conventional pharma/medicine is covered by insurance, but tends to weaken our inter-related systems which leads to more doctors more rx more business... holistic and functional doctors hold the keys to natural health and can make us stronger, but aren't covered by insurance or affordable to anyone but the wealthy... so you're trapped in a maze with conventional medicine that makes us weaker on one hand... functional medicine who hold the keys to health but can't treat most of us due to cost on the other... damned.
here is a sampling of the 'peasant complaint revolution' levied at one doctor from average 'working poor' and 'near poor' families who work fulltime yet barely make enough to survive. there are so many depressing stories, it could easily comprise its own segment of any gene/enzyme treatment blog/news as the people who need it most can afford it the least.
Kyle M Martin
I have been searching for the right dr to help my 8 yr old son with an auto immune condition. Western, integrative, functional, holistic etc. u name it, we've seen them and we've paid. I found this interesting - so we paid the outrageous fees out of pocket for the holistic and functional approach. Sure, she gave us the 1hr of her time but kicked us out when our time was up, withheld our labs & important info until we met with her for another $$$ office visit. And then each time would suggest a minor option / test so that we had to go back each time to pay $$$. Play the game Run around game at the cost of my son. I never epected to get the dr's knowledge n help for free BUT I ended up leaving her b/c of her obvious greed. If functional and holistic lowered their costs of office visits / help, they would have tons more clients and patients. Resulting in more money for them in the end not to mention proving to the insurance companies that they play a vital role in health care field. But no... they will charge $$$ and play the games resulting in few clients and no results worth talking about on a large spectrum. I believe in it, I really do. The western approach is a joke but I don't hold the key... the holistic and functional world does.
Dr. Will Cole
So sorry to hear about your not-so-ideal experiences. We definitely do try to make our functional medicine care as affordable as possible, while still being able to pay for the costs it takes to run a clinic. We want to make sure everyone is able to get well and live thriving healthy lives!
Debra Lee Andersohn ·
I'm so discouraged to hear my health plan most likely will not cover functional medicine. You see, my premium is $1,300.00 a month. It's so sad that I have the insurance but can't afford the treatment.
Hope that changes.
Hope that changes.
Like · Reply · 1 · Aug 24, 2016 5:25pm
Dr. Will Cole
It is very disappointing! We hope that as more people become knowledgeable about functional medicine, the industry grows and changes for more people to be able to get the help that they need.
Kelli Ann Densmore ·
It is certainly not affordable for most. Expecially those who have medi cal or barely keeping their head above water. When rent prices keep going up yet income stays the same. It is becoming more and more common for people to be spending at least %50 of income just keeping a roof over their head, lights on, and healthly food on the table. Thats not including anything extra in life. Most of us live our lives to basicly just survive. Fun stuff, can't afford it. Sure I can save money on groceries but at what cost? Processed food and food heavy with growth hormones and pesticides that are harmful. If Fuctional medicine doctors were serious about helping every day people take control of their health they would charge based off income to nessecary bill ratio.
Like · Reply · 3 · Jun 20, 2016 11:11pm
Dr. Will Cole
Kelli,
Understandably it can sometimes be a stretch for some people, however for those who choose to make health a priority it can be worth the sacrifice in other areas for long term health, life, and wellbeing.
Understandably it can sometimes be a stretch for some people, however for those who choose to make health a priority it can be worth the sacrifice in other areas for long term health, life, and wellbeing.
Cynthia Burley ·
Dr. Will Cole At whose expense? Are you not hearing these people, you're listening, but you're not hearing, people need help with their health, but can't afford it, too expensive!
Cynthia Burley ·
Is it because Functional Medicine is in such demand now, and people have been failed by Conventional Medicine, and some will pay whatever it takes to get better, and you guys know this, I'm sorry to feel this way, and sorry to say this, but sounds like taking a little advantage of people.
Wolf Lawrence ·
the free market will eventually identify a new 'low income' niche and fill it, but it may take 15 years, so for the working poor with issues now, they be sh*t out of luck during this changeover from one racket to the other, but its not the fault of the new team, they need to establish the beachhead and can't fit the bill for everyone, we all must compete to survive and its 'barely trickle down as usual' at play. there's a niche for insurance and doctors to fill, but it just doesn't pay to staff folks to do all the extra paperwork required to do it.
so keep searching for 'affordable' - first name i found for a functional who advocates 'as few tests as possible', offers a free phone consultation, works with various insurance providers and does the paperwork, is sunny goggin - dont know more yet so buyer beware.
so keep searching for 'affordable' - first name i found for a functional who advocates 'as few tests as possible', offers a free phone consultation, works with various insurance providers and does the paperwork, is sunny goggin - dont know more yet so buyer beware.
Haylee Lynn ·
I appreciate this, but $380 for a visit is just not something that most can afford to do sadly.
Dr. Will Cole
For those who make health a priority in their budget $380 is a reasonable price point and why we have it priced at that. For some, other things come before healthcare but overall it is not an unreasonable price for health and feeling well.
Alissa McCulloch ·
Dr. Will Cole if I want to keep a roof over ur kids head, and feed them and give them health care, 380 isn't in a normal budget!! Who are u kidding? Moms always put kids first, typical medicine hasn't helped me in 19 yrs with Hashimotos. Saw a functional doc who ordered $700 labs, nearly refused to put my labs online so I could read them(I'm a BSN), and said I'd need to be on hormone pellets and other supplements for the rest of my life to the tune of well over 1500 a yr plus his membership fee's.. Are u f------ kidding me? I barely survive as it is! Guess I'll just keep suffering..
Rhonda Wells ·
Dr. Will Cole - We all receive insurance claim payout statements each month, so we know that a yearly physical with labs, for example, will pay a primary care doc less than $75. And this is best case scenario! So, you are paid in advance without insurance hassles and you must charge 5x that to keep your business operating? Greed!
Wolf Lawrence ·
dr rostenberg does it for $210 to get you your protocols incl a 40min session and dr sunny goggin baits with a free phone consultation - works with various insurance providers and does the paperwork - so dont blame this guy for being out of touch, add 'affordable' to your search to find the right match for your needs. many folks, specially lexus class professionals, dont grasp how 20% of america's children are born into poverty even if their parents work full time or work 60 hours/wk as they are busy finding ways to best afford the tools and time required to get better at their craft. if $380 is too high, keep shopping. maybe you dont need a cadillac if a fiat will still get you there.
yes, dr. cole lives on another planet, out of touch, but lets be realistic, any doctor/clinic would have to find a way to treat 5 poor people in the time slot she would typically see one 85k/yr 'truckdriver/teacher' who can fit the bill. someone needs to start taking a stab at grouping 5-10 'basement dwellers' and 'deplorables' and treat them as one.
yes, dr. cole lives on another planet, out of touch, but lets be realistic, any doctor/clinic would have to find a way to treat 5 poor people in the time slot she would typically see one 85k/yr 'truckdriver/teacher' who can fit the bill. someone needs to start taking a stab at grouping 5-10 'basement dwellers' and 'deplorables' and treat them as one.
Sherie Coules ·
Why do none of you take insurance
Dr. Will Cole
It's not that we don't take it its that insurance doesn't cover functional medicine. 100% of our patients are working class normal people who take responsibility for their health and realize that depending on the insurance industry for their health is like depending on their life insurance for life
Kate Cooper ·
Dr. Will Cole - we are not depending on the insurance industry for our health. We are depending on them to help cover the cost. Paying outright for healthcare is prohibitive for 99% of the population.
Debra Lee Andersohn ·
Kate Cooper it's so sad. I'm struggling. I've spent thousands of dollars going into debt for holistic health. My dr. Referred me to functional medicine but now I'm discouraged because in hearing that I can't get help unless I fork out more money. My health insurance premium is 1,300.00 a month. I suppose you have to be rich to get help. I can't get any help from any dr. Even with what I pay. Just wrong!
No comments:
Post a Comment