Info – New Patients

Info – New Patients

What Can you Expect from A First Office Call?

A First Office Call (FOC) for Naturopathic Medicine is a 90 minute appointment which includes:

  • Clarification and education regarding current medical condition and treatment options
  • A Naturopathic Treatment Plan
  • Review of current lab reports
  • Evaluation of prescription drugs and potential interaction(s) with supplements/herbs
  • Hands on treatment including but not limited to acupressure, craniosacral therapy, soft tissue manipulation, cupping and moxibustion.
  • As treatment is customized to the individual, services may vary.

During the first office visit, we will address the concerns you mention in the Health Questionnaire, obtain a comprehensive health history, review lab work and assess diet and lifestyle. We may choose to perform diagnostics such as blood tests, hormone panels, etc. Together we will devise a treatment plan for you to take home. If time allows, a hands on treatment is included.

You will be asked to complete a detailed Health Questionnaire in advance of your appointment which will help to pinpoint your areas of concern, and to obtain specific information regarding your current state of health. If there is a specific service, treatment or test that you are interested in, please let me know.

Future appointments can range from 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on your needs.

TeleMed and Home Visits

For individuals who cannot or choose not to be seen in our office, you can schedule a phone call or video chat. If you have not been seen in the office within the year before your tele-appointment, a legally binding doctor/patient relationship is not established. In these cases, we provide naturopathic counselingfor educational purposes only. Assessments and recommendations are intended to assist you and your health care provider in using naturopathic protocols to support your health. Recommendations are not intended to serve as a medical diagnosis or treatment.

Most likely, your medical insurance will not cover telemedicine services but some health savings accounts may reimburse for this service, see the Insurance FAQ for more details. All telehealth/counselling services must be secured in advance with a credit card. The fees and payment policies are identical to what is listed on our Appointments and Fees page.

HOME VISITS/OUTCALL

Some of the services offered can be made available to established patients in their home or healthcare facility. Please contact our office to schedule outcall services, a modest travel fee may apply.

Getting Started

If you are ready to make an appointment, you can enter your information into the contact form, email us , or call us at (949) 667-4436.
All new and potential patients are welcome to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation with the doctor to learn more about how naturopathic medicine and acupuncture can help you.

Please take some time to read through our information on insurance coverage for both naturopathic primary care and acupuncture services.

Get started with Natural Medicine Works by scheduling your initial visit type:

  • Naturopathic First Office Call
  • Naturopathic Consult
  • Acupuncture First Office Call
  • Energy Work

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE

A First Office Call for Naturopathic Medicine is a 90-minute appointment that includes:

  • Clarification and education regarding current medical condition and treatment options
  • Naturopathic treatment plan
  • Review of current lab reports
  • Evaluation of prescription drugs and potential interactions with supplements/herbs
  • Hands on treatment including but not limited to acupressure, craniosacral therapy, soft tissue manipulation, cupping and energy work
  • As treatment is customized to the individual, services may vary.

During the first office visit, we will address the concerns you mention in the Health Questionnaire, obtain a comprehensive health history, review lab work and assess diet and lifestyle. We may choose to perform diagnostics such as blood tests, hormone panels, etc. Together we will devise a treatment plan for you to take home. If time allows, a hands-on treatment is included.

More info about on what is contained in the treatment plan is available on our Integrative Primary Care Page.

You will be asked to complete a detailed Health Questionnaire in advance of your appointment which will help to pinpoint your areas of concern, and to obtain specific information regarding your current state of health. If there is a specific service, treatment or test that you are interested in, please let us know.

Follow up appointments of 30-60 minutes are typical, the frequency and duration will depend on your condition and treatment plan.

NATUROPATHIC CONSULT

This 30-minute consult can be used to discuss an urgent matter, receive naturopathic counseling, for a second opinion or to consider natural treatment options for a current condition. This visit can be done in person or via secure video chat.

ACPUNCTURE

A First Office Call for Acupuncture is a 60-minute office appointment which includes:

  • Review of Health Questionnaire and treatment goals
  • Placement of needles
  • Chinese Herbal Medicine prescription
  • Evaluation of prescription drugs and potential interaction(s) with supplements/herbs
  • Hands-On treatment such as Qi Gong (Energy Healing) and Tui-Na (acupressure and massage), cupping and moxibustion as time allows.
  • As treatment is customized to the individual, services may vary.

During the first office call for acupuncture, we will discuss your treatment goals and health history. We will compose a treatment plan that brings together the many aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine including dietary advice, needling, herbal medicine and hands on techniques. You will typically spend 25-40 minutes of ‘table time’ receiving needles and other treatments.

Follow-up acupuncture appointments after the initial visit will be 45 minutes- 1 hour in length.

ENERGY WORK

Dr. Murphy has practiced bodywork since 1996 and continues to offer a unique blend of energy work based on her studies and passion for reiki, qi gong therapy and craniosacral therapy. One hour session.

APPOINTMENTS AND FEES

 

Payment at the time of the service is required. We accept cash, checks, and major credit cards. See the insurance FAQ for info on health insurance billing options.

 

Service Fee-New Patient

  • 90 Minute First Office Call-Naturopathic Medicine $360.00
  • Note: a first office call is required for all treatments, we do not offer hands on therapy to patients who have not completed a first office call.

Service Fee-Returning Patient

  • 30 Minute Naturopathic Medicine $150.00
  • 60 Minute Naturopathic Medicine $250.00
  • 60 Minute Acupuncture $150.00
  • 90 Minute Combined Acupuncture and Naturopathic Medicine $360.00
  • 60 Minute Hands-on Therapy $150 (includes Cranio-Sacral therapy, Mayan abdominal massage, Thai massage, Chi Nei Tsang, Qi Gong therapy)

Notes

Telemedicine-Naturopathic services are available for tele health at the posted rate.
Outcall-Some services are available for established patients, a modest travel fee may apply, please call to inquire.

Insurance FAQ

Do you Take Insurance?

Natural Medicine Works does not bill insurance companies directly but will work with you to provide superbills and any necessary documentation for you to seek reimbursement from your current plan. Since w

Will my Health Insurance Cover Me for Your Services?

Because we provide both naturopathic medicine and acupuncture, there is a good chance that if you have a commercial insurance plan, especially a PPO, you will be able to get reimbursed for a portion of the fees.

All services provided are reimbursed by Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts.

There is no reimbursement option right now for Medi-Cal, Medicare, Tri-Care and most HMO’s except sometimes Kaiser acupuncture.

Are you “In-Network”

We are in-network providers for a number of acupuncture plans and are always considered out-of-network for naturopathic medicine.

We participate in a host of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) add-on plans for both naturopathic medicine and acupuncture such as American Specialty Health. Your insurance provider can confirm network status and access to CAM benefits.

How Much Will My Insurance Cover?

The only way to be sure of your benefits is to call your insurance company to find out if they have acupuncture and naturopathic medical benefits, and, if so, how they cover these services.

Great, I have benefits. Now What?

If you plan on billing insurance, be sure to ask your carrier if a referral or pre-authorization is required for your policy. Let us know that you are billing your insurance company so we can provide you with the proper coding and documentation paperwork.

How do I Get Reimbursed?

You submit a claim direct to your insurance company to have them reimburse you for your out of pocket expenses. We provide you with a superbill and any necessary coding/documentation to provide directly to your insurance carrier. Your reimbursement may be impacted by co-pays and deductibles.

Will my Laboratory Tests be Covered?

Standard labs, such as those that you get as an adult on a routine basis (every 1-3 years) like CBC (complete blood count) and metabolic panels are usually covered by most insurance plans.

Specialty labs, such as those ordered for H pylori, celiac testing, genetic testing, food allergy panels, stool candida and parasite tests, adrenal panels, heavy metals etc. and are performed by specialty diagnostic companies (ZRT, US Biotech, AllCat, Neuro-Science, Immuno Labs and Doctor’s Data) may or may not be reimbursed by your insurance. It is best to call customer service of your health plan to inquire.All lab prices include the physician’s reading fee, shipping and handling.

Will my Product Purchases be Covered?

Again, this depends on the insurance company. Some FSA/HSA accounts will cover vitamin and nutraceutical purchases but will likely require additional paperwork and a pre-authorization.

Forms

We are happy to email or mail these forms to you. When possible, please return all forms a few days ahead of time, especially your intake form so that the doctor can prepare for your appointment. Financial-Responsibility Release-to-NMW Informed Consent Health-Q-ND1 Health-Q-ACU

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Contact Us Today...

    More Info

    The office is located on the second floor of the building and accessible via stairs or elevator. Ample parking is available in front of the building. The lobby doors are unlocked during regular business hours.

    Address: 30320 Rancho Viejo Road, Suite 10

    San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

    Phone: (949) 667-4436

    Email: drmurphy@natmedworks.com