Initial appointment:
The initial appointment generally lasts 1 ½ to 2 hours.
A detailed history form is available for download on our
website; this form should be completed and brought with
you to your first appointment. At the initial
appointment, your history will be reviewed in depth
including past medical history, current physical and
emotional symptoms, current medication and supplements,
diet history, and family history. A thorough physical
examination, including attention to findings on
examination which may suggest nutritional deficiencies,
will be done. Recommendations for initial laboratory
testing and treatments will also be discussed.
Follow-up appointments:
The
initial follow-up appointment is generally about 3-4
weeks after the initial appointment to review results of
laboratory testing and to determine the next steps in
your treatment plan. This appointment can be done in
the office or on the phone. (Please see “Policies and
Procedures” form on the website for our phone
appointment policies.) Follow-up appointments generally
range from 30-90 minutes depending on the complexity of
your problem and the number of labs performed.
The
frequency of subsequent follow-up appointments is
determined by your practitioner based on your particular
diagnoses and treatment needs.
Lab testing:
Labs may or may not be covered by your insurance plan.
Blood
testing done at traditional labs such as Quest
Diagnostics or LabCorp is generally covered.
Prior
to your first appointment, please check with your
insurance company to determine which local lab is
covered by your insurance company. In addition, please
ask whether your reimbursement rate is different
depending on whether an in-plan or out-of-plan physician
orders your tests. HeartLight practitioners do not
participate with insurance plans. If reimbursement is
better for labs ordered by an in-plan physician, labs
can be ordered by your primary care physician if he/she
is willing to order labs we recommend.
Other
labs done at specialty labs (such as Great Plains,
Genova Diagnostics, or Metametrix, for example) may not
be covered by your insurance. It is your responsibility
to discuss this with your insurance plan. HeartLight
continually researches different labs to determine the
most accurate and cost-effective options for testing.
Costs:
Initial appointment:
$200/hour. Total cost depends on the length of the
initial appointment. Appointments generally last 1 ½ to
2 hours.
Follow-up lab appointment:
Prorated at the practitioner’s hourly rate of
$200/hour. Appointments generally range from 30-90
minutes, depending on the complexity of the labs and
other issues requiring follow-up discussion.
Subsequent in-office follow-up appointments:
These appointments range from 30 minutes for simple
follow-ups to 1 or 1 ½ hours for more complex issues.
The cost is prorated based on the practitioner’s hourly
rate.
