Headache FAQs

No. Not taking insurance allows me to focus all of my time and efforts on seeing you, the patient! I work for you, and not your insurance company. This allows me to see fewer patients, which benefits you directly. You can get in to see me when you need to, typically within a week. Additionally, when you have questions or concerns, you communicate directly with me, not office staff. This means that you have high quality, personalized care, with longer appointment times. I am happy to provide you with a receipt or “superbill” if you would like to submit it to your insurance as an out of network visit.

Insurance is great for emergencies, hospitalizations, and surgeries. However, it's not always the best for treating conditions like headaches / migraine. Great headache care takes time, and doctors who rely on insurance payments typically have to see 30 patients (or more!) a day. This means short appointments, long waits to be seen, and difficulty accessing your doctor when you have questions or concerns.

In contrast, with direct care, you get longer appointment times: 90 minutes for a new patient appointment and 60 minutes for follow-up visits. You get appointments when you want and need them instead of waiting for weeks. And when you have questions, you speak directly with me instead of playing phone tag with office staff.

As a pediatric headache specialist, I will see patients down to age 3, or even earlier if parents have concerns prior to that age. I accept new patients through age 21. My acupuncture training includes both kids and adults, so I will see all ages (including adults!) for acupuncture.

Nope!

Yes! With your permission, I will request records prior to your child’s appointment so that I have all of the information that I need for the initial appointment. Then, again with your permission, I will send my diagnosis and recommendations back to your child’s pediatrician to keep them in the loop.

Yes! It’s great if your child’s initial headache appointment can be in-person. After that, you can choose whether to do in-person or telehealth for follow-up visits. If you live far from clinic (anywhere in the states of Kansas and Missouri) and prefer to have your initial visit as telehealth, we can do that too.

Good headache care takes time. New patient headache consultations typically take 60-90 minutes. Follow-up visits typically take 30-60 minutes.

Most patients benefit from a membership plan. As a Bloom headache member, you can text and call me directly, including weekday evenings / after hours. Your follow-up visits are included in your membership plan, ensuring that you are seen on a regular basis so that you receive the best possible headache care. Additionally, members can purchase their medications directly at the visit at wholesale prices (typically less than $10 for a 90 day supply). This means no waiting at pharmacies and no co-pays.

If your headaches are under good control and you only need care every 6 months or so, you may decide to go with the a la carte option.

No. While most patients will want to continue their membership for the highest level of personalized care, you can stop your membership at any time. Thirty days notice is required before ending the membership.

Definitely! In addition to medications, I often recommend over-the-counter supplements. We also have the option to utilize acupuncture, neuromodulation devices that calm the nerves (such as gammaCore, Cefaly, and Nerivio), SPG blocks (the insertion of lidocaine into the nose) and hypnosis. We also discuss lifestyle modification (sleep, nutrition, hydration, stress/relaxation) at all visits.

Absolutely! Patients on a membership plan have the option to get most of their medications at their appointments at significantly discounted rates. However, they can also choose to get them through a local or mail-order pharmacy. A la carte patients can get their medications through a local or mail-order pharmacy.

You can choose to pay out of pocket for these costs, utilizing Bloom’s negotiated highly discounted cash rates at several lab and imaging locations. Or you can choose to use your insurance to pay for labs and/or imaging. The choice is yours!

Yes! Just request this and I am happy to provide it. Some insurance plans will let you submit a “superbill” for out of network reimbursement. Check with your insurance plan for details.

I will contact you to get some additional information. You will complete a brief form and enter payment information. Immediately following the visit, you will receive a written summary of your diagnosis and my treatment recommendations. This will include a school letter if needed and a personalized Headache Action Plan. Additionally, I will send my evaluation and recommendations to your child's primary care provider (with your permission).

Sure! You click on the “Email” button in the website footer or you can schedule a free 15 minute “Meet and Greet” call using the “Book Now” button. The "Meet and Greet" call will discuss our clinic and answer any questions that you have about me and how the practice works.

Nope! But Dr. Hughes and Dr. VanGundy are really awesome, so if you’re looking for a pediatrician, they are the best! You can learn more about them here.