Insurance Dispute Leaves Pediatric Therapy Clinic With Growing Waitlist in Anoka County

Anoka, MN

In the fast-growing northern suburbs of the Twin Cities, a small pediatric therapy clinic has become the center of a larger debate about healthcare access, insurance networks, and the reality families face when trying to secure developmental care for their children.

Berg Therapy, a pediatric therapy clinic located in Blaine, Minnesota, says insurance network denials are preventing dozens of children in Anoka County from receiving timely treatment, even though the clinic has therapists ready and treatment rooms available.

The situation has left families navigating a system where care technically exists but, because of insurance rules, may remain out of reach.

A Clinic Built Around Early Development

Berg Therapy provides specialized pediatric services designed to help children overcome developmental delays and neurological challenges during the most critical years of growth.

The clinic focuses on three core therapies:

These therapies are commonly prescribed for children with conditions such as developmental delays, autism spectrum disorders, traumatic brain injuries, and sensory processing challenges. Pediatric specialists emphasize that early intervention can significantly improve long term educational and social outcomes.

In Minnesota, occupational and speech therapists frequently work alongside pediatricians, schools, and early childhood specialists to support children during formative stages of development.

A Network Dispute With Real-World Consequences

The dispute centers on an insurance network decision involving the clinic and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.

According to Berg Therapy’s owner, Jessica Naiberg, the clinic has repeatedly sought to join the insurer’s network so that families covered under those plans could receive treatment there using their insurance benefits.

The requests have been denied.

In letters sent to the clinic, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota has stated that its existing network of pediatric occupational therapy providers meets legal standards for “network adequacy,” meaning the insurer believes it already has sufficient providers available for patients under Minnesota law.

But Naiberg argues that those directories often tell a different story than families encounter when they begin calling for appointments.

Many providers listed in insurance directories, she says, may not actually treat pediatric patients, may no longer be accepting new patients, or may have waitlists stretching several months.

“The network looks full on paper,” she has said in interviews with local media, “but when families start calling, they discover it is not.”

The Shortage Behind the Paperwork

Minnesota, like many states, faces workforce challenges in specialized therapy fields.

Data from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development has indicated persistent demand for occupational therapists statewide. Workforce reports have shown vacancy rates in some therapy specialties significantly higher than the broader healthcare labor market.

Those shortages can translate into long waiting periods for services, particularly in suburban and rural areas where pediatric therapy providers are fewer.

For families in Anoka County communities such as Blaine, Coon Rapids, Andover, and Ham Lake, that shortage has become tangible.

A Waitlist That Continues to Grow

Berg Therapy reports that as of March 2026, approximately 40 families are currently on a waitlist specifically tied to insurance restrictions involving the Blue Cross network.

The clinic says it has the staff capacity to treat many of those children immediately if coverage were approved.

For parents, the delay can carry both emotional and financial consequences.

Some families, particularly those dealing with serious medical conditions, have chosen to pay out of pocket while waiting for insurance solutions. In certain cases, therapy sessions can cost hundreds of dollars per week.

For children recovering from neurological injuries or struggling with feeding and communication challenges, those delays can feel particularly urgent.

Families Turn to Advocacy

Frustration among families has begun turning into community advocacy.

Supporters of the clinic have circulated a petition calling on insurers to open their networks and allow the clinic to treat covered patients. The petition has collected hundreds of signatures from parents and community members who argue that pediatric developmental therapy should not be delayed by administrative barriers.

Their argument centers on a simple point: developmental care is time sensitive.

Children who struggle with speech, motor skills, or sensory processing often make the greatest gains when therapy begins early and continues consistently.

Insurance Networks and State Oversight

Insurance providers in Minnesota are required to meet “network adequacy” standards regulated by the Minnesota Department of Health.

These regulations are intended to ensure that patients have reasonable access to in network providers without excessive travel or wait times.

Insurers must demonstrate that they have sufficient numbers of healthcare professionals in their networks to serve their members.

However, healthcare advocates and some providers argue that adequacy standards can be difficult to measure in practice, particularly when provider directories may include professionals who are technically listed but not actively accepting new patients.

The gap between policy and reality is what clinics like Berg Therapy say they are experiencing.

Partial Network Access, But Not Enough

The clinic has reported success joining some insurance networks, including plans offered by Aetna and Medica.

But exclusion from several large regional insurers continues to limit access for a substantial portion of families in Anoka County.

When one of the region’s largest insurers declines network participation, the impact can ripple across an entire community.

A Larger Question About Access

At its core, the situation in Blaine reflects a broader question confronting healthcare systems across the United States.

What does access to care really mean?

For families waiting months for therapy appointments, the issue is not simply whether providers exist somewhere within an insurance directory.

The question is whether their child can receive help now.

Inside Berg Therapy’s clinic rooms, therapists continue working with the children they can serve, helping them practice communication, coordination, and everyday tasks that many people take for granted.

Outside the clinic, the waitlist continues to grow.

And for dozens of families across Anoka County, the search for care remains unresolved.

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