Frequently Asked Questions

General

Can I just pay per visit?

Root is set up as a membership practice because, if we were to be able to offer "one off" visits, we would have thousands of people per doctor trying to get in for short appointments (just like every other "one visit" model out there) and we wouldn't be able to see the real change and support that we value at Root. Pay per visit patient panels average 2700 patients per doctor. Being a membership practice allows Root to have less than 10% of that volume, for more individualized treatment plans and support.

In order to secure the time and space and a limited number of members per doctor, we need to continue to be a membership practice in order to give the highest level of attention to each person. 

Full transparency: The bottom line is that a pay per visit model leads to shorter, more expensive visits, little to no support in between (which is when the magic happens - 90% of health occurs outside the visit), and therefore less likely for a successful result. We're a membership model because we care about results, and we care about helping you succeed.

BTW: A Root membership saves our members thousands of dollars every year by reducing doctor's visit costs & lab costs, and by treating issues at the Root cause avoiding unnecessary procedures and high cost medications.

Membership

Do you have any discounts on your membership?

Root does not discount memberships. Instead, we offer a very high value, comprehensive membership program at transparent pricing. This way we can consistently provide the highest quality and experience, and current and prospective members do not need to worry about missing out on any promotional pricing. 
Billing & Cancellation Questions

The Root membership is an annual membership, which secures your spot with your doctor and dietitian team and allows access to the Root platform, scheduling visits as needed, supplement discounts, our direct lab pricing, digital meal plans, educational resources and messaging your functional medicine care team. We value the continuity of care that our membership based practice provides.

To cancel your Root membership, contact Root at info@rootfunctionalmedicine.com and give 30 days notice. Any charges that are pending in that 30 days will go through, and you will have access to Root services for the 30 days from the date of your notice.

Memberships auto debit monthly or yearly. You can elect to pay for 12 months upfront and save $325.

All memberships and payments are not refundable.
How does your program work?

You can see a detailed outline of what to expect through the year as a Root member here.

All visits with your functional medicine doctor and dietitian nutritionists are done via Telehealth. Most people will follow the outline linked above, but if you need additional visits, these are included at no cost. We want to meet you where you are! Seeing you in your home, workplace, travel not only keeps you on track through the year, it offers a glimpse into your true lifestyle that we are trying to optimize. Go ahead, show us your pantry! 

Labs are available at transparent pricing which saves about 90% of the cost as having it done in conventional medicine, aka through insurance or with your PCP. We do not bill insurance for labs because nearly every time, our prices are drastically lower than they would be if using insurance for labs. This access to our direct pricing is a benefit of a Root membership. 

Supplements are offered at a 20% discount for members, either through Root or through an online dispensary. You are never required to purchase Root supplements, but we offer them because we trust them and have seen clinical results from them for 5+ years. Root supplements are purity tested, stored in a temperature controlled facility and ship quickly. 

Other benefits of your Root membership are found immediately upon sign up in our community with member support, digital meal plans, online course and video materials to help you on your journey to a functional medicine lifestyle. 
Can I just pay per visit?

Root is set up as a membership practice because, if we were to be able to offer "one off" visits, we would have thousands of people per doctor trying to get in for short appointments (just like every other "one visit" model out there) and we wouldn't be able to see the real change and support that we value at Root. Pay per visit patient panels average 2700 patients per doctor. Being a membership practice allows Root to have less than 10% of that volume, for more individualized treatment plans and support.

In order to secure the time and space and a limited number of members per doctor, we need to continue to be a membership practice in order to give the highest level of attention to each person. 

Full transparency: The bottom line is that a pay per visit model leads to shorter, more expensive visits, little to no support in between (which is when the magic happens - 90% of health occurs outside the visit), and therefore less likely for a successful result. We're a membership model because we care about results, and we care about helping you succeed.

BTW: A Root membership saves our members thousands of dollars every year by reducing doctor's visit costs & lab costs, and by treating issues at the Root cause avoiding unnecessary procedures and high cost medications.

Are labs included?

For a limited time, a FREE Root Wellness Panel is offered to new members. Panel includes Ferritin - Iron, Gamma Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) - Liver, Glucose, Hemoglobin A1c - average blood sugar, Insulin (fasting), T4 Free (FT4) - thyroid, T3, Free - thyroid, TSH - thyroid, Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies - thyroid, Vitamin B12, Zinc, Lipid Panel, hs-CRP - Inflammation, Hepatic Function Panel - Liver, Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy, Coenzyme Q10 - Energy, OmegaCheck(R) - Omega 3/6, Homocysteine.

All other labs are available at additional, transparent, lower pricing than insurance-based labs. A perk of being insurance-free is the availability of lower transparent pricing and NO surprise bills. Can you remember a time when you thought insurance was paying for testing, but instead you received a bill for thousands of dollars? That does not happen at Root.

Advanced Functional Testing like gut microbiome, hormones, cortisol, mold, toxins, food sensitivity, breath testing, and much more are also available at direct transparent prices. Your doctor and dietitian team will be there for you to sort through the noise of what would actually be helpful in YOUR unique case and they will help you interpret those results and use the data to put a plan in action.  No more wasted time/money on tests that don't mean anything for you! Instead, you'll gain insights about your body from data you've never had access to before and a plan using that data.
Are supplements included in the program cost?

Because supplement recommendations are so personalized based on your preferences, health goals and lab results, we did not include them in the package price. However, you will receive a 20% discount on Root supplements during your membership. 
Do you accept insurance?

Root is an insurance-free practice. We work in partnership with you instead of your insurance company. This allows us to maintain transparency, a hassle-free and calming environment without anxiety about unknown bills. At Root, you are investing in your long-term health, and we spend the time needed to focus on you and prevention/reversal of illness.

We also do not give receipts for insurance, because insurance does not pay for memberships (part of what you are paying in your program cost at Root is the ability to be in a small practice where the doctors and dietitians have time outside your visits to review your case) and we include labs through direct prices. Direct lab pricing by definition is not reimbursable by insurance. Transparency and authenticity are one of our core values, and we don't believe in just getting you in the door with the false premise that any of it may be covered by insurance, because, in our experience it usually isn't! We'd much rather give you the important aspects of finding the root cause right in your transparent program cost, saving members thousands of dollars in unexpected bills.

You can read more about why we are insurance-free here.
Why do you include dietitian visits in your membership?

Nutrition is a foundational piece of functional medicine. We believe you can’t practice functional medicine without it. It impacts blood sugar balance, micronutrient status, gut health, hormone health, and more.

Dietitians can help with any questions you may have from your visit with a doctor, supplement questions, troubleshooting tolerating supplements, and if there is a question we can’t answer, everyone on our team communicates regularly on cases to ensure we are providing the most comprehensive care. We can help you get the information you need.

During visits with one of our dietitians we determine how we are going to use nutrition to support your healing. 

We sort through the confusing and conflicting nutrition information and explain why we are making the recommendations that we are. We put together a realistic and achievable plan with an emphasis on nourishment and diversity, not restriction. 

We share our favorite nutrition resources, Root Farmacy® meal plans, and personalized meal ideas.  We also work with you to set realistic & achievable goals during our visits.

Our doctors and dietitians are truly invested in seeing your success. Having a nutrition expert on your team is key to our success together.
Can I use my FSA/HSA card?

Yes - we accept both HSA and FSA cards. It is important to note that we always recommend that our members reach out to these entities directly for questions, as guidelines can vary per your administrator. 
How do I know if you can help me?

We have treated thousands of members at Root and our data shows that 98% of people improve their overall symptom score including symptoms for energy, gut health, joint pains, hormone balance, metabolism, skin, and more.

Being to multiple practitioners and "trying everything before" is the rule rather than the exception when people sign up as new members. While it's definitely not a requirement to try different treatments before joining Root, nearly everyone tells us this before signing up. Yet we still help them. Why?

  • We use advanced testing that you likely have not had access to before.
  • Our Functional Medicine MD/DOs interpret that testing for you. Read why this is a game changer here.
  • The Root approach means assessing you as a whole person with one connected mind and body. We've refined and measured our approach over the past 5+ years.
  • You have multiple experts rooting for you - a doctor and a dietitian. Plus, we collaborate weekly and discuss any challenging cases amongst our team of experts.
  • The ongoing membership gives you the time and space to heal, and support like you've never experienced before.
There are three conditions that we do not treat at Root (MCAS, active cancers, and Lyme disease). However, we've also helped people identify that they may have these conditions, and referred them to the appropriate specialist through our expansive Root network. 

Treatment

Are there things you do not treat at Root?

There are very few things that our processes at Root would not help. However, We do not treat MCAS, Lyme disease, or active cancers and would refer out to specialists for those conditions if we suspect that may be going on for you. 

Root doctors are functional medicine specialists and not available for same day or acute issues that would better be handled in Urgent Care or with PCP, like UTIs, acute viruses or infections, etc. We cannot replace primary care and are not able to do routine physicals and other insurance based orders like mammograms, etc.

We do not prescribe controlled substances such as narcotics or certain classes of anxiety or ADHD medications. Our membership would target these concerns naturally and can be a complement to other care for these conditions that you currently have in place.
Do you work with kids?

We accept members ages 14 and older.
Can you be my primary care physician?

Root is a Functional Medicine specialty practice and not set up for primary care. We are happy to communicate any findings and treatment plans with your PCP with your permission. We are not available for same day or acute concerns. 
What is the training and professional experience of your clinicians?

All of our MD or DO physicians are board certified in family medicine or internal medicine and certified by the Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM). While there are other companies claiming to certify practitioners in functional medicine, IFM is the gold standard. IFM is the only organization providing functional medicine certification with educational programs directly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the governing body for official continuing education credits for physicians.

Our Dietitian Nutritionists have masters level nutrition training and additional advanced training and experience in functional nutrition.