FAQs
Table Of Contents
General FAQs
Reference ranges that come back on standard testing, can often be misleading. How is that possible you might be asking yourself? Those lab ranges are based on a segment of the population that is very sick. Think about it, Who goes to see doctors? Healthy people or people who have something wrong with them? If you answered sick people you are exactly right! Sick people become the data from which normal values are created. All this means is that you could be sick, but just not as sick as the person dying in the hospital.
This is why so many times you can feel terrible and your general practitioner or Endocrinologist will tell you that you everything is “Normal” or everything looks great!
Our practice uses high-quality, cutting-edge functional lab tests in order to gain the most accurate information about how your body is working and to uncover the root cause of your poor health.
These tests are usually not covered by your insurance company. Remember insurance companies are more interested in paying for medications, and surgery not paying for your nutritional supplements.
Any testing recommended from Dr Hagmeyer must be purchased directly through Dr Hagmeyer office. Once your tests have been paid for in full, our office will then order the Functional lab tests from the various labs and ship them to you.
Upon receiving test results, we will provide you with the necessary paper work and codes in order for you to file for reimbursement from your insurance provider. Chances are you will not receive reimbursement on any of these tests. You may also use funds from a Health Savings Account (HSA) to cover the costs of these tests. The total cost for these tests usually range within 2,000-$4,000 and can be prioritized for you.
A Health Savings Account (HSA) enables you to pay for medical expenses on a tax-free or pre-taxed basis. For more information and to see if you qualify, you will need to speak with your medical insurance provider. It is also best to speak with your tax advisor to see if this option is beneficial for you.
The frequency of follow-ups will depend on the nature of your illness and your health challenges. These vary from person to person. This can only be determined when all recommended tests are completed and Dr Hagmeyer understands the complexity of your case. Dr. Hagmeyer finds that most people can start seeing significant improvement in their health in only 10 weeks. While these are just a general guidelines, a patients recovery is also dependent on how well they incorporate Dr Hagmeyers recommendations (diet, nutrition and lifestyle changes.) We view health recovery as a team sport – You need to do your part, so that we can do our part.
If you are a patient of Dr. Hagmeyer you will see one of his Holistic Nutritionists or Health Coaches during your treatment program- We find that 1-3 follow ups are needed in order to get you on the right track. This should help you get dialed into what you should and shouldn’t eat. Our dietitians and health coaches, will provide you with meal planning, meal recipes, meal substitutions and coaching all overseen by Dr Hagmeyer. Our Dietitians have all been trained by Dr Hagmeyer and are experienced with AIP, SCD, GAPS, Paleo, Low Histamine and low Inflammatory foods.
Patient appointments are intended for those that wish to get specific medical nutrition therapy based on their health conditions or desired health goals. Patients can get lab testing done accompanied by supplement and diet recommendations.
A wellness consultation is intended for anyone that is seeking general nutritional guidance about healthy eating, special diets and overall wellness. Second opinions on current lab results can be given but labs cannot be ordered. Our Dietitians can help make healthy eating delicious and simple in both patient appointments and wellness coaching consultations.
Are you not sure what to eat? Bored with the same foods every day? Overwhelmed with a special diet? Need help with Paleo?, Autoimmune Paleo?, Low FODMAP?, Ketogenic diet?, SCD?, Low histamine?, Gluten free?, etc?
Our Certified Functional Nutritionists and Health coaches will support you as you strive for optimal health with nutrition. We can help with special diets, meal ideas, recipe suggestions, ingredient substitutions, recommended products, goal setting and accountability.
Of course! We currently work with patients in over 25 different countries around the world and so we have adapted our practice to work with patients wherever they may be. If you would like to become a patient and live outside the United States, we recommend that you provide us with the contact information of your general practitioner so that we can keep them “in the loop.” Any standard traditional blood-testing (Thyroid, blood sugar, cholesterol, etc) required by Dr Hagmeyer can be done in a Hospital, Labcorp, Quest or your General Practitioners office. Other tests ie (Functional tests) that require, Stool, Breath, Saliva and Urine can be done in the comfort of your own home through specialized home test kits. These tests come with the test kit along with a prepaid Fed Ex shipping envelope. The testing that Dr Hagmeyer offers can be done anywhere!
Great question and one that is difficult to answer. This varies from patient to patient and depends on many factors such as the problem(s) at hand, the number of areas where problems have been identified, the patients compliance to dietary changes, the compliance with taking the supplements/natural medicine, the patients level of discipline, support network at home and finally the patients attitude.
However, if a program is correct and effective, the body will be regaining its ability to heal itself right from the start. This would result in less stress on the body. If the body is less stressed, there will be symptomatic improvement in nearly every case.
We track all symptoms in each consultation, and expect to start seeing significant improvements in many areas from very early in a program.
Our experience has been that as the body continues to heal over time, most symptoms do improve or completely resolve. The Vast majority of patients 80-90% will begin to experience some improvement within 1-3 months.
We are very selective in the cases we accept. While we can not accept every case, 9 out of 10 people who consult with our practice see great improvements within a few months! Much of your progress comes down to you! Are you following our dietary plan, are you taking your nutritional support as indicated, are you cheating on our recommendations? Patients accepted into our program, will almost always see improvement. This improvement happens because we perform a very thorough review of your case prior to making any treatment recommendations. When suffering with Chronic health problems, your doctor needs is an investigator. The more clues he or she understands, the greater the likelihood of solving the “mystery”- We spend a considerable amount of time investigating to make sure we have all the “pieces” in place. This is why our success rate is as high as it is. With that said, even if you are doing your part and we are doing our part, if you still fail to progress as expected, we may need to investigate further. Additional testing may be ordered. We may, at this point, refer to other doctors to help pin-point why you are not getting better and adjust your program. Healing chronic health problems with multiple layers of physiological dysfunction takes time.
That depends on what your taking and how much progress you can make. Patients who Consult with Dr Hagmeyer are often able to eliminate medications or significantly reduce the amount of medication they are on. With that being said, we do not monitor drug therapy. If you are to discontinue your medication that will be done by your prescribing physician, not by Dr Hagmeyer.
Billing & Pricing Questions
Every patient is different and the cost of your first visit will depend heavily on the number of functional testing kits and supplements you need to purchase. Generally we have found that initial diagnostic testing with Dr Hagmeyer average between $2,000 and $4,000 depending on the complexity of the case. After your Case Review, Dr Hagmeyer will review his optimal testing recommendations and how he feels your health problems should be tackled.
If you are unable to move forward with Optimal Functional Laboratory recommendations, Testing can be scaled back if necessary.
Please note that the functional lab testing and supplements are an integral part of our process to uncover the root cause of your health problems, without these tests- we are guessing at best. If you are searching for answers as to why you feel they way you do, we believe in testing- not Guessing. If you are on a limited budget, there are still options available to work with Dr Hagmeyer. We encourage you to submit an email with these concerns. Dr Hagmeyer will try to do everything he can to help you.
Insurance & Medical Recording Questions
We do not accept any form of medical insurance Medicare or Medicaid. Our patients pay for the testing at the time of service. We then provide a paid invoice within several weeks of processing payment. Since Dr Hagmeyer does not accept insurance assignment, we do not fill out these forms for patients and we are not responsible for insurance reimbursements. If your insurance does decide to reimburse you for testing, they will send you a check directly. You may also use pre-tax dollars from a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flex Spending account (FSA) to pay for your consultations and lab fees. Medicare and Medicaid (Public Aid) patients will not be able to submit their visit or testing. Dr Hagmeyer and all clinicians have opted out of Medicare and Medicaid.
Why we don’t accept Insurance
At DrHagmeyer.com we are passionate about what we do and feel that it is our calling to provide you with the highest quality functional health care possible. We also emphatically believe that we will be saving our patients thousands of dollars of healthcare costs down the road by preventing and treating diseases from a whole body approach, sometimes even before you see outward signs of disease.
Many of our patients have been able to come off expensive prescription medications, been able to go back to work, no longer required surgery, and staved off illness from the common cold to more chronic diseases. While we fully understand the financial challenge not billing insurance may present to some patients, we have chosen not to for a variety of reasons.
When medical practices participate in insurance, the physicians must sign a contract that allows the insurance company to decide the type of care the doctor will provide. Insurance companies are often NOT interested in preventative-wellness-Holistic care, but are highly invested in the conventional model of drug based medicine.
Prescription medication and surgery are often covered charges. We, on the other hand, are committed to treating the whole person in a Functional Medicine approach. Furthermore, physicians that are participating partners in insurance companies must accept the fees designated by them. These fees cover only the briefest of appointments (15-30 minutes tops with the doctor). Inidividuals who suffer with chronic health problems, need a doctor who will spend more than 15-30 minutes understanding their health history and the kinds of testing that individual needs.
In a traditional medical setting, Physicians are forced to see as many patients as they can per hour in order to keep their offices financially sustainable. We don’t believe long-term health and the best care for the patient can be provided with these time and fee constraints. This is why we are seeing many physician groups merging with larger hospital settings, where high-tech surgical and diagnostic procedures are priced to keep them financially afloat.
We will provide you with your diagnosis and receipt so that you may file for reimbursement with your insurance provider if you choose to do so. We have found that some insurance companies request additional information that is very specific and specialized to that provider. Given the large number of discrepancies between what each company requires and that time needed to meet those requests, we do not assist with insurance reimbursement above and beyond the receipt for the consult.
Yes and No.
Conventional labs are those that you are likely already familiar with. These are the labs such as thyroid testing (TSH, T4), vitamin D, Iron levels, Glucose and Cholesterol, to name a few.
Dr. Hagmeyers practice is different than your conventional doctor in the kinds of tests he is interested in running. Functional laboratory tests were designed to shed more light on the nutritional aspect of healing. These tests are important because they shed light on how best to support and nourish your body. Most of the testing you probably have had done are used to determine if, what kind and how much medication to put you on. Dr. Hagmeyer is a Holistic Physician and so the kinds of tests Dr. Hagmeyer is primarily interested in, center around health and healing, not disease and more drug based medication.
We can provide you with a receipt for the appointment and you are welcome to file with your insurance company. Functional Nutritionists cannot diagnose Health/medical conditions so you will not receive any diagnosis codes at your nutritional consultation or follow up visits. This may affect your insurance reimbursement. We find that this is a service typically denied.
Medical records can only be released with your authorization. It is your responsibility to obtain previous medical records from other physicians, or health care providers that you wish for Dr Hagmeyer to review for your case review.
If you feel your medical records are pertinent to your appointment with Dr Hagmeyer, please contact your physician or other health care providers to obtain these records and make sure that you submit them with your new patient application.
We suggest your send your paperwork via “Overnight Express.” This will provide you with priority scheduling- which in turn, may save you 4-6 weeks waiting for an available appointment.