How Much Will This Cost?
Q: What types of charges are involved?
A: As in all medical care, there are charges involved for doctor’s fees, laboratory fees, and medication expenses.
Q: Will my insurance pay for these expenses?
A: If you have insurance, the amount for which you are responsible depends on your insurance contract. Most (but not all) insurances will pay for the initial laboratory blood tests (whether you have a copay or other means for sharing costs is a matter of your contract with the insurance carrier). Many (but not all) insurances will pay for “out of network” doctor fees and our office will be happy to provide you with the forms and information for filing a claim. Many (but not all) insurances for medication (your drug plan) will pay for or reimburse you for medications. You should check with your insurance carrier for what your plan will cover, and then investigate options if they are available.
Also, many patients have “flex” plans (Flexible Spending Account or FSA) where the patient decides how the funds should be spent on medical care, and, usually (depending on your contract), all of your expenses are reimbursable from these plans. Many patients have a Medical Savings Account and can decide on how the funds should be spent on medical care. Again, in most circumstances, all of your expenses are reimbursable from these plans.
Q: How much does Dr. Norton charge?
A: The complete fee schedule is below and every patient has different needs so there is a lot of variability. To give you a ballpark idea for a typical patient, the initial consultation (if you have had your blood work done) is approximately one hour costing $300. To get started without blood work, approximately 30 to 45 minutes is required, with a follow up after your labs have arrived of approximately the same time, cost between $150 and $225 each visit. If you need to start hormone replacement, your response will dictate your first follow up. Typically, the first follow up visit is in 3 months time. If you continue to do well, you will need visits twice a year to check your labs and refill your prescriptions. Be advised that prescriptions will not be refilled for more than 30 days without a re-evaluation of your needs.
Needless to say, the time spent in the office can be minimized by being well prepared with your questions. Dr. Norton expects you to participate in your care by doing your homework - read about bioidentical hormones on the web, read books on the subject, think about your symptoms, bring a list of any medications or supplements you are currently taking, write down important facts about your medical history and bring it with you, and use some commonsense. The more you expect done for you, the more it will cost (no surprise here). For the most part, the extent to which you are prepared will determine how much you have to pay. For example, if you have not read an article on the importance of adequate Vitamin D levels since high school health class, a teaching explanation will take a lot longer than evaluation of your current levels, your appropriate target levels, and your individualized dose. You are welcome to bring someone with you, if you chose, to help take notes.
Office Consultations
1 hour $300
20 minutes or less, minimum charge $100
Phone Consultations (Charge includes talk time and post-call documentation time)
10 minutes or less, minimum charge $50
>10 minutes charged at same cost as office consultations
Q: How much are the medications?
A: Please also see the page on medication and the compounding pharmacy. Obviously, how much your medications will be depends on how many and how much medication you need. Most hormone medications are filled through a compounding pharmacy and even full price are much, much cheaper than what a pharmaceutical company charges for patented drugs. For example, most compounded medications (specifically for you in the concentration and dose you personally need) are in the range of $10 - $20 per medication.
