Direct Billing in Vancouver & North Vancouver

1. Check your coverage

   Before your appointment, check that your extended health plan covers the practitioner you’re booked with and how much you’re covered for per treatment.

2. Book your appointment and complete your intake form

   You’ll be sent an intake form where you can upload a photo of the front and back of your insurance card.

3. We bill your insurance after your treatment

   After your appointment, we submit your claim directly to your insurance provider. If there’s an outstanding balance that your plan doesn’t cover, it will be charged to the credit card on your file.

4. Receive your receipt and confirmation

   You’ll receive confirmation of the amount paid by your insurance and any co-pay amount.

Coverage depends on your extended health plan. Check with your insurance provider for your coverage amount per visit and your annual maximum for the type of treatment you’re booking.

No. Once your insurance information is in our system, direct billing is seamless for all your return visits.

We are currently unable to direct bill Medavie Blue Cross at this time. The therapists currently accepting Medavie Blue Cross patients at our Yaletown location are Sarah Arnold and Erica Morsky. For these therapists, you will be able to submit the claim for your treatment on your own behalf. We are waiting on approval for all therapists and are in the process of making this easier for patients in the near future. If you have questions, please email us at yaletown@humanitywellness.ca or give us a call.

Our Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (RTC), Chandler, is registered with the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada (ACCT). Many extended health plans cover RTC sessions.

The short version: Coverage depends on your specific benefits plan, not just your insurance company. Start by checking your plan documents or calling your HR department. If you’re not sure, we can help you find out and advocate for coverage if needed.

How claims work: Where possible, we’ll direct bill your insurance provider for you. If your provider doesn’t allow direct billing for counselling, you’ll receive a receipt after your session with everything your insurer needs (provider name, ACCT designation number, session date and fee) to submit through their usual claims process. Health spending accounts (HSA) often cover counselling too (see the HSA question below).

Please note: RTC sessions are not covered by ICBC.

How to check your coverage

1. Check your benefits plan documents. Log into your benefits portal or look at your plan booklet. Search for terms like “counselling,” “psychotherapy” or “mental health services.”
2. Contact your HR department or plan administrator. They can confirm whether counselling by an RTC is covered under your plan.
3. Call your insurance provider directly. Ask: “Does my plan cover sessions with a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (RTC) who is a member of the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada (ACCT)?”
4. Ask your employer to update your plan (if needed). If your plan doesn’t currently cover RTC services, your employer can ask to add ACCT members to the plan. Insurance providers usually comply when the employer asks.

If coverage was approved before but is now being denied: Don’t give up. Clients who consistently and firmly ask for continued coverage often succeed. The letter templates below can support your case.

Advocacy letter templates (provided by ACCT):

• Letter from Client
• Letter from Counsellor
• Letter to Employer (RTC)
• Letter from ACCT

Insurance providers that reimburse ACCT counsellors (for plans that include counselling services; your coverage still depends on your specific plan):

• Pacific Blue Cross: Covers any ACCT designation (RTC, MTC, RCS) for plans that include clinical counselling services.
• Sun Life: Approved for ACCT. Your plan must specifically state that counselling or psychotherapy is covered.
• Equitable Life of Canada: Accepts all ACCT designations for members in good standing.
• ClaimSecure: Approved for ACCT members. Your plan must say “counsellors”; if it says “clinical counsellors” only, you may not be covered.
• Green Shield Canada: Covers ACCT members for plans that include clinical counsellors.
• iA Financial Group (Industrial Alliance): Has accepted ACCT as an eligible association.
• Manitoba Blue Cross: Covers RTC, MTC and RCS designations for counselling plans.
• Alberta Blue Cross: May recognize ACCT counsellors, but most policies specify psychologists or social workers. Verify your specific plan.
• ASEBP (Alberta School Employees): Covers RTC, MTC and RCS designations.
• Victor Insurance: Added ACCT as an approved provider.

Reviewed case by case:

• Canada Life: No formal ACCT agreement, but claims are reviewed individually. Worth submitting with supporting documentation.
• Manulife: Claims are assessed individually. Use the advocacy letters above.

Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC) are registered with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC), and many extended health plans in BC cover RCC sessions. Coverage depends on your specific benefits plan, so check your plan documents for “clinical counsellor” or “RCC,” or ask your insurance provider whether your plan covers a Registered Clinical Counsellor. If you have questions, please email us.

Unfortunately, we are not able to direct bill to health spending accounts. Most of our treatments can be put towards an HSA, though. We’ll charge the credit card on your file and send you a receipt that you can submit to your benefits provider for reimbursement.

Email your clinic at yaletown@humanitywellness.ca, olympicvillage@humanitywellness.ca or lynnvalley@humanitywellness.ca.