natural, non-invasive therapies to support the body's self-healing mechanisms. Homeopathy is actually a separate, distinct system of medicine that uses highly-diluted substances called "remedies" to stimulate the body's natural ability to heal. Naturopathic doctors are trained in the use of homeopathy as a natural therapy, and we do sometimes recommend homeopathic remedies for our patients.
Yes - we do accept long-distance patients on a case-by-case basis. Due to state regulations, we are not able to accept patients from Alabama, New York, South Carolina, or Tennessee. We offer HIPAA-secure telehealth services and long-distance lab testing. If we feel it's most appropriate, we may refer you to a naturopathic doctor in your area.
Because naturopathic doctors in Colorado cannot prescribe medications, we are not able to manage, refill or discontinue prescription medications or prescribe BHRT for our patients. However, we are able to dispense certain over-the-counter bioidentical hormones such as DHEA, progesterone and estrogen in the forms of pills, drops and suppositories. For these reasons we recommend that you maintain a relationship with a licensed physician. We are thoroughly trained to understand the interactions between medications, herbs and supplements. We carefully review your medical history and all of the medications you are taking before selecting treatments for you. As your health improves, you may require a smaller dose of your medications or be able to discontinue them altogether under the guidance of your prescribing physician.
Yes. All visits are one-on-one with the doctor in person at our office or online through HIPAA-secure video.
We'll start by having you have a brief discovery call with our doctor so that we can make sure it's a great fit. If it's a good fit, you can schedule your new patient visit at the end of the discovery call. If we're not the right fit for you, we will do our best to get you in touch with a doctor or clinic who would be a good match. To schedule your call, please click here.
Once your first visit is scheduled, our Patient Coordinator will send you a series of emails with clear instructions and the next steps. This includes an invitation to create your online patient portal account, an electronic copy of your New Patient Welcome Packet (with consent forms), and instructions for uploading your previous labs and medical records into your patient portal. You will also complete the online New Patient Health Questionnaire. The doctor will review your health questionnaire and previous medical records before your first appointment. For a step-by-step overview of how we’ll work together, please visit our Signature Program page.
Because we do not specialize in cancer care, we encourage you to work with a naturopathic oncology expert for active cancer care. You can search for a provider on the website of the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians. If you are interested in supporting your health after cancer treatment to relieve symptoms and reduce the risk of recurrence, then we may be able to help. We invite you to schedule a complimentary discovery call so that we can learn more about your goals.
CareCredit does not cover the services of naturopathic doctors. Therefore, we are not able to participate with Care Credit. We do accept all major credit cards, Flex Spending (FSA) cards and Health Savings (FSA) cards. Monthly payment plans are available.
We hear this a lot, and there is a strong chance that you haven't actually been tested for everything. Most traditional medical doctors do not evaluate their patients for things like toxic chemicals, heavy metals, nutritional deficiencies, toxic mold, viruses and past trauma. We use very sophisticated diagnostic tests that uncover these problems and give us real answers. To date, we've never had a patient with "all normal" test results. There are always reasons for chronic symptoms and illness!
We prefer that you purchase supplements through one of our trusted providers for several reasons. Foremost, we want to ensure your safety and treatment plan success. Supplements may be a knockoff of the original with packaging that’s impersonating a reputable company. These supplements may have absent or improper ingredients, and impurities and fillers not listed on the label. These supplements may actually compromise your health or be completely ineffective.
Large stores carry their own supplement brands at cheap prices – you get what you pay for. In our experience, these supplements are not as effective as the pharmaceutical-grade supplements we recommend. Your best bet is to stick with the recommended program for success. For more on this topic, read this article written by Fullscript.
Each patient’s health status and treatment plan is unique and the length of time on supplements varies. Many factors including your genetics, health history, environment, nutritional status, activity level, and lifestyle determine your need for supplements.
In an ideal world, we would be able to reap health from living a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, modern life is fraught with more stress, nutrient-depleted soils, pollution, and many other factors that work against your health. We continuously work with you, with the ultimate goal being minimal to no supplements. Many patients remain on maintenance supplements.
Need To Know
Something We Haven't Answered?
We try to anticipate the questions our new patients will want answered, but we may have overlooked something that is relevant to your situation. If there’s something you would like answered, please reach out to us through our contact form or by phone. We are happy to answer your questions and address patient concerns.
