FAQ

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.

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.

We don’t bill insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid—and here’s why that’s actually good news for you. It means we’re not limited in the types of testing we can order or how much time we can spend together in appointments. Our patients have been thrilled to step outside the insurance model because it finally gives them access to the comprehensive testing and answers they’ve been searching for.

We fully understand the financial consideration this presents. At this time, it’s not feasible for us to participate in insurance networks, and Colorado insurance companies don’t allow naturopathic doctors to participate.

Here’s what you can do:

Although we don’t bill insurance directly, most patients with Health Savings Accounts (HSA) or Flex Spending Accounts (FSA) can use their 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 small percentage of our patients have received reimbursement for visits, lab tests, and/or supplements, though 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.

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.

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.

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Aura Functional Medicine is a specialty practice focused on uncovering and treating the root causes of complex, chronic health conditions. While Dr. Egeland is a licensed naturopathic doctor with broad training, our clinic is not set up as a primary care or general practice. We recommend maintaining a relationship with a primary care provider for routine exams, screenings, and acute care needs.

At this time, Dr. Egeland’s practice is focused on adult patients. If you’re looking for a functional medicine practitioner for your child, we’re happy to point you in the right direction.

At this time, we do not offer family packages. Each patient at Aura Functional Medicine receives a highly individualized treatment plan, and our programs are priced accordingly. If you have questions about costs and options for multiple family members, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

We appreciate your proactive approach to your health! Unfortunately, Dr. Egeland isn’t able to provide a pre-appointment lab list — functional medicine testing is highly personalized, and without a full review of your health history and symptoms, a generic list simply wouldn’t serve you well. Once you’re an established patient, she’ll recommend testing tailored specifically to you, and our team can help identify what may be coverable through your insurance. In the meantime, if you have any previous lab results, bring them along — Dr. Egeland has a gift for finding important clues that others have overlooked!

Most advanced functional medicine lab tests — such as comprehensive stool analysis, organic acids testing, or mold and mycotoxin panels — are not covered by insurance, as they are considered specialty tests outside the scope of conventional medicine. Some standard labs that Dr. Egeland orders, such as thyroid panels, nutrient levels, or metabolic markers, may be partially or fully covered depending on your plan. We recommend contacting your insurance provider to understand your specific coverage, and our team is happy to help you navigate your options during your appointment.

The cost of lab testing varies depending on which tests Dr. Egeland recommends for your specific case. Some patients require only a few targeted tests, while others with more complex conditions may need a broader panel. During your appointment, Dr. Egeland will explain which tests she recommends and why, and you’ll always have the opportunity to discuss costs before moving forward.

Functional medicine lab tests are designed to uncover why you feel the way you do, not just confirm a diagnosable disease. Conventional medicine is largely built around identifying and treating illness once it’s present, so standard labs are designed to detect clear pathology. Functional testing goes deeper, assessing how well your body’s systems are actually functioning, often catching imbalances long before they develop into a diagnosable condition. 

This is one of the most common things we hear from new patients, and it’s exactly why they find their way to us. Conventional lab testing is designed to rule out disease, meaning results are flagged only when they fall outside a very broad “normal” range. Dr. Egeland is trained to look much deeper, evaluating optimal ranges rather than just acceptable ones, identifying patterns across multiple markers, and using advanced specialty tests that most primary care doctors simply don’t have access to or familiarity with. In our experience, there is almost always something to find, and more importantly, something to address.

Yes. All visits are one-on-one with the doctor in person at our office or online through HIPAA-secure video.

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.

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.

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.

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.