It’s a question we get fairly often: “Why doesn’t Align accept insurance?” It’s a fair question, and the honest answer comes down to what kind of care insurance billing tends to allow — and what it tends to get in the way of.
What Insurance Billing Actually Changes About a Visit
When a chiropractic office bills insurance, a lot of decisions that should be clinical end up shaped by what a plan will approve: how many visits are covered, how long a visit can run based on billing codes, and how much documentation and pre-authorization has to happen before care can even begin. None of that is about what your body actually needs that day — it’s about what a policy allows.
Going cash-based removes that layer. Dr. Fernandez decides how long a visit needs to be and how often you should come in based on your assessment, not a plan’s approval process.
Transparent, Predictable Pricing
A Complete Initial Visit is $54. Beyond that, 5- and 10-visit packages are available at $89 and $79 per visit, respectively — pricing that’s the same for every patient, regardless of what insurance they do or don’t have. You know your cost before you book, without waiting for a claim to process or wondering what a copay will end up being.
Chiropractic care is generally an IRS-qualified medical expense, so HSA and FSA funds can typically be used to pay for visits at Align. We’d recommend confirming your specific plan’s rules with your HSA/FSA administrator before your visit, since details vary by plan.
No Referral, No Pre-Authorization, No Waiting
You don’t need a referral from your doctor to schedule at Align, and there’s no insurance pre-authorization process to wait through. If you decide you want to be seen, you call or book online, and that’s the whole process. For patients dealing with pain or a new issue, that speed matters.
What About Insurance Reimbursement?
Some insurance plans reimburse out-of-network, self-pay visits if you submit a receipt — sometimes called a superbill — yourself after the fact. We’re happy to provide documentation of your visit for that purpose; we’d just recommend confirming your specific plan’s out-of-network reimbursement policy directly with your insurance provider before your visit, since policies vary widely.
A 23-Year Perspective
Dr. Fernandez has practiced this way in Burbank for more than two decades. The cash-based model isn’t a new trend for the practice — it’s been the approach from early on, built around the idea that the relationship between a chiropractor and a patient works better without an insurance company as a third party in every clinical decision.
A Few Quick Questions
Is cash-based care more expensive than using insurance? It depends on your specific plan, deductible, and copay structure. Many patients find the transparent per-visit pricing comparable to or less than their out-of-pocket cost would have been with insurance, once deductibles and copays are factored in — but it varies person to person.
Can I use my HSA or FSA to pay? Generally yes, since chiropractic care typically qualifies as an IRS-qualified medical expense. Confirm your specific plan’s rules with your HSA/FSA administrator beforehand.
Will my insurance reimburse me for an out-of-network visit? Some plans do, if you submit a receipt yourself. Contact your insurance provider directly to ask about their out-of-network reimbursement policy before your visit.
Do I need a referral to be seen? No. You can call or book online directly without a referral from another doctor.
Questions about pricing or how cash-based care works? Call (818) 848-2225, or see our Pricing page for full details.