Key Takeaways
- Functional medicine cost at one Texas practice typically runs $1,750 to $4,250 for the first phase of care.
- Professional fees are fixed at $1,250 across two appointments, while lab testing ranges from $500 to $3,000.
- Lab costs vary because tests are chosen for each patient, and patients learn the cost before deciding to proceed.
- Roughly 4 to 8.5 hours of the doctor’s time go into each case across the first two visits and the analysis between them.
- The practice is cash-pay, though HSA and FSA funds may be eligible.
Functional medicine cost is hard to compare across practices, because a price alone says little about the time, testing, and analysis behind it. Functional Medicine of Houston has published a functional medicine cost breakdown that lists its fees and explains what each part of the first phase of care includes.
The Fees, Line by Line
The first appointment costs $500 and runs 60 to 90 minutes. The second appointment costs $750 and runs about two hours. Together, those two visits make up a fixed $1,250 in professional fees.
Laboratory testing is a separate expense and generally ranges from $500 to $3,000. That puts the typical initial investment at $1,750 to $4,250. Testing is the part of the cost that varies from person to person.
Why Lab Testing Cannot Be Quoted in Advance
The practice does not order the same tests for every patient. Tests are chosen only after the health history has been reviewed and the first consultation is complete.
Most patients need two or three carefully selected tests, occasionally a fourth, out of the hundreds available. Depending on the case, testing may look at nutritional status, metabolic function, digestive health, adrenal hormone patterns, food sensitivities, or environmental exposures, including mold. Once tests are chosen, patients learn what they cost before deciding whether to proceed.
What the Fees Cover
Before the first visit, each patient completes a 24-page health history questionnaire covering symptoms, lifestyle, environmental exposures, prior evaluations, and approaches already tried. It also builds a timeline showing whether several symptoms started together or after a particular event or exposure.
The first appointment is conducted directly by Dr. Bobbie Stowe, DC, a functional medicine doctor in Texas who reviews the history and decides which tests are appropriate.
Once results arrive, one to five hours go into reviewing them alongside the patient’s history, looking for patterns, and building a protocol based on the findings rather than a generic plan.
At the second appointment, the patient has copies of the results while the findings, the patterns that matter, and the resulting protocol are explained.
How the Hours Add Up
- First consultation: 1 to 1.5 hours
- Laboratory analysis and protocol development: 1 to 5 hours
- Second consultation: 2 hours
- Total initial professional time: 4 to 8.5 hours
That total does not include calls, emails, or texts between visits. Calls and emails are returned the same day whenever possible, and texts usually within an hour. At follow-ups, every original concern is revisited, and the protocol is adjusted when something is not progressing as expected.
Why the Cost Runs Higher Than a Typical Visit
Most healthcare appointments last about 15 to 20 minutes. Many people who contact the practice have had health concerns for years, even decades, and have already seen several providers. Because each case takes hours, only one or two patients are seen each day, and both consultations, every result, and each protocol are handled by Dr. Stowe rather than delegated to staff.
Insurance and Payment
Functional Medicine of Houston is a cash-pay practice and does not accept private insurance or Medicare. HSA and FSA funds may be eligible for some services or testing, so confirming with a plan administrator is recommended. Patients can keep seeing their primary care provider at the same time.
Questions Worth Asking Any Practice
The published breakdown suggests asking these questions before committing to any functional medicine practice:
- Will appointments be with the practitioner or with other staff?
- How much time is set aside for the initial consultation?
- Are lab tests included in the quoted fees or charged separately?
- What other expenses should be anticipated?
A lower price does not mean the same services, and a higher one does not guarantee better results. No responsible practitioner can guarantee an outcome. Appointments take place by telemedicine, so patients throughout Texas can schedule a free functional medicine consultation to learn whether the approach fits their situation.
Functional Medicine of Houston
103 Canyon Springs
Boerne
TX
78006
United States
