Frequently Asked Questions & Answers
Why don’t you accept insurance?
There is a process that all mental health providers must go through to accept medical insurance. You must apply to be on an insurance panel where the insurer (i.e. Blue Shield, Anthem Blue Cross, Tricare, Sharp, etc.) decides whether to approve the provider to accept their insurance. Unfortunately, as an associate, there are not any insurance panels in California that allow Associated Professional Clinical Counselor or Associate Marriage and Family Therapist to join their insurance panel. Once the associate completes their post graduate experience and receives their full licensure, they are eligible to apply to the various insurance panels. Once they are approved, they are allowed to accept insurance.
Additionally, many insurance companies require a counselor to submit a mental health diagnosis in order to provide treatment. In some cases, this diagnosis may negatively impact on the client. Certain diagnoses may not be covered under the insurance plan, may compromise employability, and/or become an ever-present component of one’s medical records.