This depends on the state your are in. In Minnesota, we contract with Aetna and Optum/UnitedHealthcare.  In Florida, since there is no licensure for naturopathic physicians, this is largely no.  Thus depending on where you are located, this can vary considerably. The best bet is to check with your insurance company and see what your options are.  Alternatives to traditional health insurance such as Health Coops typically offer more flexibility for and reimbursement for holistic healthcare.  Additionally, Flex Spending and Health Savings accounts may reimburse more readily for our kind of care.  

Well largely, that is probably because there are so few naturopathic physicians in practice comparative to MDs. While there are nearly one million MDs as of 2013 stats, there are merely a little over 2,000 NDs scattered across the entire country. So, that is probably a big part of it.  Also, the traditional healthcare system is built around allopathic care, so naturopathic care in most states is excluded from insurance reimbursement. However that has begun changing as more and more states and provinces are licensed across North America with some states such as Vermont and Washington offering considerable insurance reimbursement and more private health insurance plans also provided limited coverage to employees, etc. in more diverse locations. For more information about supporting Florida coverage and licensure for NDs, see: Support Licensure for Naturopathic Doctors in Florida.

Because holistic medicine types of consults dig deep into your medical history, your current concerns, what is currently going on in your life, all the meds and supplements you have been using, etc., past traumas, and even your dental health (yes this impacts the rest of your more than you may know!), this typically necessitates that a first visit will be considerably longer than your traditional doctors’ appointments that you are likely used to. Thus first consults typically last 75-120 minutes, depending on the complexity of the case presented.

While naturopaths are trained to be able to do so, this depends on the jurisdiction in which he or she works. In some states such as Arizona, naturopathic doctors enjoy a broad scope of practice involving minor surgery, the majority of pharmaceuticals, all natural medicines, IV therapies, and more. In Minnesota, Dr Wood can order labs for individuals and works with other providers for prescriptions when and if necessary.  In Florida, Dr. Wood cannot prescribe or order labs directly for Florida based clients. However, he will discuss options for you to pursue these through your primary care doctor or another area provider that is willing to work with you. Also, many times more routine labs are available for purchase directly by the consumer by companies such as Life Extension, AnyLabTestNow, or Direct Labs. Thus one way or another, you can get what you need ordered!