I haven’t had traditional health insurance for ten years. For a while, I was on Covered California, paying $143 a month. Like many part-time workers, freelancers, contractors, and small business owners, I was legally required to have proof of insurance in California. Sure, it gave me peace of mind in case of an emergency, but I rarely used it. The biggest reason?

A question that still plagues so many: How much is this going to cost me?

(Me at a LapCorp in San Diego, getting my blood drawn and trying out my new Cadillac Insurance for the first time)

In 2023, Americans spent $4.9 trillion on healthcare—six times more than national defense. Out-of-pocket costs for hospital care and prescription drugs surged by 10% and 12%, respectively. With these numbers in mind, when my new insurance card arrived last month from a 60,000-employee global corporation (spousal benefits), I was actually excited to test the system. Has healthcare gotten better over the past ten years? I have Cadillac insurance now—the kind people stay at jobs for.

I booked an appointment at a well-regarded University of California San Diego-affiliated clinic for blood labs. (Ironically, I teach in UCSD’s Extension program, but as a part-time instructor, I don’t qualify for their insurance.)

My Experience at the Clinic

From the moment I booked, the focus was on prescriptions: Where would you like your medications sent?
“I don’t take any medications.” I repeated this to two different people despite already noting it on my intake form. Annoying and inefficient.

Then came the flu and COVID vaccine reminders. No, thanks.

Next, a push for a pap smear and a mammogram because I’m over 40. Also, no thanks. I’m looking for proactive care that optimizes my health, not reactive screenings at this time.

In the end, the provider agreed to order some of the labs I requested—but which ones would be covered remained a mystery. The 15-minute telehealth appointment left me feeling unseen and unheard. The white coat experience had the same 90s feel; unfortunately, not much has changed.

I get it—conventional medicine is designed for acute or severe chronic diseases. But with premium insurance, I expected better. To be fair, some functional medicine experiences haven’t been perfect either. I once saw a functional provider who spent five minutes on intake, treated me for 15 minutes, and sent me out the door with a handful of supplements and no explanation. Same with a highly respected acupuncturist in Sonoma County.

The Cost of Conventional Lab Testing

I went to LabCorp for my blood draw, and to my surprise, the physician’s assistant had ordered most of my requested labs-nice! The phlebotomist was efficient, and a week later, I received my results.

The interpretation focused on an elevated marker irrelevant to functional medicine while ignoring a crucial marker. The rest of the markers were only assessed for pathological ranges, which does not help optimize health or address root causes.

Here’s what the visit cost me:

• $697 for seven basic serum labs

• $224 covered by insurance (Homocysteine and TPO weren’t considered “preventative”)

• My total bill: $346—with insurance!

Luckily, I can use my HSA card because we have a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). But next time? I’m running my own labs. And you should consider it too.

The Future of Preventative Health

For less than $300, I can send a nurse to your home to run ten comprehensive blood labs and interpret the results through a functional lens. This is where prevention is headed. The key to reducing healthcare costs isn’t more frontline workers diagnosing disease—it’s proactive, personalized care that considers genetics, functional ranges, and root-cause solutions.

As a functional health practitioner, I analyze basic blood labs (CBC, metabolic panel, lipid panel, etc.) and more sophisticated functional tests through functional ranges and provide lifestyle and supplement recommendations based on whether markers are functionally high or low.

If you’ve heard the following from a doctor (these are examples from my clients) and you still have persistent Mystery, Autoimmune, or Chronic symptoms, it’s time to take control:

• Diet doesn’t matter.

• Lyme disease doesn’t exist.

• Just stop eating potato chips and coffee to get rid of mold.

• You’ll have your autoimmune disease for life.

• Try a cleanse or elimination diet.

• Cut out FODMAPs or go keto.

• Take digestive enzymes and hope for the best.

• Your blood work looks fine (but you know something is off).

You don’t have to wait or negotiate with a doctor anymore. Consider running your own labs and getting a functional interpretation.

Here’s what you need to know:

• The functional labs everyone should run before 30

• The “blind spots” in your normal lab results

• Which functional labs are worth it—and which aren’t

• How to order your own labs without insurance or provider approval

It’s time to be in charge of your health. Ready to take the next step? Check out my upcoming workshops or book a Complimentary Functional Nutrition Session to learn more about customizing your health journey.

Note: I can run my own labs and get a nurse to my door for under $300 bucks. I’m honestly experimenting with health insurance and my HSA card this year to see what it will “get” me as I’ve been paying out of pocket for my healthcare the last 10 years. [Part 2] of a health insurance story will be posted soon.

Sources

• Epoch Times. US Healthcare Spending Hits $4.9 Trillion in 2023.

• Aetna. HMO, POS, PPO, HDHP: What’s the Difference? Aetna Health Guide

• YouTube. How Disease Turned Into a Trillion Dollar Industry with Brigham Bhuler. Watch Here

• Carnahan, J. (2023). Unexpected: Finding resilience through functional medicine, science, and faith. Harper Horizon.