A Registered Dietitian (RD) holds at least a bachelor's degree, has gone through a rigorous supervised internship for at least 1200 hours (about 1 year), and passed the national exam in order to use the RD credential. RDs are required to complete 75 hours of continuing education every 5 years to stay up to date on the latest research. A nutritionist does not have to have a degree or any kind of training. In other words, anyone can call themselves a nutritionist if they feel they are an expert. Adding to the confusion is the new credential RDN, or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. The credentials RD and RDN are interchangeable.
I provide a non-judgmental, relaxed atmosphere for our virtual sessions. Patients often say that I am friendly and have a positive attitude that helps them gain the confidence they need to reach their nutrition goals.
Your first visit with me will include going through the information you provided in the nutrition welcome packet more in depth as well as any additional questions to help define your overall goal(s). We will then get you set up with 1-2 goals to work on and get the rest of your appointments scheduled as needed. Within 24 hrs, I'll send over a nutrition summary via email with the main takeaways from the appointment along with any handouts. All visits are up to 60 minutes each.
I will do everything within my ability to guide you towards success, but I cannot guarantee results. That being said, weight loss results are not often seen after the first visit. Some people do see weight loss, but on average I see people start losing weight around the 3rd visit once they've consistently made changes to their lifestyle.
I accept HSA, FSA, Visa, Discover, and Mastercard. If you need a detailed receipt for your FSA or HSA, I am happy to provide you with this. Just ask! In order to schedule an appointment with me, a valid credit card is required to keep on file.
I am currently in-network with Medicare (for diabetes and kidney disease only), Aetna, Cigna, and United Healthcare. However, just because I am in-network with your plan, doesn't always mean that you have nutrition counseling benefits available. It's important to call your insurance before your first visit to get clarification. Given my specialty, I usually go through the preventive services benefit which can bypass any deductibles and copays. However, depending on the plan and diagnosis code used, it may go through the medical nutrition therapy benefit. Be sure you know what your deductible and copay is just in case. I am out-of-network with Anthem BCBS. However, you may still have benefits. Reach out to your health plan to ask for details. I am happy to submit a claim on your behalf for reimbursement to you, but payment in full is due at the time of service.
In Colorado, dietitians are unable to contract with Medicaid directly at this time. For this reason, I have dedicated a few spots who have an active Medicaid card at the time of service. Out-of-pocket costs for these visits are $75 per visit and a copy of your current Medicaid card is required to be uploaded in the nutrition welcome packet.
What you may have been told over the phone regarding your insurance coverage may or may not be accurate for nutrition counseling services. It can be very frustrating when you have been told you have coverage and then find out afterwards the complete opposite. This is why it’s important to get a reference number for the call with the insurance representative when verifying your coverage. A reference number makes it more likely to appeal any denied claims and help overturn the decision. If you have confirmed that you have nutrition counseling coverage and the claim was denied, I will first call the insurance company myself to investigate the exact reason and provide you with an update. I will also keep you informed along the way and work with you as much as possible to get it resolved.
I do not offer weekend or evening appointments at this time. My appointment times are listed on my contact me page.
I do not typically work with anyone under the age of 18. Children and teenagers require different nutrition needs. If you need a registered dietitian who specializes in 18 and under, I am happy to help you find someone to reach out to instead.
I suggest having no more than one person with you at each appointment for support. If it’s important that you have more than one person present, please contact me prior.
I do not sell any supplements or other nutrition products. My approach is to get the nutrients you need through food as much as possible. If I feel you would benefit from including a supplement based on lab results, then I am happy to provide you with brand suggestions you can purchase at a store near you.
NO! While I focus on helping my patients prevent, reduce, or eliminate their need for medication through nutrition and exercise, it's important to talk to your doctor before you stop or reduce your medication. That being said, I cannot guarantee you will be able to reduce your medication need. Everyone is different. Most people are able to get off their blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol medication through lifestyle, but sometimes genetics can prevent this from being a possibility. However, by following the program, anyone can still benefit from a consistent nutrition and exercise routine and at the very least prevent complications from these conditions.