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Frequently Asked Questions
Insurance, Payment + Cancellation Policy
We do not accept insurance. And, here’s why. Insurance companies decide how long and what type of care physicians can provide to their patients. This is why a growing number of physicians have moved away from accepting insurance. In the insurance system, every meeting must be submitted as a billing claim to the insurance carrier in order for the physician to get paid. The physician only receives a small portion of the billing as payment. Therefore, physicians in the insurance system must see 3,000+ patients per year (which averages 30 visits per day) just to generate enough billing claims to make a living. This is why you may wait so long for an appointment and can feel rushed once you come in for the visit.
Insurance systems also limit the type of care you get. Your physician is only able to discuss issues pertaining to the specific visit type so the encounter can fit into an insurance billing claim. Many labs aren’t covered if you don’t have a particular condition that justifies checking it. If you have another issue, you likely have to schedule another appointment.
The majority of health insurance plans, including Medicare, will typically pay only for services that they deem reasonable and necessary from a sick care, diagnostic disease model in support of managing symptoms. This goes against Dr. Gloria’s philosophy when working with patients. In contrast, Dr. Gloria’s services are in support of establishing a health building, self-care wellness plan for individuals by looking for the underlying causes driving symptoms and chronic disease. Therefore, we do not accept or file insurance, and we are not a participating Medicare provider.
As Dr. Gloria’s functional medicine consulting services are considered to be for educational and wellness purposes, which are typically not yet covered by any insurance plan, we run a cash based practice. Payment is due at the time of service (unless other arrangements have been pre-arranged) and we accept cash, check, Visa, MC, AMEX, Discover credit cards and some HSA accounts.
Dr. Gloria works with a variety of innovative system-based clinical laboratory testing services to create a more targeted wellness plan for each individual. With a functional medicine approach, Dr. Gloria goes above and beyond to help her patients heal, and they really do get what they pay for. You can visit our testimonials page (javascript:void(0))to hear from past and current patients about their experience.
Please note: some insurance carriers may cover laboratory tests. Upon request and when applicable, we can provide a detailed receipt for labs ordered which you can submit to your insurance carrier directly for any potential reimbursement.
We run a cash based practice. Payment is due at the time of service (unless other arrangements have been pre-arranged) and we accept cash, check, Visa, MC, AMEX, Discover credit cards and some HSA accounts.
When you schedule a virtual appointment as a patient, time is reserved especially for you and no one else. Cancellations are significant interruptions to our schedule. Here are the fees that are charged if you miss or cancel an appointment.
• Initial Visit: In the event you miss your initial new patient consultation or cancel less than 7 days before this scheduled appointment, you will be charged $175, a portion of your initial fee.
• Follow-up: In the event you miss your follow-up consultation or cancel less than 2 days before your scheduled follow-up appointment you will be charged a $75 fee.
Working with Dr. Hamada
Dr. Gloria is a Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist. She is also a Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner with The Institute of Functional Medicine and a licensed Doctor of Chiropractic. Dr. Gloria has been practicing as a clinical nutritionist for over 30 years focusing on finding the root cause of her patient’s symptoms and disease. She has worked with thousands of patients to help them live their best health. Learn more about Dr. Gloria’s story by visiting here.(javascript:void(0))
Our patient-centered philosophy paired with the decades of experience Dr. Gloria has working with patients to reclaim their health is a reason why we receive many word-of-mouth inquiries. Patients who have worked with Dr. Gloria share their experiences with others who are suffering from symptoms of disease. We are grateful to our patients, and we wish there was more than just one Dr. Gloria!
We are a small business and do not focus on marketing and events, instead a majority of Dr. Gloria’s time goes into staying up to date in cutting edge nutritional science to further help the patients in her care. Every patient is unique, and Dr. Gloria personalizes the approach for each person based on their individual needs.
We have been told that working with Dr. Gloria is a breath of fresh air for patients, not only because of her kindness, but because of the amazing results. You can read just a few testimonials from patients here.(javascript:void(0))
Our waiting list for virtual consultations is currently full and we are not able to accept new patients at this time. We will open our inquiry form when our waiting list becomes available again.
Each new patient goes through an Initial Functional Medicine Intake Consultation as their first step. The next FAQ goes over what the process is like for new patients.
The first step is to fill out our Contact (javascript:void(0))form. This information goes directly to our client care team who will reach out with additional information and next steps.
Prior to the Initial Functional Medicine Intake Consultation with Dr. Gloria, new patients will be instructed to create an account on our patient portal. Forms must be completed which contain a detailed list of questions to answer before the virtual 60-90 minute consultation with Dr. Gloria. She will review the patient’s intake forms which includes their current concerns and significant, detailed history provided before the consultation. This first meeting will be a time for both the new patient and Dr. Gloria to get to know each other, to have questions answered, to discuss and establish any recommended lab tests to be conducted and more.
Dr. Gloria utilizes functional assessments and laboratory tests to help evaluate key biomarkers to establish nutritional, dietary and lifestyle modifications that can be made to increase your state of wellbeing. Please know that all functional, genomic, bio energetic and/or standard lab tests ordered, reviewed, performed, or interpreted by Dr. Gloria on your behalf are for your education/awareness and to support you in a wellness self-care program.
For new patients, the Initial Functional Medicine Consultation is a 60-90 minute virtual meeting. Prior to your meeting, Dr. Gloria will review any past lab work provided and all required paperwork and intake forms.
Follow-up conversations usually last 30-45 minutes depending on the complexity and time needed to review lab results and personalized recommendations.
Brief check-in visits usually last 15-30 mins depending on the individual’s needs.
Yes, Dr. Gloria works with patients of all ages. However, a majority of her patient focus is for ages 10 and above. Anyone under the age of 18 is required to have a guardian present.
Patients seek Dr. Gloria’s guidance for a variety of reasons such as:
• Digestive issues & leaky gut
• Autoimmune disease
• Food sensitivities and intolerances
• Diabetes
• Cardiovascular
• Fatigue
• General well being
• Nutritional planning and much more!
About Functional Medicine
Our current society is experiencing an increase in the number of people suffering from complex and chronic disease and illness. Most physicians practice Western medicine, which focuses on acute care and treating the symptoms of a problem. Unfortunately, in many cases this masks the chronic issue like a bandaid. Functional medicine takes a different approach in treating the underlying cause of the symptoms and getting to the root of the issue(s).
Working with Dr. Gloria is a two way street. You have to believe in her, yourself, and the functional medicine process. Successful outcomes are very high when clients are committed and prepared to follow her suggestions. Your plan will be thoroughly researched and customized. With this said, no guarantees can be assured regarding the outcomes of nutritional protocols, dietary changes, or lifestyle modifications.
Functional medicine is not covered by insurance, which may seem like an expensive option. However, the long term repercussions and costs associated with treating symptoms of disease add up exponentially over time. Historically, many patients with chronic disease seek out functional medicine after exhausting other avenues and we hope that changes in the future. Treating the underlying cause of disease has an up front cost, but will save the patient in health care costs down the road.
Each body is different. What works in 30 days for one patient may take 7 days for another. There is no comparison or magic number on how quickly you will get results. The practice of Functional Medicine is a lifestyle change. Successful outcomes are typically very high when patients are committed and prepared to follow Dr. Gloria’s suggestions.
Dr. Gloria uses specialty laboratories for the majority of testing that are only available to healthcare professionals. During your virtual consultation, she will determine which tests are needed and then review the testing recommendations, the instructions and cost. Some testing can be performed at home with test kits to collect blood, urine, saliva or stool samples. Others may require you to go to a local laboratory to draw the blood with a doctor’s order. Some patients may elect to use a concierge lab draw where someone can come directly to their home.
Dr. Gloria recommends purchasing supplements through her online dispensary to ensure you are receiving them from a reliable source. It is not required, but highly recommended.
No, Dr. Gloria requires all new patients to have a primary care physician to cover emergencies and routine care and screening, prescription medication needs and management. She works as a functional medicine consultant, and though she often assists with both traditional labs and specialty functional testing, she utilizes these to focus on root cause analysis and personalize lifestyle interventions - including specific dietary, nutritional, sleep and stress management support – and encourages you to share all results with your treating PCP.
No, Dr. Gloria does not prescribe or manage medications. Dr. Gloria will consider potential nutritional needs relative to your prescribed medications. Any prescribed medications would come from and be managed by your PCP or your other prescribing providers.
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