Does your insurance cover online therapy?

Online therapy has become a flexible and convenient alternative to traditional in-person therapy sessions. With online therapy, you can meet with your therapist at a time and place that works for you. You can also choose from a more diverse selection of providers, making it easier to find the right match for your needs. While this all sounds great, you’re probably wondering if insurance covers online therapy. 

The short answer is yes. Many health insurance plans now cover online therapy the same way they cover in-person therapy. Understanding what services your insurance typically covers can help you find care that meets your needs. 

Which online therapy services insurance typically covers

Online therapy, also known as teletherapy or virtual therapy, refers to mental health services delivered via the internet. Many health insurance plans, including Medicare ^[1] and Medicaid ^[2], now provide coverage for online therapy services. 

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act requires insurance plans to cover mental health services similar to the way they cover physical healthcare. It doesn’t specifically mention online therapy, but several mental health parity laws do.

Coverage parity laws ^[3] require private health plans to cover telehealth services if they cover those same services in person. So if your plan includes therapy sessions, it will also include online therapy sessions. With payment parity, commercial plans must pay similar rates for telehealth and in-person services. 

Here are some of the online mental and behavioral health services covered by most insurance plans. 

• Individual therapy: Coverage may include one-on-one sessions with your provider via a telehealth platform. 

• Group therapy: You can connect with a therapist and other people in an online group therapy setting. 

• Psychiatric evaluation: During an online assessment with a mental health provider, you’ll review your health history, discuss symptoms, and create a personalized treatment plan. 

• Medication management: Online providers can prescribe and monitor certain psychiatric medications. 

• Emergency counseling: Some plans also cover crisis support, like same-day telehealth appointments. 

With this in mind, it’s worth noting that coverage can vary by insurance provider, your specific plan, and your state of residence. 

How to check your online therapy coverage

You can check your online therapy coverage in a number of ways. The first is to log into your health plan's member portal to review your benefits and coverage. You can also call the customer support number listed on the back of your insurance card. 

These are some other common questions when exploring insurance coverage for mental healthcare: 

Is online therapy covered the same as in-person therapy?

Many insurance plans cover online therapy like they do in-person therapy, but some plans may have limitations. For example, some plans may cover video sessions but not text-based therapy. 

Prior to meeting with a provider, it’s helpful to clarify the following points with your plan:

• Does my plan cover online therapy?

• How does the coverage compare with in-person therapy?

• Are there any limitations with online therapy? (For example, is there a limit on the number of sessions covered per year?) 

• Do I need to see an in-network provider for online services to be covered? 

• Does coverage require a diagnosis or “medically necessary” treatment?

What are my out-of-pocket costs with online therapy?

It’s also important to understand your estimated out-of-pocket costs. This depends on factors like your copay, deductible, and coinsurance. 

As a reminder, your copay is a fixed fee that you pay per therapy visit. The deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket before your insurance begins to cover the cost.  You can usually find these amounts in your insurance plan documents or online member portal, or by calling your insurance company to verify your benefits.

How do I actually find an in-network telehealth provider?

Most health plans provide an online directory that lists all mental health providers in their network. You can use this director to search for a virtual therapist who meets your needs. Most platforms allow you to filter your search by provider speciality, gender, location, and languages spoken. 

What to do if you’re not covered

If your plan doesn't cover online therapy or you're currently without insurance, you still have options. Consider these next steps: 

• Ask about a sliding scale. Some mental health providers offer a sliding-scale payment option. This means they set lower-cost fees based on your income ^[4]. 

• Ask your therapist for a superbill. A superbill is an itemized list of services provided by your therapist. There's no guarantee your plan will reimburse you, but it’s worth looking into. 

• Check your employee assistance program. Some companies offer an employee assistance program (EAP) that can help connect their employees with short-term mental health services. 

• Explore local resources. Another idea is to explore community mental health clinics and university health centers. These organizations typically offer more affordable mental health services.

Clinician’s take

I encourage clients to avoid assuming that cost or insurance questions mean therapy is out of reach. Taking a few minutes to verify your benefits and ask about your expected out-of-pocket costs can give you a clearer picture before you decide what works for you.

Brandy Chalmers, LPC

Clinical reviewer