FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can Dr. Varela serve as my Primary Care Physician?

Primary Care & The Patient Experience

Yes. As a Naturopathic Medical Doctor (NMD), Dr. Varela is trained to serve as a primary care provider. She provides comprehensive medical care, including physical exams, diagnostic testing, and prescriptions. While we refer out for highly specialized surgical or emergency needs (such as cardiology, oncology, or acute ER visits), Dr. Varela manages the foundational and complex aspects of your ongoing health.

How does the process work? Our model is designed for those who want a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to medicine.

  1. Choose Your Path: Visit our [Book Now] page to select the service that fits your needs. If you are a new patient, we recommend starting with the Initial Clinical Synthesis.

  2. Clinical Onboarding: You will complete a comprehensive intake profile prior to your meeting, detailing your medical history and current physiological goals.

  3. The Deep Dive: Your first consultation is typically 60+ minutes—four times the duration of a conventional doctor's visit.

What makes this different from a standard doctor's visit? We look beyond surface-level symptoms. Our assessment explores the intricate connections between your diet, lifestyle, genetic profile, and environmental factors. By spending significant time with each patient, Dr. Varela is able to:

  • Identify Root Causes: Moving beyond temporary symptom suppression.

  • Optimize Performance: Helping you achieve peak vitality, not just "the absence of disease."

  • Reduce Reliance: Creating a roadmap to resolve chronic conditions while reducing the need for long-term prescription pills and costly specialist cycles.

How do I get started? Feel free to use this website as a resource to learn more about our specialized therapies. When you are ready to begin your journey toward optimized health, you may book online or call our office at 925.786.0375 if you require assistance selecting the appropriate starting point.

Do you accept insurance?

Insurance, Reimbursement & HSA/FSA

Dr. Toni Varela, NMD, operates as a strictly private-pay practice. While Dr. Varela is a licensed Primary Care Doctor, the conventional insurance model often places restrictions on the time and types of innovative therapies we provide. By remaining independent of insurance contracts, we are able to prioritize your health over corporate guidelines, offering you longer appointments and more advanced treatment options.

Can I get reimbursed for my visit? Yes, in many cases. While we do not communicate with insurance providers directly, we can provide you with a comprehensive Superbill after each medical visit. You may submit this document to your insurance company for potential out-of-network reimbursement.

Can I use my HSA or FSA? Absolutely. Many of our patients successfully use their Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) dollars to pay for consultations, laboratory testing, and treatments.

What should I ask my insurance provider? If you wish to verify your out-of-network benefits before your visit, we recommend calling your provider and asking about coverage for the following standard medical codes:

  • New Patient Synthesis: CPT Code 99205

  • Established Patient Follow-up: CPT Code 99215

  • IV Therapy: CPT Codes 96365 and 96366

How do you determine which tests I need?

Diagnostic Strategy & Testing

Dr. Varela collaborates with you to curate a customized testing strategy based on your clinical needs and physiological goals. By utilizing a combination of Standard Medical Diagnostics and Advanced Specialty Testing, we construct a high-resolution map of your health to guide your treatment plan.

What types of specialty tests do you offer? We utilize state-of-the-art diagnostics to identify the root causes of dysfunction. Our most frequently utilized specialty assessments include:

  • Endocrine Mastery: Comprehensive Cortisol and Hormone panels, e.g. DUTCH URINE

  • Gut Microbiome Analysis: Deep-sequencing of the microbiome and digestive health, e.g. GI-MAP

  • Immunology & Environmental: Advanced Allergy and Toxic Heavy Metal testing, e.g. DOCTOR’S DATA URINE

  • Genomic Profiling: Identifying genetic predispositions to optimize longevity.

Can I run my labs through insurance? While all testing is optional, we provide two pathways for your convenience:

  1. Standard Labs via Insurance: If your plan allows, you may choose to run standard blood work through your insurance provider. Please be advised that coverage is determined by your carrier and is at your own risk. We can provide a Superbill to assist you in seeking reimbursement for these costs.

  2. Specialty Labs: These advanced tests often require private-pay transparent pricing. We provide you with the most direct, cost-effective rates from the laboratories.

The Goal of Testing: Our objective is not just to find "normal" ranges, but to identify optimal levels. This data ensures that your treatment plan is not based on guesswork, but on your unique biological data.

Can I combine different therapies for better results?




How many sessions will I need?

Synergistic & Integrated Protocols

Absolutely. In fact, the most transformative results are often achieved through Synergistic Treatment Protocols. Dr. Varela specializes in layering advanced modalities—such as IV Nutrient Therapy, Ozone Therapy, and Peptide Therapy—to address health from multiple physiological angles simultaneously.

How is my treatment plan determined? During your Initial Clinical Synthesis, Dr. Varela evaluates how these therapies can best work together to meet your specific biological needs. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, you will receive an Integrated Roadmap designed to:

  • Accelerate Recovery: Using Peptides to signal cellular repair.

  • Optimize Oxygenation: Utilizing Ozone to enhance systemic vitality.

  • Replenish Micro-nutrients: Using IV Therapy to bypass digestive barriers for 100% absorption.

The Goal of Integration: Our objective is to create the most efficient path to your health goals. By combining these innovative tools, we can often achieve better clinical outcomes in a shorter timeframe than using any single therapy in isolation.

Frequency & Duration of Care

The duration of your treatment is as unique as your biological profile. Because Dr. Varela utilizes a Personalized Wellness Architecture, your roadmap is built based on your specific health objectives, the complexity of your current condition, and your body’s rate of response to therapy.

How is my schedule determined? During your Initial Clinical Synthesis, Dr. Varela performs a comprehensive assessment to determine the most effective frequency for your treatments.

  • Acute Support: Some therapies, such as specific IV or Ozone protocols, may require a more frequent "loading phase" to jumpstart cellular repair.

  • Optimization & Maintenance: Other protocols, like certain Peptide therapies, are designed for long-term physiological shifts and may require fewer, consistent touchpoints over several months.

A Tailored Approach No two plans are exactly the same. Your frequency and duration are constantly monitored and adjusted based on your clinical progress and follow-up data. Our goal is to move you through your healing phase and into a state of High-Performance Maintenance as efficiently as possible.


Determine Your Fit

Choosing a healthcare partner is a significant decision for your future vitality. To ensure that our specialized, concierge-style approach aligns with your health objectives, we invite you to begin with a complimentary introductory session.

The Discovery Call

This 10-minute session is designed for us to explore your goals and determine if Dr. Varela’s clinical model is the right architecture for your journey.

  • Is this for you? If you are seeking a root-cause approach, advanced diagnostics, and a personalized medical roadmap, this call is the perfect first step.

  • What to expect: A brief, focused conversation to discuss your primary health concerns and learn how our synergistic therapies (Ozone, Peptides, IV) can be tailored to you.

  • Your Next Step: If we are a match, we will move forward with your comprehensive Initial Clinical Synthesis.

Ready to begin? Select a time that works for you via our secure portal.

[BOOK YOUR DISCOVERY CALL NOW]