Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at office@RootsandRivers.health if you cannot find an answer to your question. You may also call & text (509)537-3660.

Please note prices are subject to change.

What is your specialty? What can I expect?

My specialty is on iatrogenicity (i.e. mitigating harm and nutrient deficiences from pharmaceutical medications while finding the least effective dose with the least side effects) and Environmental Medicine (illnesses acquired due to enviromental factors such as neurodegeneration, allergies, inflammation, toxic exposures).

The service I provide is my time and expertise in natural medicine. This takes time and I want you to get the chance to tell your story. I do a comprehensive physical & nutrtional exam which many find informative. I present you the treatment plan at the second visit and I take much time to teach you about health, diet and your susceptibilities that can be prevented. I encourage patients to bring all of their supplements with tham as I teach you about ingredients and figure out what you need or don't need (and maybe even find somethign that was more harmful than beneficial). The visit includes the use of a traditional naturopathic modality to determine your individualized anti-inflammatory diet.

how do I become an Established Patient?

A commitment of 2 appointments is required to become established. This includes:

2 hour Intake with Humanistic Narrative Style History Acquisition & Naturopathic Physical Exam
1 hour follow up to Review Individualized Treatment Plan
Discuss Individualized Diet using specialized Naturopathic Training

Appointments may be in In-person at the Private Office Location or via our secure Telemedicine Platform. Please bring any labs , records and current supplements with you. Please have your New Patient Paperwork completed at least 48 hours before your appointment so that I may prepare for your case.

* please plan extra time for appointments so as to not rush.

Do You take insurance? What about superbillls and HSA cards?

No.

Superbills are available to those who have out of network reimbursement benefits. A superbill may be sent to one's insurance company for reimbursement or to be applied towards their deductible.

The insurance company dictates their own pricing structure. For example, if a new patient first office call (coded 99204) is billed at $375, your insurance may say that $211.09 is the allowable amount which they put towards your deductible. They may or may not reimburse 40% of that cost back to you if you have out of network coverage so you could receive $126.65 back.

HSA (Health Saving Account) credit cards can be used to pay for appointments, procedures, and supplements that have been prescribed to you by the doctor.

Why don't you take insurance?

The insurance model is meant for catastrophe and is really a discount program for other services outside of an emergency. Similar to car insurance, I do not ask my mechanic to cover the costs of new tires, oil changes, car washes, or accessories; I budget myself accordingly to maintain my vehicle.

If I were to take insurance, I would have to hire a billing/compliance person for the practice which would require me to have shorter visits with you and to see many patients each day. I believe this reduces my ability to help my patients.

I would rather see you getting back to work and being with your family sooner by reducing the overall appointments needed to get results.

What are your prices?

Click here for the link to the Pricing Page. Rates are subject to change. It is customary to increase prices annually or bi-annually to reflect cost of living increases, inflation, and experience in the field.

I would like to take a moment to discuss pricing. In 2023, at a local health care system, it costs $495 for code 99204 to establish care which included a medical assistant compiling medical history for 15-20 minutes and a 15 minute visit from a Physician Assistant. In contrast, our medical visit coded as 99204 is a 2 hour visit with a Naturopathic Physician was $550. My wish is to support you better by giving you ample time with a doctor to teach, treat, and diagnose so that you are heard and feel well-cared for.

Do you do House Calls?

Yes. I do House Calls for Established Patients within a 10 mile drive of Wenatchee, WA beginning at a minimum of 3 physician billable hours . Trips further out require a trip fee of at least $75.

Is your charting electronic or paper?

I do both! As much as technology is a wonderful tool, I have found it to be a time-drain in my practice. I utilize an EMR (Electronic Medical Record) service for billing, scheduling, documents, faxing, prescriptions, etc.) But, I offer paper-only charting where applicable and upon request.

As a Patient, How do I order from Professional Formulas?

Patients can immediately register at professionalformulas.com/patients

Enter Code: EVY335X

or go to this website: https://professionalformulas.com/patientcode/?doctorname=Maria&doctor_code=EVY335X

How do I order from Fullscript?

Please log in to: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/drgussak

How do I order from Azure Standard?

Two easy ways:

Visit azurestandard.com/start and enter your personal code: DrGussak1
Or, simply go to personalized link

Policies

Price List may be subject to change. Inflation expectations usually suggest price increases annually of 5-15% for services.

Telephone calls, e-mail and chat communications may be subject to time-based invoicing at the hourly physician rate.

A Credit Card is required to make an appointment and held via Healthie, the secure and PCI compliant Electronic Medical Record System, for the purpose of invoicing. Payment is collected at the time of the appointment.

Cancellation & Rescheduling Policy: Notice must be by email, text, or voicemail and be sent no later than 24 hours prior to the start of your scheduled appointment time. Appointments cancelled within 24 hours (including no-shows) are charged 100% of the scheduled visit’s value. Regarding rescheduling outside of 24 hours advance notice, the first time has no penalty. The second reschedule is charged 50% of the visit’s value. The third reschedule is charged 100% of the visit’s value. For established patients, one cancellation charge is waived. Please give your calendar a thorough look before scheduling.