FAQs

Here are top 3 things that set up apart: 1. We don’t create a divide when it comes to traditional or complementary medicine, we embrace both where appropriate. 2. We offer better access to the doctor and nurse (no phone trees or fancy apps). Better access means better outcomes. 3. We are there for you in time of need, not just on your scheduled appointment date and time.

No, Dr. Singla does not accept or participate in any medical insurance companies. The full fee for the appointment is due at the time of the appointment. However, depending on your health plan, insurance may cover some or all of the appointment fee if you have out-of-network benefits. You can verify this by calling your insurance company, or check online using their patient portal. Dr. Singla understands that paying the full cost of the clinic visit may provide financial hardships. She is willing to work with you based on your needs. Insurance is utilized for labs, imaging, medications, and referrals. We also have discounted pricing on labs if you don't wish to use insurance.

Step 1: We will generate a superbill (medical receipt) for the visit. Step 2: You will have to submit the superbill along with a form (specific to your insurance company) for possible reimbursement. There are 2 options to submit the superbill. Either way, we advise that you create an online account with your insurance company to make the process easier. Option 1: Fill out the forms required by your insurance company. Here are links to submission forms for common insurance companies in Texas: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas United Health Care Cigna Aetna Medicaid Option 2: Submit the superbill using the Reimbursify app (first claim is free to submit and $3.99/claim thereafter): How to Use Reimbursify App

Simply put, our care requires more time, communication, and benefits than medical insurance will cover. Remember that Dr. Singla is the only pediatric rheumatologist in Texas with additional board certification in Integrative Medicine, an expertise that allows her to address multiple factors affecting your child's chronic condition(s). Developing this type of relationship requires her to invest time in getting to know you and your child--time that you will not receive with a specialist that is insurance based. Unfortunately, with providers that are contracted with insurance companies, the depth and length of visits are often dictated by the insurance companies (not the doctor). To provide perspective, our new patient visits are typically 120 min long, whereas at a traditional rheumatology practice, a new patient visit is 30 min long. This doesn't work well when managing the complexities that come with chronic disease! At Rheum to Grow, we have extended appointment times, same or next day availability, and take the time to coordinate care with your child's pediatrician and other sub-specialists. Dr. Singla pre-rounds on all her patients before they even show up for the appointment! Take a look at our Treatment Road Map below to get a sense of how we're different from Day 1 (after a new diagnosis all the way to adult transition).

Yes, we highly recommend having health insurance. Having a chronic illness may require lab work, procedures, referrals to other specialists, and hospital admissions that your health insurance can help you afford. Take time to consult with a financial advisor or your insurance company for guidance concerning insurance plans.

Yes, both are accepted forms of payment.

No, you don't. In this model, the only out-of-pocket cost to you is the clinic visit. Everything else is billed to your insurance (if you wish to use it). Dr. Singla also offers discounted rates for labs through Quest or Labcorp if you want the option to pay cash for these. Depending on your deductible, your insurance plan requires a specific amount to be paid out-of-pocket before it covers all or part of the medical costs. Find out your deductible and what is covered by your plan by calling your insurance company directly, or creating an online account with them.

Absolutely! We think this is a great way to ensure your child's chronic care needs are addressed and optimized.

Patients must have a PCP to schedule an appointment with Dr. Singla. Why? We want to be clear that Rheum to Grow is not a substitute for general medical care.

You will be notified before her absence, and she will address any of your anticipated needs. While she is gone, she will still be available by phone for any urgent requests. If you have an urgent or emergent rheumatologic matter that cannot wait until her return, she can coordinate care with the ER, so your child can be seen immediately.

Yes. We work with an infusion management company that helps verify and apply insurance benefits.

Given the importance of the physical exam in rheumatology, we only offer virtual or telehealth visits to established rheumatology patients who require immediate assistance, or established non-rheumatology patients who require an integrative medicine follow-up visit.

No, these terms are not the same. Alternative medicine is used as a substitute for standard medical therapy. Functional medicine focuses on finding the root cause of an individual's illness with frequent use of labs to provide information about metabolics, food sensitivity, digestion, parasites, mold, and gut microbiome status. Integrative medicine uses standard medical therapy plus evidence-based complementary therapies with the goal of treating the whole person (body, mind, and spirit) for optimal health. The complementary methods are tailored for specific illnesses, and are supported through research by the NIH's National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Dr. Singla does not use alternative or complementary practices to replace conventional therapies. As a strong proponent of preventative care, she is also an advocate for the use of vaccines to reduce illnesses that cause morbidity and mortality (especially to protect the immunosuppressed). She does not perform testing to look for food allergy, sensitivity, or intolerance, IgE mold testing, or comprehensive digestive stool analysis.

She treats the following rheumatologic conditions: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis or JIA (formerly known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis or JRA). Childhood onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) Neonatal lupus erythematosus (NLE) Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDMS) Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis/chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis (CRMO/CRNO) Mixed connective tissue disease Sjogren's syndrome Localized Scleroderma Periodic fever syndromes (also known as autoinflammatory conditions) Henoch-Schonlein purpura Chronic uveitis Other common conditions: Evaluation and management of non-inflammatory musculoskeletal pain Transient synovitis Diagnosis and management of a positive ANA Growing pains Hypermobility syndrome (including Ehler's Danlos Syndrome) Chronic pain/Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome Chronic fatigue Raynaud's syndrome

No. Dr. Singla encourages families to visithttps://aspire.care/ to find resources such as family support programs as well as clinicians who provide care for these conditions.

Yes. Please have your other providers fax old medical records to Dr. Singla at 713-564-4037, so she can review them before your visit. This may limit the need for further labs or imaging.

Yes, she will do this on a case-by-case basis based on the underlying condition and treatments already tried. Please set up a complementary 15-minute discovery call with Dr. Singla to explore further.

If your child is in the hospital, they will be taken care of by the pediatric care team in the hospital. However, Dr. Singla will work closely with the hospital pediatric team to optimize your child's care while hospitalized.

Dr. Singla personally knows all her established rheumatology patients and their medical history very well. If your child gets sick while you are out of town, we can utilize long-distance care, such as a virtual visit or calling in prescriptions.

Contact your health insurance provider to find out what specific complementary approaches are covered for your child's health condition. Ask if you need a referral. You may also want to know if it needs to be preapproved. Questions to consider asking include: Does the coverage require seeing a practitioner in your network? If you go out-of-network, will you still have coverage? Some insurance plans may have limits, such as on the number of visits, or the amount you pay. Also ask your insurance provider how much you would have to pay out-of-pocket.