Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the most common questions about membership, care, and billing.
If you can’t find an answer here, please call us at (914) 292-3330 or email info@sqmed360.com
Membership & Enrollment
Do you accept insurance?
The membership retainer is not a substitute for health insurance. We recommend all members maintain active coverage.
Yes. We remain in-network with Medicare and most major commercial insurers. We bill your insurance for medically necessary visits and standard labs, just as any practice would. The membership retainer covers what insurance does not: proactive longevity planning, integrated assessments like VO₂ max and nutrition strategy, and direct access to Dr. Mathews between visits.
What does the membership retainer cover?
The annual retainer covers year-round specialist oversight, diagnostic interpretation, care coordination, and direct physician counsel. This includes your comprehensive annual evaluation, quarterly strategy visits, nutrition integration, fitness baseline assessment, and between-visit access to Dr. Mathews via text, cell, and patient portal. Specific diagnostics including imaging, laboratory testing, and specialist consultations are incorporated into your care plan and may involve separate facility or processing fees.
What makes Sequoia Medical 360 different?
Sequoia is not concierge primary care, and it’s not a one-day executive physical. It’s an ongoing clinical partnership built on four things most practices can’t offer together: advanced diagnostics including Prenuvo whole-body MRI, Galleri multi-cancer screening, and comprehensive metabolic panels as part of your standard evaluation. A clinical record that lives in the same system used by Columbia and NewYork-Presbyterian, so when we coordinate with outside specialists, everything flows through a shared medical record. A deliberately limited patient panel so that every member receives the time, depth, and continuity that high-volume medicine cannot provide. And one physician who holds your full clinical picture year-round — not a rotating team, not a committee, and not a single snapshot once a year.
Who is this practice designed for?
Sequoia is designed for individuals and families who want specialist-led health governance rather than episodic care. Our members are typically high-performing professionals, executives, and families who value depth, continuity, and a proactive approach to long-term health. They’ve often experienced the limitations of traditional medicine: fragmented specialists, rushed visits, and no one holding the full picture. If you view your health as a long-term asset that deserves the same rigor you apply to your finances and career, this practice was built for you.
How do I become a patient?
Visit our Request an Introduction page or call us at 914.292.3330. Within one business day, you’ll receive a personal response to schedule a brief introductory conversation. No commitment until your first visit.
Can I enroll my spouse or family?
We encourage it. Metabolic health, nutrition, and sleep patterns are often shaped by the household environment. When families optimize together, adherence improves and results compound. Each membership remains an individual clinical partnership since your baselines are unique, but we coordinate timelines for family members so your household strategy stays aligned. If you plan to enroll as a family, note this in your introduction request so we can reserve capacity.
Is there a higher level of membership available?
Yes. For members whose circumstances call for deeper access, availability, and physician partnership, an enhanced tier is available by invitation. We’re happy to discuss this during your introductory conversation.
Is there a waitlist for membership?
Sometimes, yes. To maintain the depth of care each member receives, we cap our patient panel. If enrollment is full, you will be placed on a priority waitlist for the next available opening.
Care Experience
What happens during the initial consultation?
Your first visit is an unhurried 90 to 120 minute session focused entirely on your history, lifestyle, and goals. This is where Dr. Mathews builds your clinical baseline before any advanced testing begins. It is the start of a structured 90-day initiation designed to turn scattered information into a coherent strategy.
How often will I see Dr. Mathews?
Typically every 3 to 4 months for comprehensive strategy sessions. When risk factors are being actively managed, visits may be as frequent as monthly. Between visits, you have direct access to Dr. Mathews via text, cell, and the patient portal.
How is this different from a concierge practice?
Most concierge practices are led by internists or family medicine physicians who offer longer visits and direct access. Sequoia is led by a specialist, board-certified across endocrinology, metabolic medicine, obesity medicine, and clinical lipidology, with fellowship training in preventive cardiology. The difference is not just more time per visit. It’s a fundamentally different clinical model where metabolic, cardiovascular, and endocrine health are integrated by one physician rather than coordinated across separate specialists.
How is this different from an executive physical?
An executive physical is a one-day event. You receive a thorough assessment, a report, and you go home. Nobody manages the trajectory between visits, and the physician who sees you this year may not be the one who sees you next year. Sequoia is an ongoing partnership. Your annual evaluation is the starting point, not the product. Your physician knows your history, tracks your trends over years, and adjusts your strategy as your physiology and life evolve.
What kind of testing or assessments are included?
Your care plan is individualized, but the standard evaluation framework includes Prenuvo whole-body MRI, Galleri multi-cancer blood screening, advanced metabolic and cardiovascular blood panels, body composition analysis, VO₂ max testing, fitness baseline with a personal trainer, and nutrition evaluation with a registered dietitian. Additional testing is incorporated based on your risk profile, clinical trajectory, and evolving needs.
How you coordinate care with my existing specialists?
Your clinical record at Sequoia lives in the same electronic health record system used by Columbia and NewYork-Presbyterian. When we refer you to a specialist or coordinate your care, we’re working inside a shared medical record rather than sending faxes and waiting for callbacks. Your physician can also reach specialists across the Columbia/NYP network directly. This means nothing falls through the cracks between providers, and your care strategy stays unified even when multiple specialists are involved.
Billing & Administrative
What payment options are available?
Membership is supported by an annual clinical retainer. Payment options are discussed during the introduction call. We accept ACH and major credit cards.
Can my company or employer pay for my membership? Can I use my HSA or FSA funds?
Yes. Our services are structured as qualified medical expenses, which enables funding through HSA, HRA, FSA, and MSA accounts. Many members also use executive wellness stipends or direct employer funding. Self-employed members may fund their retainer on a tax-deductible basis. We recommend confirming your specific options with your tax advisor or plan coordinator.
Are there any surprise or hidden fees?
No. The retainer covers all integrated assessments outlined in your agreement. External labs, imaging, and specialty medications are billed by the performing facility or through your insurance. You will always know what to expect.
How are medical emergencies handled?
For any medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately. Our practice focuses on long-term strategy and does not provide emergency medical services. For urgent but non-emergency concerns, you can reach Dr. Mathews directly for guidance and coordination.
Still have questions? We’re happy to help.
Executive Briefing ○
LOGISTICS
○ The strategic retainer model and what it covers.
○ How access works, including response expectations and boundaries.
○ Who this model serves best, and when it is not the right fit.
See the complete picture. Read the consolidated Executive Brief.
Sequoia Medical 360 — Executive Brief →