FAQ
Questions patients ask first
Answers about virtual Florida care, self-pay, care options, testing, HRT, GLP-1s, and what to expect.
What is functional and integrative medicine?
It looks at your symptoms in the context of your whole health story — nutrition, lifestyle, medications, hormones, metabolism, gut health, sleep, and stress — while still using conventional evaluation and treatment when appropriate.
Will Dr. Saara be my primary care physician?
No. This is consultative functional and integrative care. It complements your existing healthcare and does not replace primary, preventive, acute, urgent, or emergency care.
Where are appointments available?
Virtual consultations for patients located in Florida at the time of the appointment. You must be physically in Florida when we meet.
Do you accept insurance?
No. This is a private-pay practice and does not bill insurance for physician services. A superbill may be available for possible out-of-network reimbursement, which is determined by your plan and is not guaranteed.
Can insurance be used for labs or prescriptions?
Sometimes. Conventional labs or prescriptions may be eligible depending on the laboratory, pharmacy, medication, and your plan. Specialty testing is generally cash-pay. Coverage is never guaranteed by the practice.
How long is the initial consultation?
Typically 75–90 minutes and $399. Records and recent labs you provide are reviewed in advance when submitted on time. Complex concerns occasionally need a follow-up so questions and the plan can be addressed thoroughly.
Do I need testing before my first appointment?
No. Your care begins with your history, symptoms, previous testing, treatments, and goals. After your consultation, we can determine together whether additional testing would be useful.
What happens to my $399 fee if I begin ongoing care?
If you begin ongoing care within 30 days of the initial consultation, the entire $399 is applied toward your minimum care commitment. There is no obligation to continue.
Do I have to choose a care option?
No. Care options are optional. Pay-as-you-go follow-up is available when clinically appropriate: a results appointment is $250; a general follow-up is $199.
Are appointments unlimited with ongoing care?
No. Care options provide different levels of ongoing physician involvement — not a package of unlimited appointments. Follow-up frequency and length are individualized.
Will everyone need specialty testing?
No. Testing should answer a question. Conventional labs are used when they provide the information needed. Specialty testing is recommended only when it may change the plan. Consultation and care-option fees do not include labs.
Are supplements required?
No. Supplements are recommended only when they fit the plan. Products are chosen from more than one professional source rather than a single required brand.
Do you prescribe hormone therapy or GLP-1 medications?
When clinically appropriate after individualized evaluation. Hormone therapy is not a default protocol. GLP-1 medications are one tool in a broader metabolic plan that also addresses nutrition, strength, and sustainability — not the entire plan.
Can I message between appointments?
Patients in ongoing care may use the secure portal for brief, non-urgent questions about an established plan. The portal is not an emergency service. For urgent concerns, contact your primary physician, urgent care, or 911 as appropriate.
What should I prepare before my appointment?
Complete intake forms and share current medications and supplements, relevant recent labs, a brief symptom timeline, and your goals. You do not need to submit your complete medical record.
Does This Sound Familiar
You've been told that everything looks OK, or what you're feeling is simply stress, aging, menopause,or a normal part of this stage of life — but you know something has changed.
Areas of Focus
You do not need a diagnosis before scheduling.
Ready to begin your Road to Rebalance?
Start with a comprehensive consultation designed to understand where you are now, what has changed, and where we can go from here.
