Cornerstone counseling center faces more adversity with insurance issues

Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services will stop insurance coverage for some clients at Cornerstone on July 24, says the counseling center's founder Joshua Pierce.

• Funding from insurance coverage was a problem for Cornerstone last month, but the counseling has since been paid, Pierce says.
• John Logan, a Cornerstone client, says Kern BHRS told him he no longer needs recovery services unless he agrees to move to a facility of their choice.
• Pierce and Cornerstone are reaching out to the community for help in the form of donations and other volunteer services. Information can be found on their website.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

A relapse is among the greatest fears at a counseling center. At Cornerstone, there's another concern due to insurance coverage.

I'm Steve Virgen, your Tehachapi neighborhood reporter.

Last month I told you about the challenges Cornerstone faces because they are an out-of-network facility. Now, the adversity continues.

Virgen: "Do you feel that they've dealt with it just as a case? Or do you feel they're looking at the person?"

Joshua Pierce: "I think they're just looking at it as a case. I think with the county, they're a government agency but they're also an insurance company."

Joshua Pierce, the founder of Cornerstone in Tehachapi, tells me Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services will be ending insurance coverage for some of his clients on July 24th because they're an out-of-network center.

He tells me that they can go elsewhere for services, but the clients want to stay with Cornerstone... and they will keep treating them regardless.

"As long as our doors are open, they're more than welcome to continue to come and continue treatment. As long as they're willing to file their grievances and take those steps necessary, that's all I require," says Pierce.

Pierce says he plans to present a change in the system for an out-of-network center such as theirs to the Kern County Board of Supervisors.

Meanwhile, he says some clients have relapsed because of the stress. John Logan says he has been dealing with intestinal cancer while recovering from a heroin addiction for the past 15 months.

"It's put a lot of undue stress and pressure on me," says Logan

Logan says he has avoided a relapse. He tells me Kern BHRS said he no longer needs recovery services unless he agrees to move to a facility of their choice.

He says he's grateful the cancer has sometimes been a distraction to his past addictions.

"You gotta find the positive where you can. That's something I've learned from being in recovery for the last year," Logan says.

I reached out to Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services and they declined to comment.

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