Cost of Functional Medicine

Can we address the elephant in the room? Our transparent price of our functional medicine programs. Why do we do this, and is functional medicine really expensive?

After 5 years of helping people solve their health issues at the Root cause in our Root Membership Program, we have optimized our approach. We’ve seen the most meaningful lab testing that people need; we’ve seen how working with both doctor and dietitian consistently gives the best results; and we’ve seen how important it is to avoid the stress of the unknown in bills, next steps, and what to expect.

The simple answer is that we want people to have what they need when they sign up for our programs. We care about transparency and authenticity (it’s one of our core values!). We don’t want to just get you in the door and then order thousands of dollars of testing with no real idea if any of it will be covered by insurance. (It’s actually impossible for your practitioner to know what is covered because every person has a different insurance plan, different deductibles, co-insurance and other nuances.) In our experience, when people have used “good insurance” for the labs we order in our Root wellness panel, they end up with bills of over $2000-$3000. Yikes. 

While there is a time and place for other holistic practitioners and conventional medicine, we are in fact different in many ways. Price transparency and offering direct priced labs (hundreds of dollars less than you can get them through insurance) in our programs is rare but also very important. When we created Root, we wanted to create a calming environment where you feel supported and one of the ways to do that is for you to know the costs of finding and treating root causes upfront.
 
Here’s an example from a member who gave us permission to share her story.

This member came to us with brain fog so bothersome that she couldn’t complete a sentence. She also had symptoms of fatigue, joint pains, rashes, sensitivities, indigestion, headaches, and irregular periods. She had spent thousands on a conventional work-up from X Rays, CT scans, ER visits to specialist consultations before we met her. She had to resign from her job because she simply couldn’t do it in her state of health.

From our first meeting, we had clear starting points thanks to our detailed intake process and lab results from our Root wellness panel. This helped us give answers and steps right off the bat.

In the second month, we had her stool test result (which we ordered for her at an additional cost - it was a direct lower price than she could get from any other functional medicine practice). The stool test result was pivotal in her health journey. The stool test revealed a parasite, inflammation, and markers associated with hormonal imbalance. We started a personalized gut healing protocol and within 3 days her brain fog lifted. She was conversing so much more coherently. We also addressed inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, and hormone balance. By month 5 she was feeling back to herself and starting applications to go back to work. 

If we wouldn’t have tested bloodwork and functional stool test, she would not have had the answers that changed her life: revealing a parasite, nutrient deficiencies, inflammation and sources, and microbiome changes. Our members remind us of the value of our lab testing and programs every day.

Functional medicine costs across the board nationally range from single visits at $300 to programs costing more than $10,000. Most programs do not include lab testing. Much of functional medicine and functional testing is not covered by insurance.

We understand that the price may still look daunting. This is why we have created many different price points to work with us or to get the information we provide in our programs at a fraction of the cost. Starting with 4 of our commonly prescribed food plans at $19.99, and bundling our supplement protocols so that anyone can access Root protocols without having to join our signature membership. We have options for anyone!

This study performed at the Cleveland Clinic showed the value of working with a functional medicine doctor in improving quality of life. (1)

We’ve worked with people in our Root membership from all walks of life, from all over the country and one thing is consistent, they see the value of functional medicine, and it is life changing.