About Us

Sinikka Green, MD

Dr. Green oversees Alcure clients and specializes in Emergency Medicine where she has treated persons experiencing some of the more severe effects of alcohol use disorder. Dr. Green earned her medical degree in 2002 at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. She is an Emergency Medicine Physician in Texas and has held the position of Facility Medical Director at an Austin-based emergency room medical center. Dr. Green is licensed in multiple states.

Gretel Espina, PA

Ms. Espina treats Alcure clients in California and Texas. She is a nationally certified Physician Associate. During her PA career she has worked in several medical specialties including: Interventional Radiology, Aesthetic Medicine, Concierge Medicine and Urgent Care. Gretel earned her master’s degree in Physician Assistant Sciences in 2012 at Rutgers University in New Jersey. As a PA in a large medical center in Los Angeles, she has treated patients with severe medical manifestations of alcohol use disorder.

Clifford Fields, DO

Dr. Fields treats Alcure clients primarily on the East Coast. He is board-eligible in Addiction Medicine and board-certified in Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine. He currently practices Emergency Medicine and Addiction medicine. His main focus is the treatment of people with opiate and alcohol use disorders. Dr. Fields earned his medical degree in 1985 at the University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine in Missouri. He also served as a General Medical Officer and Squadron Medical Officer with the U.S. Navy. Dr. Fields is licensed in multiple states.

Sarah Novia, Alcure co-founder

Counselor, MS, EdS, LPCC, BC-TMH

Sarah is a Los Angeles-based Licensed Professional Counselor with expertise in treating clients facing a variety of challenges including alcohol use disorder and other addictions. She provides therapy services to Alcure clients in California.

Jim Kamanski, Alcure co-founder, JD

Jim is a Southern California-based attorney with a practice background requiring extensive knowledge of medicine, and has worked with hundreds of health care providers as consultants and expert witnesses.

FAQ

Do I have to abstain from drinking for a period before I start?

No, you begin treatment right away.

What's it like to drink on the medication?

Reports vary but most won't notice much of a difference when drinking with naltrexone in their system.

Once I get my stuff under control do I have to keep taking the medication?

Only when you drink. By always following the dosing protocol relapse is avoided.

Do I have to request refills of the medication?

Yes, reach out to your Alcure provider when you're down to about 10 days' worth of naltrexone to allow lead time. Sometimes your provider may refill a greater number of tablets over prior prescriptions depending upon your progress and overall situation. Always reach out well in advance before you're completely out, though.

What happens when I only need a maintenance supply of the medication?

When to switch to maintenance use of naltrexone is a decision for you and your Alcure medical provider. Maintenance use involves periodic reassessment by your Alcure provider before receiving a new e-prescription and will vary with each client. Once you reach maintenance, you'll cancel recurring payments and schedule occasional one-time visits with your Alcure provider as-needed. The cost of a one-time visit is equal to one monthly payment. Reach us at support@alcure.me when you and your Alcure provider are ready to make the switch to maintenance use of naltrexone.

Am I locked into a subscription?

No, you may cancel recurring payments at any time and are only responsible for the month in which you cancel. Contact support@alcure.me.

Can I get reimbursed from my medical insurance?

Yes. We provide you a "superbill" each month if you elect to use insurance. A superbill is a detailed receipt identifying the billing codes used by insurance companies to process payments for the type of treatment we provide. We cannot guarantee reimbursement and you may wish to consult your insurance company first for eligibility. Ask us for an example superbill to run by your insurance company in advance.

Can I get reimbursed from my employer?

Many employers have an Employee Assistance Program that will provide employees facing alcohol use disorder with treatment at no cost. And, in many states, depending on the size of your company, employers are legally bound to offer treatment for alcohol use disorder if an employee requests it. If you are employed and experiencing an excess drinking issue, tell your employer that you're interested in the Alcure program and ask your employer about how its Employee Assistance Program can be used to cover the cost of our program.

Will anyone find out about my program enrollment or use of naltrexone, such as an insurance company?

Alcure doesn't report any patient's enrollment to anyone unless requested to by the patient or if legally required. On occasion the pharmacy filling a prescription from one of our providers for naltrexone may report the prescription to one or more central computer databases, though, and unfortunately that's not something over which we have control. It doesn't usually happen, but if you have any concerns we recommend you contact the pharmacy you plan to use in advance and ask the pharmacist in charge whether it would report a prescription for naltrexone.

What if I have a surgery or procedure coming up and I'm taking the medication?

Often a doctor performing a surgery or procedure will anticipate using an opioid-based pain medication to alleviate any pain associated with the surgery or procedure. Opioid-based medications will not work if you have naltrexone in your system.

Your doctor may recommend avoiding naltrexone for three days before the surgery or procedure, with the expectation the naltrexone will be eliminated from your system by the third day and the doctor will then feel comfortable using an opioid-based medication if he or she elects to do so.

Patients facing surgeries or procedures should advise their doctor of the last time naltrexone was taken, as that can influence the choice of opioid-based pain medication the doctor may use.

Be sure to advise your doctor well in advance of your naltrexone use so he or she can be equipped with all relevant information to best manage any pain safely as it pertains to your specific health history and the surgery or procedure you're facing.

Are there side effects to the medication?

The vast majority of patients will not experience any side effects from the medication, some will experience mild to moderate side effects that usually go away after a short period, and a few will experience more adverse side effects. Our providers assist each patient as-needed with a number of strategies to lessen or eliminate side effects should they occur, including the use of simple OTC remedies and in some cases prescribing other medications.

I see Alcure M Tab and FM in my Google search, what's that?

We have zero affiliation with that company.

And if I have other questions?

Email us at support@alcure.me.