Most major insurance accepted
Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB) vendorized · all services
Scholarship support available
Insurance & access
Don't let insurance questions stop you from getting help.
We accept most major commercial insurance plans, are fully vendorized through the Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB), and offer scholarship support for families who need it. If you're not sure what you have or what's covered — our intake team will sort it out before your first appointment.
How families access services
Three paths to access
Most families qualify through at least one. If you're unsure, select "Not sure" when you get started and we'll figure it out together.
Most families · accepted
Commercial insurance
We are credentialed with most major commercial plans. We verify your specific benefits before your first appointment — you'll know what's covered before anything begins.
Anthem Blue Cross
Blue Shield of California
United Healthcare (UHC)
Aetna
Cigna
UMR
Hill Physicians Medical Group
Sutter East Bay
Palo Alto Medical Foundation
Vendorized · RCEB families
Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB)
Happy Talkers is vendorized through the Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB) for three service areas. If your child has an RCEB service coordinator, they can authorize services directly using the vendor numbers below.
Speech & occupational therapy — PB1225
Infant development program — HB0732
Social skills programs — PB4768
ABA & diagnostics — contact us for current status
Need-based · limited spots
Scholarship support
For families who don't qualify through commercial insurance or the Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB), we offer need-based scholarship support. No family should avoid seeking care due to cost — ask our intake team about eligibility.
Need-based eligibility
Partial or full coverage
Applied through intake
Reviewed case by case
Funded by Vogt Weekend donations
Coverage by service
What's covered
Coverage depends on your specific plan. This table shows our general credentialing — we verify your exact benefits before scheduling.
| Service | Commercial insurance | RCEB | Scholarship | Ages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speech-language therapy | Most major plans | Vendorized · PB1225 | Available | 18 mo – 10 yrs |
| Occupational therapy | Most major plans | Vendorized · PB1225 | Available | 18 mo – 10 yrs |
| Behavioral therapy (ABA) | Most major plans | Contact us | Available | 2 – 5 yrs |
| Infant development program | Most major plans | Vendorized · HB0732 | Available | 18 mo – 3 yrs |
| Social skills programs | Most major plans | Vendorized · PB4768 | Available | 4 – 6 yrs |
| Diagnostic evaluation (ADOS) | Verify by plan | Contact us | Available | 18 mo – 8 yrs · coming soon |
Coverage depends on your specific plan, benefit tier, and medical necessity determination. We verify your exact benefits before your first appointment. Start here to check your coverage →
No surprises
How coverage verification works
We handle insurance verification — you never receive a bill before we've confirmed what's covered.
Before your first appointment
Our revenue cycle team contacts your insurer directly to confirm coverage, benefit limits, co-pays, deductibles, and any authorization requirements. You get a clear summary before any services begin.
1
You share your insurance card — at intake or when you get started online. Member ID and plan name is all we need to begin.
2
We contact your insurer — our revenue cycle team verifies your specific benefits for each service your child needs.
3
We share the results with you — before scheduling. You'll know co-pays, deductibles, and any limits before your first appointment.
4
We handle authorizations — if your plan requires prior authorization, we manage that process. You don't need to navigate it yourself.
Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB)
Vendorized through the Regional Center of the East Bay for all clinical services
If your child receives services through the Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB) or the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS), Happy Talkers is a vendorized provider for every clinical service we offer. Your RCEB service coordinator can authorize services directly — no separate insurance verification needed.
Vendorized throughRegional Center of the East Bay (RCEB)
Infant development programHB0732
Speech & occupational therapyPB1225
Social skills programsPB4768
DDS / stateCalifornia DDS aligned
How to start if your child has Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB) services
1
Contact your Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB) service coordinator and let them know you'd like Happy Talkers as your provider.
2
Your coordinator sends an authorization and service plan to our intake team.
3
We confirm vendorization, match services to the authorization, and contact you to schedule.
4
Services begin. We provide progress reports per RCEB reporting requirements.
Need-based access
Scholarship support
No family should avoid seeking care because of cost.
Our scholarship fund provides partial or full coverage for families who do not qualify through commercial insurance or the Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB). Spots are limited and awarded based on financial need and service availability. Funded through donations to School of Imagination, including the annual Vogt Weekend benefit.
Who is eligible?
Families who do not have qualifying commercial insurance and are not receiving Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB) services. Eligibility is reviewed case by case by our intake team.
How do I apply?
Mention scholarship interest when you get started or contact our intake team directly at (925) 829-9555. There is no separate application — it's part of the intake conversation.
Does it cover all services?
Scholarship support can be applied to any of our clinical services. Coverage level (partial or full) depends on availability and need.
Are spots currently available?
Contact our intake team to check current availability. We encourage families to ask even if they're unsure — we'll always tell you honestly what we can offer.
Scholarship support is funded through donations to School of Imagination and the annual Vogt Weekend benefit event.
Want to support the scholarship fund?
Donate to School of Imagination →
Common insurance questions
Do I need a referral from my pediatrician to start? ›
It depends on your insurance plan. Some plans require a physician referral before covering therapy services; others allow direct access. We check this as part of your insurance verification — you don't need to figure it out yourself.
What if my plan has a deductible we haven't met? ›
We'll tell you exactly what your out-of-pocket responsibility is before your first appointment. For families in this situation, we can discuss payment timing and, in some cases, scholarship support may apply.
What if my child needs multiple services — is each billed separately? ›
Yes, each service is billed separately to insurance. However, we coordinate the verification for all services at once, so you get one clear picture of what's covered across everything your child needs.
Can you help with insurance authorization for ABA therapy? ›
Yes. ABA therapy typically requires prior authorization from your insurer. Our team handles the authorization process, including obtaining the functional behavior assessment documentation that most plans require.
What if our insurance changes mid-treatment? ›
Contact our intake team as soon as you know. We'll re-verify your new coverage and let you know if anything changes about your benefits before the next billing cycle.
We are not sure if we qualify for the Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB) — how do we find out? ›
Contact us and we can help point you in the right direction. You can also contact the Regional Center of the East Bay directly to request an intake screening — eligibility is determined by RCEB, not by us. If your child is eligible and you'd like Happy Talkers as your provider, we'll coordinate the authorization from there.
Ready to find out what's covered?
Start the conversation — we'll handle the insurance.
Get started online and we'll verify your coverage before your first appointment. No surprises, no upfront payment.