CORNEVA CLINIC

Frequently Asked Questions

HOW CORNEVA WORKS

How is Corneva different from a typical menopause clinic?

Dr. Karen Kaufman, a board certified Allergist Immunologist, is Corneva's Medical Director and overseeing immunologist consultant. Your visits, however, are with Corneva's hormone specialist - the physician trained specifically in perimenopause and menopause care. The two work in tandem on every case: your hormone physician manages your visits and treatment plan, with immunologic oversight built into how your case is reviewed. This is what lets Corneva treat hormonal health in immune-complex patients with a level of specificity most menopause practices can't offer, and most immunology practices don't have the bandwidth to provide.  

Will I see Dr. Kaufman during my visits?

All patient visits are conducted by Corneva's hormone specialist. Dr. Kaufman's role is medical direction and immunologic oversight of the practice and its treatment protocols - she is not the physician you'll meet with for appointments.

Is Corneva a membership, or do I pay per visit?

Corneva is a membership-based practice, not a per-visit model. There are two separate membership plans - the Foundational Membership is for your first year with Corneva Clinic and the Continuing Care Membership is for your second year and onward. The Foundational Membership includes seven visits - an initial consultation, a 2 week follow up visit, then follow up visits monthly during the first 3 months, and quarterly follow up visits for the remainder of the first year. The Foundational Membership is front-loaded to establish your plan and taper as you stabilize. Additional visits beyond what's included are available on a fee-for-service basis. After your first year, care shifts to a lower-intensity Continuing Care Membership with twice-yearly visits. Full pricing is covered in the Payment and Insurance section below.

Can I talk to someone before enrolling, to see if Corneva is the right fit?

Yes. A 30-minute discovery call is available for $40 — a chance to ask questions and get a clear sense of whether Corneva fits your situation before you commit to enrollment. It's conducted by a Corneva team member, not a physician, so it's not a clinical visit and no medical advice is given. If you decide to enroll in Corneva Clinic, the $40 is credited in full toward your enrollment fee.

Do you perform in-person exams?

No. Corneva is telehealth-only. There are no physical exams, no in-office visits, and no in-person lab draws at our practice. Lab work is completed locally through standard outpatient lab services near you, and results are reviewed virtually.  

Will Corneva take over my care from my other doctors?

No - and this is intentional. You should continue care with your primary care provider, immunologist, rheumatologist, cardiologist, neurologist, or any other specialist currently managing your conditions. Corneva does not replace any part of your existing care team. We manage the hormonal piece specifically - the piece that's typically deferred because every other appointment is consumed by the complexity of that specialty. Corneva completes your care team. It doesn't compete with it.

What does Corneva actually treat?

Corneva focuses exclusively on hormone health - perimenopause and menopause management - in women with underlying immune complexity. We do not diagnose or manage mast cell disorders, POTS, hypermobility spectrum disorders, autoimmune disease, immunodeficiency or any other immune condition directly; that care stays with your existing specialists. What we bring is hormonal management built with full awareness of how those conditions interact with hormonal transition.

What happens if I message with a question between visits?

Brief questions are welcome any time as part of your membership. If a question involves a symptom change, a need for a medication adjustment, or anything requiring clinical judgment, we'll recommend a follow-up visit so it gets the thorough review it deserves — a quick message isn't the right format for adjusting your care plan. Which visit type depends on what's needed: a dose adjustment becomes a Medication Review Visit, while a new symptom or a more complex change becomes a Clinical Care Visit. This isn't a judgment call you have to make yourself — our team makes that determination and lets you know which applies before anything is scheduled or billed, so nothing beyond membership happens without your awareness.

Is this evidence-based, or a functional medicine approach?

Corneva is an evidence-based medical practice. We follow established clinical guidelines and use laboratory testing and prescription therapies supported by current research. Our approach differs from functional or alternative medicine models, and we think it's important to be clear about that from the start so you know what to expect.

Why does Corneva use a membership model?

Managing hormonal health in immune complex patients isn't a single appointment - it's a course of care that unfolds over months, with more attention needed early while we titrate treatment and less once things stabilize. Membership reflects that reality: it covers a defined path of visits built around your treatment timeline, not an isolated transaction each time we talk. When something comes up outside that path - a new symptom or a change that needs real clinical judgment - we schedule an additional visit for it, so that care always gets the time it actually requires.

What happens at my first appointment?

Before your first visit, you will complete a medical intake form and send us any recent lab work you have on file already. At the appointment itself - a 40 minute consultation - your Corneva physician will review your complete medical history, symptoms, and goals in depth, and orders additional labs needed to build a complete picture.  

Does Corneva prescribe hormone therapy? 

Yes, when clinically appropriate. All treatment recommendations, including hormone therapy, are made based on your individual history, goals, and lab results - not a standard protocol applied uniformly. 

Why does Corneva use lab testing beyond what my other doctors have ordered?

Our lab panel is built as an addition to guideline-floor care, not a departure from it. Current menopause society guidelines don't require hormone-level testing to manage perimenopause — but for women navigating hormonal transition alongside immune complexity, we believe more visibility into what's happening hormonally adds real clinical value. Think of it as added rigor for a more complex case, not an alternative approach to standard care. Laboratory testing is included with your Foundational Membership.

Do you perform Well Woman exams?

No. Corneva does not perform Well Woman exams, pelvic exams, or Pap smears — that care stays with your gynecologist or primary care physician. Corneva focuses exclusively on perimenopause and menopause hormonal management within the context of your immune complexity. We're glad to coordinate with your established care team so your hormonal care and your routine gynecologic care stay connected.

What if I need more than the visits included in my plan?

Additional visits are available when needed on a fee-for-service basis, and fall into one of two tiers. Which one applies depends on the nature of what you need addressed. A Medication Review Visit is for adjusting an existing medication or dose - a scoped, shorter visit priced accordingly. A Clinical Care Visit is for evaluation of a new symptom, a meaningful change in your condition, or anything requiring fuller clinical judgment beyond a dose adjustment. Your Corneva care team will let you know which type of visit is needed based on your clinical concern.

Do you accept insurance?

No. Corneva is a direct-pay, membership-based medical practice. We do not accept insurance and do not submit superbills to insurance on your behalf.

Do you accept Medicare?

No. Corneva is a direct-pay clinic and cannot accept Medicare insurance. We are able to see patients who have Medicare, but per Medicare guidelines, those patients are not eligible for reimbursement for our services under any circumstances.

Can I use my HSA or FSA?

Yes. Corneva's fees are eligible for HSA/FSA reimbursement as a membership-based medical practice. In many cases, we can accept your HSA or FSA card directly in our payment system. If your card can't be processed directly, we will provide an invoice you can submit to your HSA/FSA administrator for reimbursement.

Do I need a referral to become a patient?

No. Because Corneva doesn't accept insurance, no referral is required to be seen.

Is a Discovery Call required and how does the fee work?

The Discovery Call is not required, but is available if you would like to ask questions and get a clear sense of whether Corneva fits your situation before you commit to enrollment. The cost of the Discovery Call is $40, non-refundable, and paid at the time of scheduling. If you enroll in membership afterward, the full $40 is credited toward your enrollment fee — you're not paying twice. If you decide that Corneva Clinic is not the right fit for you, the $40 covers the call itself and isn't refundable.

What is included in the Foundational Membership and what does it cost?

The Foundational Membership is your membership for year one, and includes your intake visit, a two-week follow-up, monthly visits through month three, and quarterly visits for the remainder of the year - seven visits in total, plus laboratory testing and message access for brief questions, clarifications, and light support. It is billed as a one time enrollment fee of $500 and monthly payments of $325 per month. 

What is included in the Continuing Care Membership and what does it cost?

The Continuing Care Membership is your membership for your second year and beyond, and includes semi-annual visits and continued message access for brief questions between visits. It is billed in monthly installments of $175 per month. To continue receiving care and prescription management beyond the first year, the Continuing Care Membership is required.

What is the cost for additional visits beyond what is included in my membership?

Medication Review Visits are billed at $200 per visit, and Clinical Care Visits are $350 per visit.

Do you require a credit card on file?

Yes. A credit card is required to enroll in membership, and the enrollment fee is due on enrollment. Your first month's membership fee is billed on the date of your first appointment, and your membership fee is then billed automatically on that same date each month for the remainder of your membership term.

Do prices ever change?

All pricing is current as of the time you enroll and is subject to change. If rates change, they won't affect a membership you've already enrolled in during that membership term.

Do you offer financial assistance?

No. Corneva is a direct-pay practice and does not offer financial assistance, sliding-scale pricing, or payment plans. Your membership fees are eligible for HSA/FSA reimbursement, which can offset the cost if you have access to one of those accounts.

Where is Corneva Clinic located?

Corneva is a telehealth-only practice currently seeing patients in DC, Virginia and Maryland, with additional state licensing planned.

Do you see patients from other states?

Currently, Corneva sees patients in DC, Virginia and Maryland. We will be expanding into additional states, so check back or reach out to ask about your state specifically.

Do you offer virtual/telehealth appointments?

Yes - Corneva is telehealth-only. Every appointment, from your initial appointment to follow up care, is conducted virtually.

What is your cancellation policy?

We ask for at least 48 hours notice to reschedule a visit. This isn't a formality - because our physician sees a limited number of patients by design, a late cancellation is time that can't be recovered or offered to another patient.

Rescheduling 48 hours or more before your visit is always free. If you cancel with less than 48 hours notice, or miss a visit without notice, a $75 fee applies to reschedule and keep your visit within your membership. This applies the same way to membership visits and additional (fee-for-service) visits.

We'll send reminders in advance of every visit so this is rarely something you need to think about.