Office Policies, Billing and Health Insurance

NEW PATIENTS

Patient Forms

Once you have scheduled your appointment, we will send you an email with a link to our new patient intake forms.

All new patients are asked to create a ChARM Health Patient Portal account and complete new patient paperwork there. Please complete these forms and submit them to us via the portal at least 48 hours before your first appointment or you will need to be rescheduled.

This paperwork includes a detailed past medical history that your doctor will review before your visit. Please allow 30-45 minutes to complete it.

We recommend that you complete this paperwork on a desktop or laptop computer or iPad or tablet. The system is not mobile-friendly and attempting to complete the forms on your phone is not recommended.

If you have any difficulty accessing the patient portal to complete your paperwork, please use our Contact form and include your telephone number more than 48 hours before your appointment to give the doctor a chance to review everything – Please include your telephone number so that we may assist you.

Historical Lab Results

Please upload copies of previous lab results and a complete list of medications and supplements that you are currently taking. If you don’t have access to this information, we can request it for you. Please send us a secure message through your ChARM Health Patient Portal with the doctor who ordered the labwork and her/his telephone number.

Messaging policy

Please use the portal messaging for medical questions.

Please do not email us any medical questions or any content that contains protected health information. Email is for administrative matters only. Email is not HIPAA compliant and emailed health information is not properly protected.

You may message us through the Patient Portal for:

Clarifications on your treatment plan
Questions about how you are responding to treatment
Reporting of possible adverse reactions
New issues will not be addressed through messaging and require an appointment.
Adaptations to your treatment plan (with the exception of changes due to adverse reactions) will not be addressed through messaging and require an appointment. While these questions may appear straightforward at first glance, they actually necessitate a thorough review of your medical chart. This process involves assessing your medical history, duration of symptoms, any changes observed over time, and contemplating potential next steps. It’s essential to delve into these details to formulate an appropriate plan.

New issues will not be addressed through messaging and require an appointment.

Adaptations to your treatment plan (with the exception of changes due to adverse reaction) will not be addressed through messaging and require an appointment. While such questions may seem simple, they actually require that we review your chart to see what you have been doing, for how long, how things have changed over time, and consideration of next steps.

Phone Calls

* In the case of a true medical emergency please call 911.

* For other matters, please go to your local walk-in clinic or emergency room.

Requesting Lab Orders

If we have seen you regularly and there is a routine lab order needed, you can make this request through the portal. If further information is needed and we need to see you first, we will let you know.

Appointment Reminders

As a courtesy, we remind patients of their office visit by email 3 business days before the appointment date. All appointment reminders will go to the email we have on file. If you know that you must cancel an appointment, please provide us as much advance notice as possible so that other people can access the doctor.

If you are late for an appointment:

We may need to shorten your appointment so that we can take the next appointment on time.
We may need to reschedule you so that we provide you with adequate time for your visit.

Cancellations

We require at least 24 hours advance notice for cancellation. We request as much notice as you can provide so that other people can access the doctor. Canceled with less than 24 hours’ notice will result in a cancellation fee of $25.00 for the first time and $50.00 for the second late cancellation or missed appointment, (which you will be unable to submit to your insurance carrier.) Cancellations can be made at ANY time using the online CHARM scheduler via our Contact form.

More than 2 Late Cancellations

More than 2 late cancellations or missed appointments will result in discharge from the practice.

CURRENT PATIENTS

If you have changes to your insurance or contact information, please update your information in your patient portal before your consultation. If you have had lab testing done as ordered by another doctor since your last appointment, please upload those lab results at least 48 hours before your appointment, so that Dr. Kennedy has time to review them.

Telehealth Appointment

We offer online, virtual telehealth appointments only.

Links for your telehealth visit can be found in your confirmation email, your reminder email, and under appointments in your patient portal.

We use the enhanced-security Zoom platform which is HIPAA-compliant for the security of your protected health information.

We require that you have a primary care physician (PCP) and follow up with your PCP and appropriate specialists regularly. Naturopathic physicians in Connecticut are considered specialists and require patients to have primary care with authorized medical professionals, such as MDs, DOs, APRNs, or PAs.

BILLING

Payment for Services

Payment for physician services must be made at the time the appointment is made.

We require a credit card on file for all patients. Our system securely stores a token (not the complete number).

We will charge your card for any outstanding balance and missed appointment or late cancellation fees. A Late Cancellation Fee of $25 is charged when patients cancel appointments less than 48 hours in advance.

Supplements, herbs, homeopathy, food, drink, and other suggested products, are NOT included in any Telehealth fee.

Supplements, herbs, and homeopathy may be purchased at a 15% discount using our Fullscript link through our website, or at a store or website of your choosing.

Insurance

Our medical practice is cash only. We do not accept insurance.

Dr. Kennedy is considered an Out-of-Network Provider by your insurance.

If your insurance requires a referral, this needs to be in place when you arrive for your office visit.

We can provide you with a coded SuperBill that you can submit to your insurance company.

Some Services we provide are not covered by any insurance:

Specialized functional lab testing may not be covered. The doctor will discuss any additional costs with you before ordering tests.
Supplements, herbs and homeopathy are not covered by insurance. We offer high-quality, physician-grade supplements and herbal preparations for our patient’s safety and convenience. These items can be covered by health savings accounts and flexible spending accounts if prescribed by your naturopathic doctor.
Detoxification programs and weight loss programs are not covered by insurance.
Preventive Visits – While the work that we do is preventative, our services do not qualify as a preventive visit under your health insurance plan (as defined by the Affordable Care Act). This means that it will not be covered as an annual preventive visit with your Primary Care Physician would be. It will be covered as an Out-of-Network specialist. Lab tests ordered by us do not qualify as preventive and may apply to your deductible if you have one. If needed, please contact your insurance company with specific questions about coverage under your plan.
No Children’s School, Camp, or Sports Physicals – We do consult with parents about their children for naturopathic care and require our patients to have a pediatrician for coordination of care. We do not see children for primary care, school, camp, or sports physicals.

Every insurance plan differs. It is your responsibility to be aware of the details of your plan such as the need for referrals, deductibles, and coverage for naturopathic healthcare and laboratory testing.
Please call your insurance plan if you have questions about your coverage including coverage for laboratory testing.

Overdue Payment / Collections:

If we must refer your account to a collection agency or law firm to collect an unpaid balance, you will be required to pay the cost of collection as well as the unpaid balance.

Medicare

Medicare does NOT cover naturopathic medicine.

We can NOT see patients who have Medicare Primary and Husky secondary as we are unable to get Medicare denials for billing the secondary plan.

Medicaid

Medicaid / Husky – You attest that the insurance information you have provided is correct. If your insurance is found to be incorrect or inaccurate such that they don’t cover a visit, you will be held responsible for the cost of your visit. Providing inaccurate billing and insurance information may be grounds for release from the practice.

For those located outside of Connecticut

Our doctors are proudly licensed in Connecticut. While licensing regulations require that telehealth sessions be conducted with patients physically in Connecticut, we warmly welcome those outside our state borders to engage in educational sessions with us. During these sessions, our doctors passionately share their expertise, offering valuable insights into the naturopathic approach to your diagnosis. They discuss pertinent lab testing options to explore with your local healthcare provider or lab kits you can order yourself and have delivered to your home, and provide personalized recommendations for diet and lifestyle adjustments to support your well-being. Individuals outside of CT who choose an educational session must use their own licensed healthcare provider, for diagnosis and treatment of their specific health conditions.

Questions?
Please use our Contact form
– And please include your telephone number in case we have any questions!

THESE POLICIES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.

We look forward to getting to know and appreciate you!