Can I See a Psychiatrist by Video in Bakersfield or Kern County?

Medically reviewed by Veronica Sanchez, MD

Yes. If you live in Bakersfield or anywhere in Kern County, you can see a California-licensed psychiatrist by secure video from home. Dr. Veronica Sanchez, MD, a board-certified, UCLA-trained psychiatrist, sees adults across California this way, in English or Spanish. Most evaluation and medication management works well by video, so you do not have to drive over the Grapevine for routine care.

Your first evaluation can be done by video too, so you can start care without a trip to Los Angeles.

Key takeaways

✓ You can see a psychiatrist by video from anywhere in Kern County, as long as you are physically in California during the visit.

✓ A video visit covers the same ground as an office visit: evaluation, diagnosis, medication management and follow-up.

✓ Federal rules currently allow controlled medications, such as ADHD stimulants, to be prescribed by video without a prior in-person exam through December 31, 2026. Your pharmacy or plan may still ask for an in-person visit.

✓ Medicare covers mental health visits by video from your home.

✓ We are in network with Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Carelon Behavioral Health, Cigna, Optum, UnitedHealthcare and Medicare. We do not accept Medi-Cal.

Is it legal to see a psychiatrist by video from Bakersfield?

Yes. The rule that matters is where you are, not where the doctor is. The Medical Board of California states that physicians using telehealth to care for patients located in California must be licensed in California. Dr. Sanchez holds a California license, so any adult who is in the state during the visit can be seen, whether that is in Bakersfield, Delano, Shafter, Tehachapi or Ridgecrest.

The same rule works in reverse. If you travel out of state, a California psychiatrist generally cannot hold your visit while you are there. If a trip is coming up, tell us before you leave and we will plan around it.

What do I need for a video visit?

• A private space where you can talk freely. A parked car works if home is crowded.

• A phone, tablet or computer with a camera.

• A steady internet or cell connection.

• Your insurance card, a list of your medications with doses, and the name and address of the pharmacy you want to use in Kern County.

Visits take place on athenahealth's secure telehealth system, the same system that holds your chart, and we send you the link to join before your visit.

What can a psychiatrist do by video?

Most of what a psychiatrist does in an office is a conversation: your history, your symptoms, what you have tried and what you want to change. That carries over well to a screen. A video visit can include:

• A full psychiatric evaluation, which is 50 minutes for a first visit

• A diagnosis and a treatment plan you agree with

• Starting, adjusting or stopping a medication, with prescriptions sent to a pharmacy near you

• 25-minute follow-up visits

• Coordination with your therapist or primary care doctor, with your permission

What video cannot do is a hands-on physical exam. If blood work is needed, for example to check thyroid function or to monitor a medication, it can be ordered at a lab near you rather than in Los Angeles.

Can ADHD medication be prescribed by video?

Under current federal rules, yes. The Drug Enforcement Administration has extended its telemedicine flexibilities, which allow a DEA-registered practitioner to prescribe controlled medications, including stimulants for ADHD, by audio-video visit without a prior in-person exam. The current extension runs through December 31, 2026. What happens after that date depends on what the DEA decides next.

In practice, some pharmacies and health plans ask for an in-person visit anyway, even when federal rules do not. If that applies to you, we will tell you before it becomes a problem at the pharmacy counter.

Will I ever need to come to the office?

Sometimes. Most patients can be seen by video most of the time, and some are seen by video only. Some patients are asked to come in from time to time: when symptoms call for an in-person exam, when a pharmacy requires it for a controlled medication, or, starting in 2028, to meet Medicare's yearly in-person visit rule for telehealth mental health care.

In-person visits are at 3800 Barham Blvd, Suite 416, Los Angeles, CA 90068, off the 101 at Barham Blvd, with parking in the building. We tell you well ahead of time if a visit needs to be in person, so you can plan the drive.

Does insurance cover a psychiatrist by video?

Coverage for video visits depends on your plan. Medicare covers outpatient mental health care, including psychiatric evaluation and medication management, and lists telehealth as one way to receive it. For a commercial plan, call the number on your card and ask about "telehealth behavioral health visits" and what your specialist copay is.

Prescribed Wellness Psychiatry is in network with Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Carelon Behavioral Health, Cigna, Optum, UnitedHealthcare and Medicare. We do not accept Medi-Cal. If your plan is not on that list, we provide superbills you can submit for out-of-network reimbursement, and we offer self-pay rates with a Good Faith Estimate before your first visit.

Medicare patients can read more in our guide to seeing a psychiatrist with Medicare in Bakersfield.

How do I get started?

1. Call or text (626) 681-3729, or request an appointment online. Mention that you are in Kern County so we book a video visit.

2. Have your insurance card and a list of your current medications ready.

3. Complete the intake forms we send before your visit.

4. A few minutes before the visit, find a private spot with a good connection.

5. Write down your three biggest questions and keep them next to you.

You can request an appointment online, read what happens at a first psychiatric evaluation, or see everything about care for Kern County on our Bakersfield psychiatry page. Se habla español: lea nuestra guía en español sobre psiquiatría por video en Bakersfield.

Frequently asked questions

Can I see a psychiatrist online if I live in Bakersfield?

Yes. A psychiatrist licensed in California can see you by secure video as long as you are physically in California during the visit. Dr. Veronica Sanchez, MD, sees adults across Kern County this way, in English or Spanish.

What can a psychiatrist do over video?

A full evaluation, diagnosis, a treatment plan, prescriptions and follow-up visits. The main thing video cannot do is a hands-on exam. When one is needed, we arrange an office visit, and lab work can be ordered at a lab near you.

Can a psychiatrist prescribe ADHD medication by video in California?

Yes, under current federal rules. The DEA's telemedicine flexibilities allow controlled medications, including stimulants, to be prescribed by audio-video visit without a prior in-person exam through December 31, 2026. In practice, your pharmacy or health plan may still ask you to be seen in person at least once.

Does Medicare cover psychiatry by video from home?

Yes. According to CMS, Medicare beneficiaries in both rural and urban areas can receive behavioral health telehealth services in their homes. Medicare's rule requiring an in-person visit before mental health telehealth does not take effect until after December 31, 2027.

What insurance do you take for telehealth patients in Kern County?

We are in network with Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Carelon Behavioral Health, Cigna, Optum, UnitedHealthcare and Medicare. We do not accept Medi-Cal. For other plans we provide superbills for out-of-network reimbursement, and self-pay rates come with a Good Faith Estimate before your first visit.

Do I ever have to drive to Los Angeles?

Sometimes. Most patients are seen by video most of the time, but an in-person visit may be needed for an exam, a pharmacy requirement, or Medicare's yearly visit rule starting in 2028. In-person visits are at 3800 Barham Blvd, Suite 416, Los Angeles, and we tell you ahead of time.

Sources

• Center for Connected Health Policy. California: Cross-State Licensing, citing the Medical Board of California, Telehealth Resources.

• U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. DEA Extends Telemedicine Flexibilities to Ensure Continued Access to Care. December 31, 2025.

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicare Telehealth FAQ, updated February 26, 2026.

• Medicare.gov. Outpatient mental health care.

• Prescribed Wellness Psychiatry. Frequently asked questions.