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Disclaimers

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RootCause Doc Financial Policy

As a physician,  I feel called to provide the highest quality natural health care possible. Just as our services are unique, our financial policies set us apart from mainstream medicine. We have prepared this handout to answer questions you or your family members may have about the rationale for our financial policies. If, after reading this, you still have questions, feel free to speak with our staff.

Why We Do Not Accept Insurance Assignment

Many people who have contacted our office for our services have asked us why we do not bill insurance directly when other providers do. We fully understand the financial challenge this presents to some clients, and we wish there were a way for us to bill your insurance company. Unfortunately, at this time, there is not. Here is why:

 

When clinics bill health insurance companies directly, the doctors are required to become participating providers. The doctors must sign a contract that allows the insurance company to determine which services they will and will not provide and how much they can charge for those services. In general, insurance companies are not focused on any preventive or wellness services. They are heavily invested in the conventional model of health care that too often relies on drugs and surgery. We are committed to the functional health model that supports the underlying causes of your symptoms with specific nutritional and lifestyle recommendations.

 

A participating physician must agree to accept the fees the insurance company establishes, regardless of whether the fees are reasonable or applicable to that practice. In general, these established fees cover the actual cost of the briefest (and we believe the lowest quality) care. Doctors who are participating providers are required to accept discounted fees for their services, and they cannot bill the patient for the difference between their fee and what the insurance company will pay. Therefore, the clinic must write off the difference, often as much as 50% or more of the doctor’s fee for service. At the same time, the participating provider’s office overhead costs have increased dramatically because of the staff, time, and equipment necessary for processing and tracking claims.   You may be able to use your Flex-spending or Healthcare Savings Account funds for our services.  

 

In today’s healthcare environment, the actual cost for doctors to provide services continues to rise, while the percentage of reasonable fees that insurance payments cover is declining. At the same time, the profits of health insurance companies and the salaries of their top executives continue to rise to record levels.

Most doctors and clinics cope with the requirements of being participating providers by keeping their office visits very brief, so that they can see many patients within a given time frame. When their clinic becomes unprofitable, it must be supported by another institution. Many medical clinics are not self-sustaining financially and have had to merge with hospitals whose expensive, high-tech surgical and diagnostic procedures are priced to keep the clinics afloat financially. Ironically, some of our clients complain about their extremely brief and unsatisfactory office visits in medical practices, while at the same time expressing frustration that we do not accept insurance. Unfortunately, as health strategy coaches we cannot be participating providers in the insurance networks and would not be able to provide the time-intensive, well-researched, expert integrative care that we do.

Nutritional Supplements

We may recommend nutritional supplements as an adjunct to dietary and lifestyle modification. This approach is central to the well-researched and science-based practice of functional health.  We recommend therapeutic, quality nutritional supplements as a service to our clients. We feel that ordering from Full Scripts or CellCore directly controls the quality of the product purchased and we can be assured that the supplement has been properly stored, is not expired, and is not counterfeit.​

Medicare and Medicaid Are Not Able to be Reimbursed

If you are a Medicare or Medicaid client and are being treated for a Medicare or Medicaid covered service, all providers are obligated to bill Medicare/Medicaid according to their time frame and billing specifications. Maryland Integrative Health, LLC is not able to comply because we do not have a conventional billing department, also health coaching is generally not reimbursed by insurance plans. To respect the law, Medicare/Medicaid appointments at Maryland Integrative Health, LLC address only non-Medicare/Medicaid covered services. As a Medicare/Medicaid client, you cannot apply for or receive reimbursement from Medicare/Medicaid for your appointments. We are sorry, but this is the best we can do at this time given Medicare/Medicaid guidelines. We are confident that if you try Maryland Integrative Health, LLC you will be happy with your care and health outcomes.

Our Guarantees and Refunds Policy

We have 2 guarantees. First, we have a 100% results guarantee, which means that you are 100% guaranteed to succeed IF you do the work and get our support when needed. The only time you won’t succeed is if you give up when things get challenging.

 

Second, we have a 0% money back guarantee. This program is not a book or a course that you do on your own. We invest a HUGE amount of time, energy, and money to support you every step of the way and we know that our strategy works 100% of the time for those who do the work. That’s why you need to take 100% responsibility for your results. 

Program Hold Policy 

You have the option to place your program on hold for a period of up to 6 months, starting from the date of the request. During the hold period, you will temporarily suspend all scheduled appointments, sessions, and services associated with the program.

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Please be aware that while your program is on hold, your payment schedule will continue as originally agreed upon. The hold period does not exempt you from fulfilling your financial obligations for the program. Once the hold period ends, your program services and appointments will be reinstated accordingly. 

Nature of Content: By accessing this Webpage, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policies of Integrative Health, a Maryland limited liability company, dba “Root Cause Doc”, and its employees and agents (collectively “Company” or “Root Cause Doc”). The purpose behind Root Cause Doc’s program and/or Website Content is to provide clients a generalized health education and advocacy program that empowers, teaches, and educates clients to improve various aspects of their lifestyle, mood, diet, fitness and sleep.  The Website and/or Application Content and coaching program is educational and informational in nature and is provided only as general information and is not medical, psychological or nutritional advice, opinion, diagnosis, treatment or guarantee. Developments in medical research may impact the health, fitness and nutritional content that appears here. No assurance can be given that the content contained in this site will always include the most recent findings or developments with respect to the particular material. You may discover there are other methods and materials to accomplish the same end result. 

 

The program’s content and coaching service is not intended to create and does not constitute any professional relationship between Root Cause Doc (or any of its officers, directors, trustees, employees, coaches, consultants, independent contractors, bloggers, experts, volunteers, affiliates, or agents) and you, and does not create any doctor-patient or any other professional relationship, including a nutritional or dietician relationship, with any of the Root Cause Doc’s independent contractors, experts, coaches, employees, consultants, or agents. The content is not intended to solicit clients or patients and should not be relied upon as medical, psychological, or other professional advice of any kind or nature whatsoever. Even if those providing information via the coaching program or website display professional licensure or other credentials in the healing arts, or cite clinical trials or other medical literature, they are limited to providing information, support, encouragement, guidance and education, and are not providing any clinical service via the Website or Application. The information provided through the Website or Application and coaching service should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. The information contained in these communications is not comprehensive and does not include all the potential information regarding the subject matter, but rather, is merely intended to serve as one resource for general and educational purposes.

 

You should consult your physician or other health care professional before starting this or any other program to determine if it is right for your needs. This is particularly true if you (or your family) have a history of high blood pressure or heart disease, or if you have ever experienced chest pain when exercising or have experienced chest pain in the past month when not engaged in physical activity, smoke, have high cholesterol, are obese, or have a bone or joint problem that could be made worse by a change in physical activity. Do not start this fitness program if your physician or health care provider advises against it. If you experience faintness, dizziness, pain or shortness of breath at any time while exercising you should stop immediately.

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Information Regarding Dietary Supplements: Information and statements when referencing dietary and other health care supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you choose to take supplements, you should read carefully all product packaging prior to use and consult with your health care professionals.

 

Company Is Not Acting As a Medical Provider and Does Not Provide Medical Advice: Any and all content stated or posted on the Website/Application or available through the coaching service or product is not intended to be, and must not be taken to be, the practice of medicine, psychology, chiropractic, or the provision of medical, psychological/mental health, or nutritional or chiropractic care or any other professional healthcare. The information provided on this Website/Application or through the coaching service is not a substitute for medical diagnosis, advice, or treatment, or other professional healthcare. If you have or suspect you may have a medical or psychological problem, you should consult your medical doctor or psychologist or appropriate healthcare provider. If you think you have a medical emergency, call 911 immediately. Never disregard or delay medical advice received from your licensed healthcare provider based on information on the Website. Always consult your physician, psychologist, or licensed healthcare provider before seeking any new treatment, or before you alter, suspend, or initiate any change in your medical or psychological treatment, medication or herbal supplement, routine, or procedure.

 

We do not guarantee that any person’s use of the Website/Application or coaching service is the appropriate course of treatment for any individual’s particular health care problem. Communications on or through the Website/Application do not create client-professional relationships and are not the subject of any associated privileges or confidentiality protections.

 

If you are in crisis, reach out for help to a crisis help line. A list of crisis help lines and service providers can be found by doing a search in your online search engine,  or contact any of the organizations listed below: National Suicide Hotline 800-273-TALK (800-273- 8255); National Domestic Violence Hotline 800-799-SAFE (800-799-7233); National Child Abuse Hotline 800-4-A-CHILD (800-422-4453). While we provide online services, we do not have a 24-hour hotline for medical or psychological emergencies; nor do we handle requests in crisis situations, such as if you are feeling suicidal or in need of immediate assistance due to emotional crisis. If you are in crisis, contact one of the above organizations or another resource of your choice. If you need help finding mental health services and support in your community contact an appropriate organization, such as for example: National Mental Health Association Information Center: nmha.org.

 

Root Cause Doc is only providing informational and educational self-help resources to you.

 

Testimonials and Endorsements: Clients generally may not be expected to achieve the same or similar results as others who have used our services and who have subsequently written or recorded video testimonials and endorsements. Root Cause Doc posts testimonials for informational purposes only; Root Cause Doc does not claim that anyone will experience the same or similar results as mentioned in these writings or videos. Nor does Root Cause Doc claim that a significant number of clients may obtain similar results. Results experienced by any one individual who has written a testimonial or endorsement or provided a video testimonial, is not necessarily what any given client should expect to experience. Any information that could be regarded as a testimonial or endorsement on the Website does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction by us regarding the outcome of any past, ongoing, or future conversation or interaction with you.

 

No Credentialing: To the extent the Website/Application or program lists other consultants, licensed medical practitioners,  or coaches that operate in a capacity other than coaching with Root Cause Doc, (“Practitioners”), we are merely a directory and do not certify or credential Practitioners and shall not be liable for certifying or credentialing Practitioners. We make no representations or warranties about any Practitioner, nor do we have any responsibility over, or for supervising, any outside clinical practice such Practitioner may operate. We do not screen, perform background checks, confirm the qualifications, evaluate, or endorse any Practitioner. The inclusion of a list of Practitioners on the Website/Application does not imply recommendation, referral or endorsement of such Practitioner nor is such information intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Practitioner contained therein; nor do we offer any guarantee, testimonial, endorsement, or validation of credentials of or services provided by the same.

 

We will not be liable for claims for negligent credentialing or negligent supervision of, or for negligence by, any such Practitioner. Any opinions, advice, or information expressed by any person are those of that person and do not reflect our opinions. We do not recommend or endorse any Practitioner that may be mentioned on the Website/Application. We do not make any treatment decisions in our capacity as a health coach.

 

You understand that it is your responsibility to check the certification and/or licensing of any healthcare practitioner involved in your care. Our role is strictly limited to providing access to information for your consideration. You assume all risk of pursuing any course of action following receipt of information by any party. While we make efforts to verify that Practitioners have the background that they claim they have, we cannot warrant or guarantee their accuracy. We are not liable for any loss or damages caused by your reliance on any Website/Application Content including Practitioner profiles.

The Website content is educational and informational in nature and is not medical, psychological, or nutritional advice, opinion, diagnosis, treatment, or guarantee. The information contained herein does not create a professional relationship between the Company and you

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