Chiropractor accepting
Blue Shield of California
in San Diego

Most employer-sponsored Blue Shield PPO plans cover chiropractic care for musculoskeletal conditions. Coverage typically includes 15–30 visits per year with a copay that varies by plan after your deductible. However, most Covered California individual-market Blue Shield PPO plans do not include chiropractic as a covered benefit. Call us at (858) 558-3111 and we'll verify your specific plan at no cost before your first visit.

American Specialty Health (ASH) is a third-party administrator that Blue Shield uses to manage chiropractic benefits on some plan types — particularly HMO plans and PPO plans where chiropractic is added as a separate benefit rider. On these plans, your chiropractor must be in the ASH network for your benefits to apply. Dr. Loewenstein is an ASH participating provider, so if your plan routes through ASH, your coverage works here. Many employer PPO plans process chiropractic directly through Blue Shield without the ASH layer — we determine which pathway applies when we verify your benefits.

Most Blue Shield PPO plans do not require a referral for chiropractic care. Blue Shield HMO plans with a chiropractic rider also generally do not require a referral for the initial chiropractic evaluation. We confirm your specific referral requirements when we verify your benefits before your first visit.

Most Blue Shield employer PPO plans cover 20–30 chiropractic visits per calendar year. CalPERS PPO plans cover 20 visits per year combined with acupuncture. HMO plans with chiropractic riders typically cover 30 visits per year. Covered California plans that include chiropractic are generally limited to 15 visits per year. All visits are subject to medical necessity.

Most Covered California Blue Shield PPO plans do not include chiropractic as a covered benefit — including most Platinum, Gold, and standard Silver PPO tiers. Chiropractic is only included in the Silver 1750 PPO (copays vary by plan, 15 visits/year) and certain HDHP variants. If you're unsure, call us at (858) 558-3111 and we'll check for you. If your Covered California plan doesn't cover chiropractic, we offer straightforward cash-pay rates.

Blue Shield and ASH require that chiropractic care be for musculoskeletal disorders of the spine, neck, and joints — and that treatment produces measurable improvement. After the initial exam, continued visits must be determined medically necessary. ASH reviews medical necessity and responds within 5 business days. Maintenance care is generally not covered. We document your progress on every visit to support medical necessity and prevent claim denials.

For employer PPO plans, out-of-network chiropractic is typically covered at a reduced rate — usually coinsurance that varies by plan. For plans that route through ASH, going to a non-ASH provider typically means no coverage at all, even if the chiropractor is in the broader Blue Shield PPO network. For HMO plans and most Covered California plans, out-of-network chiropractic is generally not covered. This is why verifying your specific plan structure before booking matters.

Yes. Chiropractic care is a qualified medical expense under IRS guidelines. You can use your HSA or FSA to pay for copays, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs regardless of your Blue Shield plan type. We accept HSA and FSA cards directly at our office.