Why do naturopathic doctors spend between one and two hours with patients in an appointment and what should I expect in my first appointment?
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What are the policies and procedures for the Peirson Center?
You can find a full write up of our clinic's policies and procedures here:
https://www.peirsoncenter.com/policy-and-procedures.html
https://www.peirsoncenter.com/policy-and-procedures.html
How can I stay current on information regarding biomedical treatment of children with special needs?
You can stay up to date on news, studies, stories, information and research about how we help patients by following our Facebook page.
Does the Peirson Center for Children accept health insurance?
Dr. Peirson's office does not bill insurance companies. You may receive an invoice at the end of your visit that includes ICD-10 (diagnosis) and CPT (procedure) codes that you can use to submit to your insurance company to request reimbursement.
One of the major reasons that we do not bill insurance at our office is because then the insurance company becomes our boss and gets to decide what testing and treatment is appropriate for you. When you come to our office, we are assuming that you want a naturopathic physician’s advice on your health care (not the insurance company’s).
The provider non-discrimination provision of the Affordable Care Act went into effect on January 1, 2014. Insurance plans issued on or after this date are now prohibited from treating naturopathic physicians differently from other providers when the ND is treating the same conditions or performing the same services that the insurer would otherwise cover. More information about this can be found here.
One of the major reasons that we do not bill insurance at our office is because then the insurance company becomes our boss and gets to decide what testing and treatment is appropriate for you. When you come to our office, we are assuming that you want a naturopathic physician’s advice on your health care (not the insurance company’s).
The provider non-discrimination provision of the Affordable Care Act went into effect on January 1, 2014. Insurance plans issued on or after this date are now prohibited from treating naturopathic physicians differently from other providers when the ND is treating the same conditions or performing the same services that the insurer would otherwise cover. More information about this can be found here.
I plan on making a telehealth appointment. Will insurance cover that?
Insurance companies typically will not pay for telemedicine appointments. You can call your insurance company to ask if they will reimburse you for a 99205-GT (new patient appointment, via interactive audio and video telecommunications system).
Does the Peirson Center serve international patients?
Yes. It's often difficult for patients outside of the US to get all of the labs we require, but not impossible. We can still work with you and base treatment on signs and symptoms. We encourage you to maintain your relationship with your local doctor. Keep in mind the time difference when making your appointment.
How many visits are necessary?
Typically at least one follow up is needed after a new patient appointment to review any new labs that have been ordered. Subsequent follow up appointments are generally 3-6 months after the second follow up appointment. There are many variables here and the frequency of follow up appointments can vary from patient to patient.
What should I expect from my first appointment?
The practitioners at the Peirson Center do a lengthy intake of medical history. The majority of the time during your first visit will be spent going over this. The visit may or may not end with a treatment plan. With complicated cases they prefer to review everything outside of the visit and relay information about the treatment plan and rationale for each recommendation via ChARM. This electronic record usually comes 2-3 days after your first visit. Occasionally a treatment plan isn't even possible until further testing is done and will come after the first follow up appointment.
How do I get recommended supplements if I don't live in Portland?
The practitioners will send links to purchase supplements online or send an email that is separate from your plan that will allow you to purchase supplements through Fullscript, an online source for professional-grade supplements.
Does Dr. Peirson know about more than just supplementation and nutrition to help my child with special needs?
Being the parent of a child with Down syndrome herself she knows a lot about therapies in other areas including behavioral therapy, feeding and speech therapy, physical therapy and how to best support learning. She isn't trained in these areas and isn't an expert so she often refers patients to other experts for these needs. She knows when these therapies are to be sought out. When these therapies are not available or possible for families she often provides very useful tools for them to use at home and refers them to online sources and books for parents to learn more on their own.