Why Do We Charge a Consultation Fee? (and other FAQs)

One of the questions we occasionally receive is:

“Why do I have to pay for a consultation? Isn't health care free in Canada?”

It's a fair question — and it comes from a common misunderstanding about the difference between publicly funded health care and privately purchased health services.

Peak Performance Recovery Lab is a private clinic offering non-diagnostic, self-pay services. We are not an Alberta Health Services facility, and our appointments are not billed to the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP).

That means the professional time we reserve for your appointment is not reimbursed by Alberta Health.

Your Consultation Is a Professional Appointment — Not a Sales Pitch

Our consultations are scheduled for up to 30 minutes.

That time is reserved specifically for you and is used to review the information you provide, understand the concern or goal that brought you to us, discuss relevant health history, explain services that may be applicable, answer your questions, and determine whether proceeding with one of our services is appropriate.

Sometimes the outcome of a consultation is that a service may be worth considering.

Sometimes the outcome is that we don't recommend proceeding.

Either way, professional time and individualized review have been provided.

The consultation fee reflects that time and expertise. It is not an admission fee, and there is no obligation to purchase a treatment afterward.

Your Appointment Is Limited to 30 Minutes

Because appointments are scheduled consecutively and time is reserved for every client, consultations cannot extend beyond the allotted 30 minutes.

We therefore ask that you arrive prepared.

Before your appointment, please be ready to provide:

• The primary injury, concern or goal you would like to discuss

• When it began and any relevant history

• Relevant previous treatments or procedures

• Current medications, supplements and allergies

• Relevant imaging, laboratory results or reports available to you

• A short list of the questions you most want answered

We understand that health histories can be complicated. However, information that is unrelated to the reason for your consultation may need to be redirected so that the available appointment time can be used effectively.

If you have several unrelated concerns or require substantially more discussion, an additional consultation may be required.

This isn't intended to rush anyone. It ensures that your appointment receives its full allotted time without using time reserved for the person scheduled after you.

“But Health Care Is Free in Canada.”

Canada has a publicly funded health care system, but that does not mean every health-related service provided in Canada is publicly funded.

Provincial health plans cover defined insured health services. Many other health and wellness services are purchased privately, either directly by an individual or, where eligible, through an extended health benefits plan.

Peak Performance operates outside the publicly funded system. Our services are privately purchased and are not billed to AHCIP.

Your Alberta health card therefore does not pay for your consultation or services at our clinic.

“Can't You Just Look Up My Medical History?”

No.

Peak Performance does not have access to Alberta Netcare.

We therefore rely on the information you provide to us, including your relevant health history, medications, allergies, previous treatments and any reports or results you choose to share.

This is one reason completing your intake information accurately and thoroughly is important.

If you have imaging reports, laboratory results or other records that are relevant to the reason for your appointment, please have them available before your consultation whenever possible.

The 30-minute appointment is intended for reviewing and discussing relevant information — not attempting to reconstruct an entire medical history from memory.

“Can I Submit This to My Benefits or Insurance?”

Peak Performance's services are generally self-pay services and are not set up for direct billing to extended health benefit plans.

Private insurance is separate from Canada's publicly funded health care system. Each insurer and individual benefits plan determines which providers, procedures and services qualify for reimbursement.

Simply receiving a service in a health-care setting does not automatically make that service an insured benefit.

We can provide an appropriate receipt for services purchased; however, we cannot guarantee that an insurer, health spending account or benefits provider will reimburse any portion of the expense.

If reimbursement is important to your decision to proceed, we strongly encourage you to confirm eligibility directly with your insurer before booking or receiving the service.

Why Don't We Offer Free Consultations?

A free consultation may make sense when the purpose of an appointment is primarily to provide a quote or make a sale.

That isn't how our consultations work.

We reserve professional time to review your individual circumstances, answer relevant questions and determine whether proceeding makes sense.

Charging for that appointment also helps ensure that our limited consultation spaces remain available to people who are genuinely interested in exploring our services and who value the professional time required to do so.

There is never an obligation to purchase treatment following a consultation.

Private Care Is a Choice

Peak Performance was created for people seeking access to services outside the conventional publicly funded model.

That model will not be the right fit for everyone — and that's okay.

Before booking, we encourage prospective clients to review our services, consultation structure and pricing and decide whether private, self-pay care fits their needs, priorities and budget.

We believe being transparent about those expectations before you book is better for everyone.

The Bottom Line

Your consultation fee pays for up to 30 minutes of reserved professional time, individualized review and education regarding the reason for your appointment.

Please arrive prepared with the information and questions most relevant to your concern so we can make the best possible use of that time.

Your consultation does not guarantee that a particular service will be recommended, and there is no obligation to purchase treatment afterward.

We would much rather spend 30 minutes determining whether a service makes sense for you than sell you something that doesn't.