Meet

Julia Whitaker, MD

Dr. Julia Whitaker

Dr. Whitaker is a quadruple board-certified physician in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine. She earned her medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and brings two decades of experience helping people breathe easier, sleep better, and reclaim their energy.

After years of working in insurance-based medicine, I constantly felt the same frustration my patients did—visits were too short, durable medical equipment suppliers of CPAP (DMEs) were stretched thin, and there simply wasn’t enough time or support to address the real issues behind sleep struggles.

Things became even more personal when my own son’s sleep study was denied by insurance. I tested him myself—and discovered he had severe sleep apnea. Helping him adjust to CPAP on his terms changed everything. It made me realize just how many people are out there, trying to manage sleep problems with very little guidance or support.

What Sets Rise Sleep Medicine Apart?

Expertise in sleep

Holistic Care that considers your whole health picture

Faster Access to testing, results, and treatment

Personalized Attention every step of the way

FAQs

How do I reschedule or cancel an appointment?

To reschedule or cancel your appointment you can send an email to julia@riseprecisionmedicine.com. We will acknowledge your cancellation via email, or send you an email to reschedule.

Do you accept insurance?

The short answer is no—and here’s why:

Personalized sleep care takes time, attention, and flexibility. While some of the testing we use are the same ones insurance covers, many people find their insurance denies coverage for testing or treatment.

Plus the short visits allowed by insurance often lead to one-size-fits-all solutions—like rushed CPAP setups without real support, or quick prescriptions for sleep meds that can lead to long-term health issues. Often for patients with insurance deductibles, the cost of testing is actually higher when using insurance as compared with our services.

We believe you deserve better. By staying out of the insurance system, we can take the time to listen, find the root of the problem, and offer care that’s truly health focused and personalized. Our focus is on real solutions that help you sleep better—for good.

Do you accept HSA/FSA?

Many of our services may be eligible for reimbursement through Health Savings Accounts (HSA) or Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), particularly those related to the evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders. However, HSA/FSA eligibility is determined by your plan administrator, and we cannot guarantee coverage.

We’re happy to provide an itemized receipt (superbill) or help complete any necessary documentation to support your reimbursement request. We recommend checking with your HSA/FSA provider in advance to confirm whether your specific plan covers these services.

Do you accept Medicare or Medicaid?

At this time, we do not accept Medicare or Medicaid. Treating Medicare and Medicaid patients with a cash pay service is a violation of CMS regulations. This means we are unable to provide services to individuals who are enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid, even on a self-pay basis.

If you are a Medicare or Medicaid beneficiary, I recommend speaking with your primary care provider or contacting your insurance provider to find a sleep medicine specialist who is enrolled in these programs.

What conditions do you treat?

We focus on the most common—and often overlooked—causes of poor sleep and fatigue:
Sleep apnea, insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and sleep that just doesn’t feel refreshing.

Other sleep conditions like narcolepsy, parasomnias, and restless leg syndrome often need in-lab testing and prescription medications. These are usually too expensive to pay for out of pocket and require extra staff just to handle insurance paperwork. By focusing on the most common conditions, we’re able to keep our care more affordable and accessible.

We specialize in:

Sleep Apnea
We diagnose and treat breathing-related sleep problems using home sleep tests and personalized treatment options—not just CPAP.

Insomnia
We help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep naturally, without relying on sleep meds.

Daytime Sleepiness
If you’re always tired, even after a full night’s sleep, we help figure out why—and what to do about it.

Non-Restorative Sleep
If you wake up feeling worn out, we focus on improving your sleep quality, not just the number of hours you’re in bed.

Why don’t you use sleeping pills for insomnia?

Sleeping pills might help you fall asleep faster, but they don’t fix the root cause of insomnia—and they can affect your brain’s natural sleep cycles. Over time, they may stop working as well, and some people feel groggy or less alert the next day.

Research shows that sleeping pills can reduce deep, restorative sleep and may increase risks like memory problems, falls, and even long-term health issues. We focus on helping you sleep better naturally, using proven methods that lead to real, lasting change.