Culina Health Reviews

Culina Health is an online platform that provides personalized nutrition counseling through a network of registered dietitians. It offers counseling for a wide range of needs, including:

• General wellness
• Sustainable weight loss
• Pediatric and family nutrition
• Diabetes and prediabetes management
• Autoimmune conditions
• Heart health
• Pregnancy and postpartum nutrition
• Gastrointestinal and digestive health
• Eating disorders
• Hormone health
• Cancer care nutrition
• Exercise and sports nutrition

Culina Health does not provide health services outside nutrition counseling. It also does not prescribe medication to lose weight or manage any other condition. Instead, it claims to focus on long-term, evidence-based nutritional care. It may be a good option for those suffering from chronic conditions, pursuing overall health improvements or interested in sustainable weight loss.

However, it may not be ideal for those looking for short-term diets or quick fixes. It’s accessible to both self-pay clients and those with insurance, offering flexible options to meet different needs. Culina Health mentions it serves the following U.S. states plus Washington, D.C.:

• New York
• New Jersey
• Texas
• California
• Massachusetts
• Arizona
• Colorado
• Michigan
• Georgia
• North Carolina
• Kansas

It’s worth noting that the website also says it offers multilingual services to patients nationwide. To confirm availability in your state and to find a licensed RD, contact info@culinahealth.com.

Culina Health operates through a fully online platform, including a mobile app for access to nutritional counseling from anywhere. To get started, you’ll book an initial session by clicking the green “Get Started” button on the landing page. Enter basic information, such as your name and location, to begin the matching process. If there’s not an available RDs in your area, the system will let you know right away. You’ll also enter any insurance information at this time if applicable.

After selecting the main reason for your visit, you’ll be able to pick which RD you’d like to meet with (if one is available in your state). You can filter RDs by their specialty and counseling style (such as gentle, collaborative or direct). Available appointments appear on the right side. There is a 24-hour cancellation policy for initial visits, so Culina Health recommends choosing an appointment two or three days in advance to make sure your insurance gets verified (if needed).

Patients without insurance will decide on a membership plan or session package next. Culina Health states membership plans are not eligible for reimbursement but dietitian visits may be depending on your insurance plan. Then, you’ll enter your card information and pay the plan fees.

When it’s time for your appointment, you’ll meet with your RD through a secure video call accessible through the Culina Health mobile app or website. Here’s a quick rundown of what to expect during your first visit:

• Introduction: Meet your RD, who will explain the session plan and learn about your reasons for seeking nutrition counseling.
• Intake form review: Discuss your intake form and typical daily eating habits to understand your nutrition and preferences.
• Diet education: Receive initial diet education based on your needs.
• Goal setting: Set short- and long-term goals together and develop a plan to achieve them with evidence-based strategies.
• Scheduling: Arrange follow-up sessions according to your plan and RD’s recommendations.

According to the website, all membership plans (including insurance-paid plans) come with:

• Personalized nutrition, lifestyle and supplement plan with tools for success
• Nutrition-related assessments and lab recommendations
• Chat with your dietitian in real time for questions and accountability
• Mobile app with access to your goals, recipes, health resources, education content and more

ConsumerAffairs was unable to obtain specific copay/cost information for users obtaining Culina Health’s services through insurance. However, Culina Health provides a range of pricing options for its nutrition counseling services for those without insurance or using self-pay. Below is a table summarizing the available membership plans and packages for self-pay clients:

Billing is on the same day of each month, starting from the signup date. ConsumerAffairs could not determine any information about average costs with insurance despite multiple contact attempts.

What if you need to cancel your membership or session?

Per the website’s Terms and Conditions, payments made to Culina Health are final and nonrefundable. The platform may make exceptions to this policy at its sole discretion.

Sessions don’t carry over from month to month, and you’re only entitled to reschedule one session per month (with 72 hours prior notice). You’ll also have to request appointments two weeks ahead. If you don’t, you’re not guaranteed your monthly sessions.

There’s also a separate, lengthy Cancellation, Reschedule and No Show Policy. Patients paying with insurance are subject to a $50 late cancel, late reschedule or no-show fee, which is automatically charged to your card on file.

For self-pay patients and group sessions, the late cancel, late reschedule and no-show will result in forfeiting the session without an option to reschedule. However, group sessions will provide the patient access to materials shared by the RD in charge of the session. If you can’t attend a session due to an emergency, you’ll have to reach out to the patient support team at (917) 647-1665.

Yes, Culina Health appears to be a legitimate service. Founded in 2020, its mission statement reads, “Culina Health is dedicated to providing science-based, personalized nutrition guidance to help you achieve your health and wellness goals.”

Although its written policy statements are long, Culina Health makes them available to the public, showing transparency. Overall, it seems to be a good solution for people searching for nutritional guidance from registered dietitians. However, those looking for medication to help with weight loss won’t find it here.