Do you take insurance?

• The reason for not accepting insurance is that integrative and functional medicine is not typically covered, or the visits would need to be shortened to be covered.  A typical visit at Salus Integrative Medicine is 55-90 minutes. In order to take insurance, the visits would need to be shortened to 15-20 minutes, which does not align with the practice model.We do not take insurance; however, we do accept HSA (Health Savings Account), FSA (Flexible Spending Account), and credit cards.  

• HSA/FSA payment. As it can be tempting to withdraw funds from your HSA for purposes other than qualified expenses, if you take this route, be prepared for a large tax bill if it will not be a covered service.  All funds withdrawn for non-qualifying expenses before the age of 65 are subject to taxes, plus a 20% tax penalty. You can use your HSA or FSA funds to reimburse yourself for eligible health care, dental, and dependent care expenses. But it’s important to know which expenses can be reimbursed. Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) can be great cost-savings tools nevertheless. Remember it is your responsibility to make sure it will be reimbursed, as plans vary. It’s also important to keep a record of the expenses you pay with your HSA, HRA, or FSA in case your carrier asks you to prove that an expense was eligible for reimbursement from your account, or in case you are audited by the IRS.  Examples of records you should keep include: receipts, Explanation of Benefits (EOB), medical diagnosis/physician diagnosis letters, and prescriptions. 

• We will bill insurance for lab-work, but cannot guarantee all labs ordered will be covered. Labs not covered would be the responsibility of the patient. We are not in-network with insurance companies. If you prefer cash-pay for lab-work please specify at time of visit. Lab draw fee $15 billed at time of service.

Do I still need to see my primary care provider?

Yes, you need to maintain these relationships. Tiffany Balin, NP-C does not serve as your PCP. While she helps to manage many chronic health conditions, she is an addition to your medical team, not a replacement for your current medical providers. 

Are labs required for my visit?

Lab work is one piece of the puzzle and can be very helpful.  Tiffany Balin will review all prior labs, if available, and the health intake questionnaire, before suggesting and/or ordering labs.  Her approach is to start with routine lab work and then will move to more complex labs (such as stool testing, DUTCH hormone testing, organic acid testing) if needed, but this is not the starting point.  The goal is to keep costs affordable and to order only necessary lab work, when appropriate.

Can I be seen if I live outside of Tennessee?

Tiffany Balin is licensed in Tennessee, Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, and Utah. If you live outside of these states you would be required to come to an in-person visit at the Salus Franklin, TN location.