How to Determine whether My Insurance Covers Counseling
- Log in and review your insurance account online On your insurance provider’s website, you should be able to access all details on benefits and pricing. Register for an online account if you do not already have one, and examine your individual plan.
- Consult your company’s Human Resources division.
- Call or contact your insurance company.
- Inquire whether your therapist or treatment provider accepts your insurance.
Do health insurance policies cover therapy?
Yes, many insurance policies pay a portion of therapy costs. Here’s how to search for and locate reasonably priced therapy with or without insurance.
Is internet treatment covered by my insurance? – This is the question of the day. While it might be easy to discover online counseling that accepts insurance, the more immediate concern is whether or not your existing health insurance policy covers mental health services.
- Coverage for mental health varies by insurance provider and plan.
- The easiest approach to obtain all the necessary information is to contact your insurance carrier; if you are covered by an employer-sponsored plan, contact your HR department.
- Regardless, the following are two useful questions to ask: Am I covered for mental health treatments under my plan? Can you give me with a list of network-participating therapists? If they provide you with a list of therapists who only provide traditional in-office appointments, you may contact the therapist directly.
Numerous therapists performed telehealth sessions during the epidemic and want to continue doing so in the future to assist their patients. Several of the most prominent insurers’ coverage alternatives were described.
| Insurance | What coverage includes |
| Medicare | Medicare Part B covers telehealth services, including virtual therapy and online counseling. Once you meet your Part B deductible, you pay 20% of the cost and Medicare covers the rest. |
| Aetna | Aetna offers plans that include virtual counseling (what they call televideo). For coverage, you’ll generally need to work with your primary care doctor and an Aetna care advocate. |
| United Healthcare | Some United Healthcare plans include mental health coverage and extend to virtual visits when offered by a covered provider. Many plans also cover services from Talkspace and Sanvello, an on-demand emotional support app. |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | Most Blue Cross Blue Shield plans include coverage for mental health care, although some employer-sponsored plans don’t. If your policy includes coverage, you can use the Teladoc behavioral health service to talk to a therapist with a $0 copay. |
| Humana | Many Humana plans offer coverage for telehealth visits with a behavioral health specialist. |
| Anthem | Anthem Blue Cross members have access to LiveHealth Online Psychology with the same copay as in-person visits. |
| Cigna | Most Cigna policies include virtual care, including online mental health care. They also cover Talkspace services, |
| Kaiser | Many Kaiser plans include mental health coverage. Kaiser can also help you find a therapist. You don’t need a referral to access mental health care through your Kaiser plan. |
| Centene | While Centene doesn’t offer plans of its own, most of the plans in its marketplace are through Ambetter, which partners with Teladoc to offer virtual visits, These telehealth offerings don’t explicitly mention mental health care. If you have coverage with either, it’s best to contact your plan provider to get all of the details. |
If your insurance company covers mental health treatment and your therapist accepts it, you will pay your copayment or deductible just like you would for any other doctor’s appointment. You should contact your insurer if you’re charged a different amount.
What is covered by mental health insurance?
Does Kaiser Permanente cover therapy? – Kaiser Permanente offers individualized mental health treatment programs. These plans often offer individual counseling with a mental health specialist, such as a psychiatrist or nurse practitioner. In addition, they cover group counseling and mental health workshops. Also included are personalized stress management and addiction treatment.