Precision Weight Loss Program in Ann Arbor, MI
This program is ideal for patients looking for a functional medicine approach to weight loss or obesity. Dr. Aarti Soorya and Alexandra Judkins, RD will take great delight in orienting you to this cutting-edge approach to your weight loss goals.
Most patients coming to this program have failed all the fad diets and intense exercise regimens and are looking for something more sustainable as a lifestyle. Patients enrolling in this program are generally very motivated and ready to invest fully in the educational, clinical, and diagnostic efforts required to understand the root of their weight issues.
PRECISION WEIGHT LOSS DETAILS
History & Physical Exam (60 min)
The intake process includes:
- Phone appointment with Dr. Soorya (40 min) - The purpose of this intake will be to “hear your story,” collect important health information and order labs.
- Video appointment with Leslie (our Health Educator) (15 min) - This appointment will be to explain lab kits.
- In Office appointment with Dr. Soorya (20 min) - In this appointment, Dr. Soorya will conduct a physical exam.
- Phone appointment with Leslie (our Health Educator) (15 min): This appointment will take place after your visit to review your labs, to go over the doctor's plan and detailed instructions on supplement protocols.
The total time with the doctor for the new patient appointment is typically 1 hour. However, please be aware that if your case is more complex, the doctor might need to schedule additional time to finalize your New Patient intake. The extra time will be charged at our New Patient hourly rate, prorated to the time spent with the doctor.
We truly believe in a comprehensive approach to weight loss and at the foundation is your diet and lifestyle.
1. In office appointment with Alexandra Judkins, RD (90 min). The purpose of this visit is to gather an initial intake regarding diet, lifestyle, sleep, stress, baseline measurements, and body composition analysis. From your initial intake, she will then tailor and start you on lifestyle and dietary modifications while waiting for your lab work to come in.
After all testing has been completed, we will discuss the findings and put together your treatment plan, which might include dietary, lifestyle, and nutraceutical interventions. The lab review visits range anywhere between 40 to 120 minutes depending on the complexity and number of labs to review. These visits are billed at $450/hr, prorated to the time spent with the doctor. See the "Insurance & Billing" section for details.
- These visits range from 20-30 minutes, approximately every month initially with Dr. Soorya for the first 3-5 months while we proceed through the steps of your individualized protocols. This is for your safety and to ensure that you are tolerating all of the supplements (and medications if needed), to discuss any problems you may be having, and to provide guidance and coaching. The amount of follow ups required depends on the complexity of your case and will be discussed with you.
- You will be meeting with Alexandra Judkins, RD for your first follow up for 60 min. From there, you will meet with her weekly for 30 minutes to help ease you into the lifestyle and dietary changes required. This will also help establish accountability on your part. Once you have found your rhythm, follow up visits will then be biweekly.
Once a month, you will come into the office to have a follow up BIA to help track your body composition progress. These results will be reviewed with Alexandra Judkins, RD at one of your follow up visits and adjustments to your protocol will be made accordingly.
- When we have successfully finished all pre-planned protocols, you will be taken off supplements in a structured manner. We will meet one more time to see how you are doing and provide long-term discharge instructions, including dietary and lifestyle modifications and periodic supplementation protocols, if indicated.
All follow up appointments are billed at $380/hr, prorated to the time spent with the doctor. See the "Insurance & Billing" section for details.
Natural Balance Wellness Medical Center is out-of-network for ALL insurances. We are happy to provide you with an itemized superbill for every encounter with the appropriate codes to submit to your insurance for reimbursement to you directly. However, please understand that we have literally given up trying to figure out the whims of insurance and cannot guarantee you will be reimbursed. For your reference, we have included the codes and pricing we use for the New Patient appointment, follow-up visits, phone consults, etc. to assist you with checking with your insurance company ahead of time if you wish.
A Note Regarding Visits: The times below for follow-up visits include preparation and post-counseling with the nurse or clinical assistant, as well as direct collaboration with our physicians or clinicians.
At Natural Balance, we bill based on decisions, complexity and relative value (RVU) rather than "time."
The super bill will have the following codes.
New Patient - Precision Weight Loss:
Code | Description | Amount |
99205 | New Patient Visit | $450 |
N/A | Health Educator | $80 |
Please note, this initial investment DOES NOT include any Testing or Visits to Review Labs.
Medical Office Visit to review lab (example of a 90-minute lab review appointment)
Code | Description | Amount |
99215 | Comprehensive Lab Review | $450 |
99354 | Comprehensive Lab Review -extra time. | $225 |
A typical appointment to review labs with the Functional Medicine Program is anywhere between 40 min to 2 hrs, depending on the complexity of your case and how many labs we are ordering.
Follow up visits for established patients (in-office appointment)
Code | Description | Amount |
99215 | Comprehensive Planning or Lab Visit, Level 5 | $380 |
99215 | Extended Planning or Lab Visit, Level 5 | $295 |
99214 | Basic Planning or Lab Visit, Level 4 | $230 |
99213 | Follow Up, Level 3 | $160 |
99212 | Simple, Level 2 | $105 |
Remember that a follow up is typically only 20 to 30 min.
Follow up visit (over the phone appointment)
Code | Description | Amount |
99443 | Comprehensive Planning or Lab Visit, Level 5 | $380 |
99443 | Extended Planning or Lab Visit, Level 5 | $295 |
99443 | Basic Planning or Lab Visit, Level 4 | $230 |
99443 | Follow Up, Level 3 | $160 |
99443 | Simple, Level 2 | $105 |
Billing Process: As a medical center, it is our sincere intention that your visit be recognized by insurance AND qualify for reimbursement based on your out-of-network benefits. Our clinic’s ability to provide superbills for your visit and utilize insurance for testing is why we are able to save patients thousands of dollars compared to other practices run by limited license clinicians such as chiropractors, naturopathic doctors, acupuncturists, etc. That said, we are unable to guarantee that your insurance will reimburse your visits, nor can we project how much reimbursement you might receive. Please consult with your insurance company directly.
Visit Description |
“Simple” Check-up on a particular protocol without further instructions or decisions. Patient or staff requested a simple visit to solve a problem that cannot be solved by a clinical assistant without a doctor. This also included DBS follow up visits. |
“Follow up”: Review response to existing protocol, troubleshoot if needed, update Review of Systems (ROS), provide and explain next steps, answer questions. |
“Basic Planning or Lab Visit”: Multilevel decision making required. Creating a new ROS. If re-testing, 1 or 2 simple labs are reviewed, explained and documented. Wrapping up a previous protocol, establishing and explaining a new protocol, etc. |
“Extended Planning or Lab Visit”: Same as Level 4, but more extended / higher complexity. If re-testing, 1 complex, multi-page lab OR multiple simple labs reviewed, explained and documented. |
“Extensive Planning or Lab Visit”: Same as Level 5 Extended Planning or Lab Visit, but more extensive / higher complexity / more time spent. Typically used when reviewing and documenting multiple labs OR re-establishing care. This level of visit is rare for an established patient undergoing follow up visits or lab reviews. |
Understanding Our Clinic Policies
Our clinic policies include important information about working with our clinic, refund policies, payment information, cancellation policies, etc. We request that all new patients review this material prior to enrolling with our clinic.
We Are Here to Help You! On behalf of the Natural Balance team, we hope you have found this information helpful. If you have any questions, or to schedule your new patient appointment, please call us at (734) 929-2696, extension 11. You can also request a call through our online system. We look forward to speaking with you soon!