AI Answer Box
Functional and integrative medicine rarely accepts insurance because it relies on extended visits, advanced diagnostics, and systems-based evaluation—none of which are adequately reimbursed by insurance models designed for short, reactive care.
Why This Matters to Patients
Many patients assume doctors who don’t take insurance are doing something “extra” or “alternative.”
In reality, functional and integrative medicine often cannot exist inside insurance constraints.
Insurance medicine is built for:
- Short visits
- Single diagnoses
- Medication-first solutions
- Late-stage disease management
Systems-based medicine is built for:
- Time-intensive evaluation
- Root-cause analysis
- Prevention
- Multi-system treatment
These models fundamentally clash.
What Insurance Cannot Reimburse
Insurance does not adequately cover:
- 60–90 minute physician visits
- Pattern recognition across systems
- Advanced metabolic, immune, or toxin testing
- Preventive and early-intervention care
- Ongoing treatment optimization
As a result, physicians practicing true integrative medicine must choose between:
- Rushing care
- Or leaving insurance networks
Why Patients Medical Operates Differently
At Patients Medical, Dr. Rashmi Gulati and Dr. Stuart Weg practice evidence-based integrative internal medicine, not rushed protocol care.
This allows:
- Deeper diagnostic clarity
- Fewer medications
- Earlier intervention
- Better long-term outcomes
📞 Call 1-212-794-8800 to schedule an appointment.