Finding the right counselor is a big step. Figuring out insurance coverage can feel like a whole separate process.
If you have Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, Credence BlueCross BlueShield, Viva Health, Viva UAB, or insurance through an employer such as Alabama Power or Southern Company, you may have mental health benefits that help cover counseling services.
At Integrative Health Services, LLC, we know insurance can be confusing. Our goal as therapists is to help you understand the process, ask the right questions, and feel more confident before your first appointment.
Whether you are looking for individual counseling, family counseling, support for your child, trauma therapy, anxiety treatment, depression counseling, or private pay marriage counseling, knowing how your insurance works can help prevent surprises later.
Does Blue Cross Blue Shield cover mental health counseling in Alabama?
Many Blue Cross Blue Shield plans include mental health and behavioral health benefits. This may include outpatient counseling, family therapy, telehealth therapy, and other mental health services when they are considered medically necessary under your plan.
However, every plan is different.
Your coverage may depend on:
- Your specific BCBS or Credence plan
- Whether your counselor is in network
- Your deductible
- Your copay
- Your coinsurance
- Whether prior authorization is required
- Whether the service is considered medically necessary
This is why it is important to verify your benefits before starting counseling.
Even when a counseling office checks your benefits, the quote from insurance is not always a guarantee of payment. Insurance companies can sometimes misquote benefits to the provider or to the client. A claim may also process differently once it is submitted.
That does not mean anyone did anything wrong. It simply means insurance benefits can be complicated, and the final decision is usually made by the insurance company when the claim is processed.
Mental health benefits for Alabama Power and Southern Company employees
Many people in Alabama receive insurance through their employer. If you work for Alabama Power, Southern Company, Southern LINC, Southern Power, or a related employer, you may have mental health benefits through a BCBS or Credence plan.
If you are an Alabama Power or Southern Company employee or family member, it is a good idea to check your mental health benefits directly through your insurance plan and employee benefits portal.
When calling your insurance company, ask:
- Is this counselor or counseling practice in network with my specific plan?
- What is my copay for outpatient mental health counseling?
- Do I have a deductible?
- Has my deductible been met?
- Do I owe coinsurance after my deductible?
- Are telehealth counseling sessions covered?
- Is family counseling covered?
- Are there any session limits?
- Do I need prior authorization?
- Are there any services that would not be covered?
These questions can help you better understand what your plan covers before you begin counseling.
Does Viva Health cover mental health counseling in Alabama?
Many Viva Health plans include mental health and substance use disorder benefits. Coverage depends on your specific Viva plan, your provider network, and the type of service you are receiving.
Viva Health has a commercial provider search tool that allows members to search the Viva Commercial Provider Network. Viva also has separate provider search options for certain employee groups, including UAB.
If you have Viva Health insurance, you should verify whether the counselor or counseling practice is in network with your specific plan.
Helpful questions to ask Viva include:
- Is this provider in network with my Viva plan?
- What is my copay for outpatient counseling?
- Do I have a deductible?
- Will I owe coinsurance?
- Is telehealth counseling covered?
- Is family counseling covered?
- Will I need a referral?
- Do I need prior authorization?
- Are there services my plan does not cover?
At Integrative Health Services, we can help review your insurance information before scheduling. We also encourage clients to call their insurance company directly so they can hear the benefit information from their own plan.
What is the difference between Viva Health and Viva UAB?
This is an important question because not all Viva plans work the same way.
A regular Viva Health commercial plan may allow members to see providers within the Viva commercial network, depending on the specific plan and employer group.
Viva UAB is different. Viva UAB is a plan connected to UAB employees and the UAB Health System. In many areas of health care, Viva UAB is more closely connected to UAB providers and UAB related facilities.
However, mental health benefits can be a little different.
Viva’s own Viva UAB plan information states that Viva UAB members have access to the UAB Health System for primary care, OB/GYN, and other health care services. It also states that Viva UAB members have access to Viva’s entire network for certain categories, including mental health and substance use disorder providers.
This means a Viva UAB member may not always be limited only to UAB facilities for outpatient mental health counseling, but it is very important to verify this directly with Viva before scheduling.
If you have Viva UAB, ask your insurance company:
- Can I see this outpatient mental health provider outside of the UAB Health System?
- Is this counselor in network for my specific Viva UB plan?
- Is this counseling practice covered under my mental health benefits?
- Do I need a referral from a UAB provider?
- Do I need prior authorization?
- What will my copay, deductible, or coinsurance be?
Because Viva UAB can be more specific than other plans, we strongly recommend checking both with Viva and with the counseling practice before your first appointment.
How to check if a counselor accepts your insurance
Before scheduling counseling, we recommend taking two steps.
First, contact the counseling practice and ask them to check your benefits. At Integrative Health Services, our team can review your insurance information and help explain what we are able to verify.
Second, contact your insurance company directly. You can call the number on the back of your insurance card or log in to your insurance member portal.
Ask your insurance company to confirm that the specific counselor or practice is in network with your plan.
It is also helpful to ask for a reference number for the call. This gives you a record of the information you were given.
Why insurance benefit quotes can be wrong
We wish insurance quotes were always perfect, but unfortunately, they are not.
Sometimes a client is told they have a copay, but later learns they have a deductible. Sometimes a provider appears in network online, but the client’s specific plan uses a different network. And other times, a representative gives incorrect information over the phone.
This is why clients are responsible for understanding their own policy, including:
- Copays
- Deductibles
- Coinsurance
- Network restrictions
- Plan exclusions
- Prior authorization requirements
- Services that may not be covered
Our office will do our best to help verify your benefits, but insurance verification is not a guarantee of payment. Your insurance company makes the final decision when the claim is processed.
Does insurance cover marriage counseling?
This is one of the most common questions we hear.
In many cases, insurance does not cover traditional marriage counseling or relationship counseling when the main focus is the relationship itself.
Insurance usually covers counseling when there is a medically necessary mental health diagnosis and the service is part of a treatment plan for that diagnosis.
That means there is an important difference between marriage counseling and family counseling.
Marriage counseling versus family counseling
Marriage counseling usually focuses on the relationship between partners. It may include communication issues, conflict, intimacy concerns, trust rebuilding, or deciding how to move forward in the relationship.
Because marriage counseling is often focused on the relationship rather than a mental health diagnosis, it is commonly a private pay service.
Family counseling is different. Family counseling may be covered by insurance when it is medically necessary and connected to the treatment needs of an identified client. This could include a spouse, parent, child, or family member participating in counseling to support the client’s treatment goals.
For example, family counseling may be appropriate when family involvement is needed to support treatment for anxiety, depression, trauma, behavioral concerns, grief, parenting issues, or other clinical needs.
If you are specifically looking for marriage counseling, it is best to ask the practice whether the service is insurance-based or private pay.
Why more than one copay may apply
Sometimes more than one person in a family may need services. In those situations, each person may need their own chart, intake paperwork, treatment plan, and clinical documentation.
This can mean more than one copay, depending on the insurance plan and the type of service being provided.
Mental health records are protected health information. HIPAA establishes federal privacy standards for protected health information, and mental health documentation must be handled carefully and appropriately.
When more than one person is receiving treatment, separate records may be necessary. This is one reason it is important to ask questions before starting counseling so you understand how services will be billed.
What if I have secondary insurance?
If you have secondary insurance, it is important to ask whether the counseling practice accepts both your primary and secondary insurance.
Some mental health practices may accept your primary insurance but may not accept your secondary insurance if they are not contracted with that payer.
Before scheduling, ask:
- Do you accept my primary insurance?
- Do you accept my secondary insurance?
- If you do not accept my secondary insurance, what will I be responsible for?
- Will claims be filed to both plans or only one?
- Can I still be seen if my secondary insurance is not accepted?
- These questions can help prevent confusion later.
- What services may not be covered by insurance?
Even if a practice accepts your insurance, some services may not be covered by your plan.
These may include:
- Marriage counseling
- Relationship counseling
- Coaching services
- Some specialized services
- Extended sessions
- After-hours fees
- Late cancellation fees
- No show fees
- Court-related services
- Letters, forms, or documentation requests
- Services that insurance does not consider medically necessary
Before your first appointment, ask whether any services could be private pay.
How Integrative Health Services can help
At Integrative Health Services, LLC, we provide counseling services for children, teens, adults, couples, and families across Alabama.
We serve clients in areas such as Pelham, Alabaster, Calera, Helena, Hoover, Birmingham, Gardendale, and throughout Alabama through telehealth.
Our team can help you take the next step by reviewing your needs, checking provider availability, and helping you better understand the insurance verification process.
We work with many clients who have:
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama
- Credence BlueCross BlueShield
- Viva Health
- Viva UAB
- Employer-sponsored insurance plans
- Private pay needs for marriage counseling or services not covered by insurance
If you are not sure whether your plan covers counseling, we encourage you to contact us and request a consultation.
Ready to start counseling?
If you have BCBS, Credence BlueCross BlueShield, Viva Health, Viva UAB, Alabama Power insurance, Southern Company insurance, or another employer-sponsored plan, we would be happy to help you explore your options. Follow the steps below to get started, whether you’re located near Pelham, Alabaster, Gardendale or the Calera area.
- You can request an appointment or referral through our website:
https://ihealthservices.org/referrals/ - Our team can help you understand the next steps, check provider availability, and guide you through the process of beginning counseling.
- Starting counseling should not feel overwhelming. We are here to help you feel informed, supported, and ready to take the next step.
Other Mental Health Services Available at Integrative Health Services
Understanding your insurance benefits is only one part of finding the right support. At Integrative Health Services, we provide a variety of counseling and behavioral health services for children, teens, adults, couples, and families throughout Alabama. Our therapists work with individuals facing concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, grief, and behavioral challenges.
We also offer family counseling, LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy, pre-marital counseling, and ADHD/ADD support. Whether you are seeking support for yourself, your child, or your family, our team is committed to providing compassionate, personalized care that meets you where you are. With offices serving communities including Pelham, Alabaster, Hoover, Gardendale, and surrounding areas, we are here to help you take the next step toward improved mental health and well-being.
