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New patients

All prospective new patients should be aware that I only rarely prescribe benzodiazepines (e.g., xanax/alprazolam, ativan/lorazepam, klonopin/clonazepam, valium/diazepam, etc.).


If you are considering becoming a new patient of mine and are on one of these drugs, you should understand that I will try to get you off of them as quickly as possible, as I generally consider them to be harmful.


They are associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality (death from all causes):

  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33295972/
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26590022/
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24647164/

An increased risk of cancer:

  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33019585/

An increased risk of dementia:

  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26016483/

An increased risk of car accidents:

  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21247221/

An increased risk of hip fractures:

  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28448593/

When I am accepting new patients, I accept the following insurance policies:

  • Anthem Blue Cross (California)
  • UnitedHealthcare/Optum (California and Texas)
  • Cigna (California and Texas)
  • Ventura County Healthcare Plan (California)


I do not accept:

  • Blue Shield of California
  • Aetna
  • Healthnet
  • Magellan
  • Medi-Cal
  • Medicare


If you have Blue Cross Blue Shield, we may take your insurance. Please call us at 805-380-5022, so we can check for you.

If you would like to consider becoming a new patient, please submit the following form. You must do this first for us to verify your eligibility, confirm that we are taking new patients and agree to accept you as a new patient. Please do not try to book an appointment until you have been told to do so by us.

Request to become a new patient

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If you have been accepted as a new patient, please submit this form

 Dr. Winston's new patient enrollment form

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