Shawn Barnes M.D.
Integrative Psychiatrist
I am 100% tele-health and currently accepting new patients, via Zoom, throughout the State of California.
DO YOU ACCEPT INSURANCE?
I do not accept insurance nor work directly with insurance companies. However, if you have a PPO insurance plan you may be able to get a portion of my fees reimbursed from your insurance company (see below).
In order for me to provide the most effective care I can, I operate outside of the insurance system. I do this because insurance companies incentivize psychiatrists to have short, medication-focused visits, and have treatment guidelines based on this flawed system. I think this does a disservice to patients.
While I do not accept insurance, I can provide you with a statement (also called a "superbill") that you can submit to a PPO insurance plan. To determine if you have mental health coverage through your insurance carrier, the first thing you should do is call them. Some helpful questions you can ask your insurance carrier:
- What are my mental health benefits?
- What is the coverage amount per session?
- How many sessions does my plan cover?
- How much does my insurance pay for an out-of-network provider?
- Is approval required from my primary care physician?