Frequently Asked Questions

Root is an insurance-free practice. We work in partnership with you and not 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.

Your membership will continue with us in Stay Grounded for as long as you would like, ensuring follow up to important re-testing and access to your functional medicine specialists as well as many other membership perks! 

Yes! Root does all consultation programs virtually. We can work with people who are in the states of:
AZ, CA, CO, FL, IA, ID, IL, IN, MI, MN, MT, ND, NE, NV, NY, NC, OH, PA, SC, SD, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI

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 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. 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. 

We feel confident however, that 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.

If you are interested in meeting our team and learning about our process before signing up for a Get to the Root membership, we do offer a free discovery call with one of our physicians (no medical advice is given in these discovery calls).

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, a meal plan and personalized meal ideas and work with you to set 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.

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.

Yes! 

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 program. 

Short answer, yes! We've actually never seen a conventional doctor order labs that are as comprehensive as our Root lab panel, so there is a very good chance that we will pick up on something that hasn't been tested. But, even if you did have a comprehensive lab draw in the last few months, it's always good to compare to see how you've progressed since then and where we're starting from in your program. If previous lab results are needed, your doctor will ask for certain results during your first session.

Even if you've had a stool test, if it's been more than 3 months, you'll benefit from doing our functional stool test. 

Life will always happen! Wellness is something that can be maintained throughout, especially with our reasonable, doable approach. Having a team on your side to coach you through life's inevitable challenges is a great learning experience as well. Virtual visits are also very helpful. Many people travel during the months with us and are able to stay right on track. We've met with people in the office, in their car, in their homes, anywhere you need to be. We'll be realistic in our dietary advice and help you feel great so you can enjoy your vacation. 

There will never be a perfect time (without any stress or obligations) to start a program that changes the course of your health. The time to start prioritizing your health is now.