Your Top 6 Most Asked Questions About Parsley Health Answered

Parsley Health is unlike any other health care provider, so it makes sense that you might have questions. Here are the answers to the top six most asked questions about Parsley Health.

When people first hear about Parsley Health, they’re usually extremely curious, because it’s like nothing they’ve ever experienced before. In fact, Parsley Health was created to deliver exactly what health care is missing today: personalized medicine that uses nutrition, advanced testing, and lifestyle changes to transform people’s lives. Our membership-based primary care practice takes a holistic, science-based approach to health.

Whether you’re dealing with a chronic illness or ongoing symptoms, looking for preventative care, or hoping to optimize your health, our team of highly-trained doctors and health coaches can help. Still have questions? Here’s what people ask us the most.

1. If I join Parsley Health do I still need insurance?

Yes. A Parsley Health membership does not replace insurance. We are a medical practice that offers infinitely more than a regular medical practice ever will, but, we are not an insurance provider.

By law today you have to have a health insurance plan, which covers things like blood work, surgeries, emergencies, hospitalizations, and prescription medications, as well as some routine procedures like a mammogram.

2. Can I use my insurance at Parsley Health?

Our care is focused on you—not the middleman. We don’t accept in-network insurance, but if you have a FSA, HSA, or out-of-network benefits, it could cover up to 70% of your Parsley Health membership. At your first visit, you can ask your Care Manager for the paperwork that you can submit to your insurance company.

You can use your insurance for any prescriptions or lab tests, just as you would at another primary care doctor’s office.

Occasionally some specialty lab tests we order at Parsley Health are not covered by insurance or involve a co-pay. We let you know before we order these particular tests that they may cost an extra fee and we will decide together whether or not it makes sense for you to get them.

3. What if I don’t live near a Parsley Health location?

We are currently available in over 45 states and counting. If you live in the United States but aren’t located near one of our physical centers in NYC, LA, or SF, you can sign up for a membership and work with us completely online via video visits with your doctor and health coach—in your space and on your time. No matter where you are, you’ll get the same thorough care.

If you live outside of the U.S., we do work with members on a consultative basis, but we recommend also having a primary care doctor in your home country.

4. Are you a replacement for primary care?

Parsley Health’s world-class physicians are trained in primary care specialties like family medicine and internal medicine, however we recommend our members maintain a primary care physician for things like vaccinations and strep or flu testing, which we do not perform here at Parsley Health.

We do not take urgent care visits or same-day visits, however we can take care of acute things like UTIs or sinus infections by electronically prescribing medication and offering advice through our online messaging platform, My Parsley Health.

Parsley Health brings together the best aspects of primary care combined with lifestyle changes, nutrition, biomarker testing, and supplements to optimize your health and address your chronic issues.

5. Can you get your well woman exam, breast exams, and gynecological care at Parsley?

The short answer: you still need to have an OBGYN.

In order to get the best care, well woman exams and pap smears should be done by doctors who do them routinely and specialize in gynecology. But Parsley Health does do a lot of women’s health that your OBGYN probably doesn’t do from a functional medicine perspective:

• Fertility support with blood tests, herbs, diet, and detoxification recommendations and referrals.
• Hormone balancing – from PMS and PCOS to menopause, including bioidentical hormone support and therapy.
• Pregnancy testing.
• Prescription antibiotics or anti-fungals if needed and also natural options for infections where appropriate.
• Support for issues around sexual health and libido.

6. Is specialty testing is included with membership?

The costs of lab work and specialty tests are not included in the membership fee, however lab work is usually covered by insurance. Based on your health needs and goals, your doctor may recommend you have additional specialty testing done. This is optional, but tests range in cost from $100 – $350.

All of the advanced testing that we do is unique to each person. No two members will have the same testing, but some frequently recommended specialty tests look at food allergies or sensitivities, cortisol and other hormones, genetics, gut health , and toxic metal or mold levels. These can include blood, saliva, urine, and stool tests. Our doctors are trained in functional medicine and are experts in interpreting these advanced tests for you.