Frequently asked questions

Functional medicine is about uncovering the root cause of disease. It goes beyond what traditional medicine typically addresses, embracing a whole-person perspective that digs deep into your body’s systems rather than merely treating symptoms. This approach considers how both internal and external elements influence your body's natural balance, as everything is connected. 

As your functional medicine Nurse Practitioner, I'm committed to spending more time with you than you might experience in traditional medicine. We'll explore your history, physiology, and lifestyle to understand their impact on your health. This includes examining your nutrition, work, relationships, family dynamics, and environmental exposures. This comprehensive approach enables us to uncover the underlying mechanisms that fuel dysregulation. Functional medicine empowers you, placing you in the driver's seat rather than your environment or genetics. It blends the benefits of traditional medicine with integrative practices, prioritizing individualized, holistic care. Our strategy will incorporate nutrition, exercise, and standard and specialized laboratory testing when appropriate. We also utilize botanical medicines, supplements, detoxification, mind-body therapies, and prescribed medications if necessary.

I believe in a collaborative approach to your health. It's important to understand that my practice does not replace your primary care provider (PCP) or your specialists. 

Think of me as an additional member of your healthcare team, complementing the care you receive from your other treating clinicians and providing a more in-depth look into your condition. You should continue to see your PCP for general care, acute illnesses, routine check-ups, and screenings.

Schedule a free 15-minute discovery call with me to give me a rundown on your health concerns and goals. During our conversation, I’ll listen to your needs and let you know how I can support you.

As a Family Nurse Practitioner, I'm licensed to provide care across the entire lifespan. However, to best serve my patients, I tailor my treatment based on age and condition:

Pediatric Patients (Ages 0-18):

My current expertise for the treatment of pediatrics is utilizing TinyHealth gut testing as a diagnostic tool. Schedule a discovery call to determine if my specialized services align with your child's needs. Should any issues outside the scope of my expertise be identified during treatment, I will provide a referral to the appropriate provider.

Adult Patients (Ages 18+): I treat individuals aged 18 and older for all other conditions within my scope of practice. Please inquire within.

We are currently operating as a direct-pay practice and are not enrolled with Medicare or Medicaid. Because of federal billing and payment regulations, we cannot accept any Medicare or Medicaid patients at this time. Please check back periodically to see if we are accepting these programs.

I do not accept insurance at this time. However, I do accept FSA and HSA. I can provide you with a Superbill to submit to your private insurance.

Yes, only if I feel that they are necessary.

• There is no charge for sessions cancelled 48 hours or more before the session.

• Outside of emergency situations, you will be charged the full fee for sessions cancelled within 48 hours of the session. Depending on your billing method, you may receive a bill or your credit card may be charged automatically.

• If you do not appear for a scheduled videoconference session or contact your provider within 10 minutes of the start time, it will be considered a “No Show” and your provider will leave the session, and you will be billed or charged the full session fee, unless there was an emergency.

• Your provider may allow rescheduling within the same week without a cancellation fee, depending on availability.

Any applicable cancellation or no-show fees will be billed directly to the account number I have on file for you.

Services Rendered: Please be aware that no refunds are provided for any visits once services have been rendered. Your payment covers the time, expertise, and resources dedicated to your consultation and care.

Medications, Labs, and Specialty Testing: Due to the nature of these items, all sales are final for medications, laboratory services, and specialty testing. I cannot offer refunds once these have been purchased or processed.

I encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns you may have regarding our services or this policy with us before your visit or purchase.

Lab fees:

Basic labs are covered by insurance companies. I can get a lot of information just from a basic lab set. However, we may need to order additional labs and specialty functional medicine testing, which will be determined during our visit. 

Supplements

Supplements are ordered through my fullscript account or through Designs for Health where you will receive 20% off of your orders.

Yes, in accordance with New York State Law, I provide a Good Faith Estimate.

Good Faith Estimate Notice

• You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost. 

• Under the law, health care providers need to give their patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services. 

• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services. 

• You can ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service. 

• If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. 

• For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.  

Effective 9/22/2025

Introduction

• We keep a record of the health services you receive to support your care and meet legal requirements. We are committed to protecting your privacy and are legally required to keep your health information secure. This Notice of Privacy Practices (the “Notice”) explains our privacy policies and how we handle your information.

Contact

• If you have any questions about this Notice, please contact Sara Miller at +1 (845) 271-6965.

Scope

• This Notice covers all information we create about your past, present, and future mental and physical health. We, along with our employees and other parties we hire, follow the privacy rules outlined here, including any future updates.

Changes to this Notice

• We can change the terms of this Notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available on request and on our website.

Our Records

• We maintain a record of your health information, including your medical history and our “Progress Notes,” which include: session dates, the types of treatment provided, results of clinical tests, and summaries of your diagnosis, symptoms, functional status, prognosis, treatment plans, prescriptions, and progress.

Data Breach Notification

• You will be promptly notified if a data breach compromises the privacy or security of your health information.

Use and Disclosure of Your Information

• Generally, we use or disclose your protected health information only with your written authorization. In some cases, we may use your health information internally or disclose it externally, without your direct permission. For instance:

• Care and Treatment. 

  • Your health information may be used within our practice to support your care and treatment.

  • We may share your health information with external medical professionals treating you in emergency situations.

  • If we are unavailable, an on-call health professional may access your information to assist you.

• Public Health and Safety Activities. We may share your information with family, friends, law enforcement, or others if we believe there is a serious threat to your health and safety, or the health and safety of the public or another person. For example, we may share your information to:

  • prevent harm to you or others; and

  • report suspected child neglect or abuse, domestic violence, or elder abuse.

• Legal Proceedings and Law Enforcement.

  • We may be legally required to share your health information in court cases.

  • We may share limited information with law enforcement to assist in locating a missing person, witness, or suspect, or to support a crime victim.

  • If required, we will share information with government agencies overseeing our practice.

• For Business Operations. 

  • Certain information may be used for essential business operations, such as contacting you, scheduling appointments, appointment reminders, billing, and compliance.

  • We may share details about your condition and treatment to receive payment from your insurance company or other payers.

  • We may share your information with outside professionals who help with tasks like auditing, legal work, or transcription. We require these parties to protect your information and follow privacy laws.

Notes on Use and Disclosure

• As circumstances allow, we will discuss the situation with you before disclosing any confidential information externally and will only use or disclose the minimum amount of information that is necessary.

• We need your specific permission to share HIV information or details about alcohol and substance abuse, unless required by law. The recipient cannot share HIV or substance abuse information unless allowed by federal or state law.

When We Will Not Use or Disclose Your Information 

We will not sell your information for any reason or share your information for our marketing.

Your Rights and Choices

When it comes to your health information, you have rights. This section covers some of your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.

You have the right to:

• Inspect and Obtain a Copy of Your Information. You may request a copy of your medical records in paper or electronic form. We may not provide your complete record. For instance, we may not provide information that could cause substantial and identifiable harm to you or others. You may request your records; if we do not provide your complete record, we will explain why.

• Request Amendments. If you believe your records are inaccurate, you can ask us to correct them. If we do not make the change, we will note your request in your file.

• Authorize Disclosures of Your Information. You may decide if we share your health information, general condition, or location with family, friends, or others involved in your care. You may revoke these authorizations at any time. We will accommodate your requests as best we can, and as required by law.

• Request Restrictions on Our Disclosures in Emergency Situations. You may request restrictions on how we share your information in emergencies. We will make reasonable efforts to follow your instructions, but we may share your information according to our best judgment and as required by law.

• Request Additional Restrictions on Disclosures. You have the right to ask us not to use or share certain information for treatment, payment, or operations. We may not always agree, but we will discuss it with you. 

• Choose Someone to Act for You. If you have given someone medical power of attorney or have a legal guardian, they can make decisions about your health information.

• Request Confidential Communications. You can ask us to contact you in a specific way or at a certain location (e.g., only at a specific address). We will accommodate reasonable requests.

• Make Complaints. If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a complaint without retaliation. You may either file a complaint:

  • directly with us by contacting Hudson Highlands Health, NP in Family Health, PLLC at 1+ (845) 271-6965 or

  • with the Office for Civil Rights at the US Department of Health and Human Services, 886-627-7748, www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/