Online Therapy That Takes Insurance: Can I Pay For Telehealth Therapy With Insurance?

More and more people have started online therapy since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. It can be a convenient, affordable, and accessible way to get mental health support from home. Some insurance companies now offer coverage for online therapy, which can further lower the cost of care. Below is an overview of how to understand your insurance coverage for telehealth therapy, plus other options for affordable mental health support.

Can you use insurance for online therapy?

If the online therapy platform you’re interested in doesn't accept insurance (or doesn’t accept your specific insurance plan), there may be other ways to lower costs.

Types of online therapy

Online individual therapy can be a convenient, affordable, and effective way to get support for many different concerns. A person can seek online therapy for symptoms of a mental illness—like depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder—but you don’t need to have mental health symptoms to benefit from an online therapy treatment plan.

An online therapist can also help a person address life challenges, like relationship conflict, low self-esteem, high stress levels, grief, past trauma, attachment issues, and many others. BetterHelp’s matching process can help you find a therapist who has experience addressing the challenges you’re facing. 

Many of the evidence-based therapy approaches that licensed providers practice in person can also be delivered effectively online, such as:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Interpersonal therapy
• Mindfulness-based therapies
• Trauma-informed therapies
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
• Internal family systems therapy (IFS)

In fact, research suggests that online therapy is often equally effective to in-person therapy. Keep in mind, however, that whether insurance covers a specific type of online therapy depends on your unique plan, and certain restrictions or requirements may apply.

Other benefits of online therapy

A platform like BetterHelp can help you get matched with the right provider for your needs from an expansive network of qualified therapists, since you’re not limited by location. This process can make it easier to find a therapist you feel comfortable with.

Once matched, you can meet with your therapist for 100% virtual therapy sessions—whether those are video sessions, phone sessions, or live chat sessions, depending on your preferences. That means people who have busy schedules or have trouble traveling due to an illness or disability can receive convenient care from the comfort of home.

When online therapy may not be the right choice

Note, however, that online therapy may not be the right option for every individual or situation. For example, those seeking group therapy, family therapy, or therapy and psychiatry (including medication management), or those with more severe anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions may need to seek in-person care instead. 

Understanding insurance coverage for mental health services

Mental health parity laws require most insurance plans to cover mental health treatment, or to not place more restrictions on mental health coverage than on medical coverage. (These laws only apply to individual therapy, not couples or family therapy, which are often not covered by insurance.)

If your insurance plan does cover individual therapy, defining a few basic terms may help you better understand your coverage.

Types of providers

• An “in-network” healthcare provider is one that your insurance company is contracted with, meaning the company may cover some or all of the costs of care with that provider. 
• An “out-of-network” healthcare provider is one that your insurance company is not contracted with, meaning the company will typically not cover the cost of care with that provider.

How you'll pay

• Out-of-pocket refers to the amount you’ll have to pay for a healthcare service, which your insurance plan will not cover. Out-of-pocket costs may take the form of a copay, the total cost when insurance doesn’t cover a service, or leftover costs after insurance has covered a portion.
• Reimbursement is when you pay the full cost of a healthcare service up front, or “out of pocket,” and your insurance company sends you a check to pay you back for all or part of the cost later on.
• A copay is an out-of-pocket fee you pay in order to use your insurance to get care from a covered provider. Your insurance company will typically cover the rest of the cost of that care.
• A deductible is the minimum out-of-pocket amount you must spend on healthcare costs through your insurance in a year before your coverage will apply to all or certain expenses. For example, a person may have to meet a $3,000 yearly deductible—that is, spend $3,000 of their own money on health services—before the cost of therapy will be partially or totally covered by their insurance.

Health care expense accounts

• A health savings account (HSA) is a type of savings account that allows a certain amount of pre-tax contributions. You can then use this money only for qualified healthcare expenses, such as deductibles, copayments, and others. Therapy is often an HSA/FSA-eligible expense.
• A flexible spending account (FSA), sometimes referred to as a flexible spending arrangement, is a type of savings account that is set up through a person’s employer. It’s similar to an HSA, but the list of eligible healthcare-related expenses is usually broader, often including the cost of prescription medications from your local pharmacy, medical devices, and even over-the-counter health supplies like sunscreen or cough medicine, for example.

What insurance might cover vs. your out-of-pocket costs

What insurance plans may cover in terms of mental health care can vary widely, and out-of-pocket costs can vary depending on many factors too. It's rare for a person's insurance plan to cover the full cost of therapy, with no copay, but the average copay amount can fall anywhere within a wide range. 

Note that marketplace health plans and employer benefits may have different coverage and requirements. The details can also vary widely from one plan to another—even if they're both from the same insurance company.

Check with your insurance company to see if your plan has specific features or restrictions. For example, some companies may only cover therapy if it's deemed "medically necessary,” which could affect your care options and costs.

How online therapy with insurance works

If your insurance covers online therapy, the way it works can vary depending on your plan and the therapy platform. In general, it may involve:

1. Finding a therapist who accepts your insurance using a directory from your insurance company or an online therapy platform
2. Verifying that your chosen provider accepts your insurance by checking with them and your insurance company to identify any possible caveats or restrictions
3. Scheduling your first appointment with your chosen provider
4. Paying out of pocket for your copay, if applicable, when attending each session

Depending on your unique situation, additional steps may also be required. For example, you may need to meet with a therapist to receive a diagnosis (if applicable) first to ensure future virtual sessions will be covered. Please note that BetterHelp therapists do not provide diagnosis. Or, you may need to submit reimbursement requests for each session to your insurance company. 

How to find out what your insurance plan covers or requires

In many cases, the most direct way to find out what your insurance plan covers and what requirements or restrictions they may have is to call the number on the back of your insurance card to ask. You might also be able to confirm some coverage details via any physical plan documents or your online insurance portal. To avoid unexpected costs, it can be important to verify all of your plan’s rules and requirements before receiving a healthcare service.

BetterHelp and insurance: what you should know

BetterHelp is currently working with certain insurance carriers to join their network. This means that some providers on the platform may now accept select insurance plans (state-limited). Contact your insurance company or fill out the BetterHelp questionnaire to find out whether your plan may cover BetterHelp therapy.

Whether your BetterHelp therapist takes your insurance or not, you can still rely on the platform for affordable and accessible care because of its:

• Large and diverse network of licensed providers
• 100% virtual appointments
• Feature that allows you to message your therapist at any time (though they will respond when they’re available)
• Financial aid available to qualifying, non-insured users

How to get started with BetterHelp

Whether you have an eligible insurance plan or not, getting started with BetterHelp is easy. Simply fill out the brief onboarding questionnaire about your needs and preferences in a therapist. If you have insurance, you can enter the information during this stage to see if BetterHelp has any in-network providers for you.

You can then get matched with a licensed online therapist accordingly. Once matched, you can schedule your initial session and future appointments (according to your treatment plan), deciding between live video sessions, audio sessions, or live chat sessions.

Other options if your insurance doesn’t cover therapy

If your plan doesn’t cover therapy, if it doesn’t partner with BetterHelp providers, or if you don't have insurance, BetterHelp’s subscription model can still be a cost-effective way to receive virtual mental health care. 

A BetterHelp subscription ranges from $70–$100* per week, billed weekly or monthly. Discounts or financial aid may be available to non-insured users. In contrast, the average cost of an in-person therapy session without insurance is $100–$350 per session.

Other low-cost or free options for mental health support include:

• Mental health crisis resources, like the 988 Crisis Lifeline, which is free and available 24/7
• Employee assistance plans (EAP), which some employers provide to help workers pay for short-term mental health support
• University clinics, where enrolled students can receive free or low-cost care—or, in some cases, where the public can receive free or low-cost care from supervised trainee therapists
• Sliding-scale therapy offered by some providers, which is when the cost of care is adjusted based on a person’s income
• Group therapy or support groups, like those available through the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), which can be lower-cost or free ways to get both provider and peer support
• Community mental health clinics, like federally qualified health centers, which may offer comprehensive medical services at a lower cost to underserved communities

Also, as mentioned above, many FSA/HSA plans list therapy as an eligible expense, and platforms like BetterHelp also offer financial aid to non-insured clients who qualify.

Note that if you’re in a crisis or any other person may be in danger, don't use this site. These resources and your nearest emergency room can provide you with immediate help.

BetterHelp success stories and experiences

A survey from 2024 gives insight into the BetterHelp client experience. It reports that:

• In 2024, 93% of clients had their preferences in a therapist met by BetterHelp’s matching process.
• More than 80% of BetterHelp users say they’d recommend their therapist to others, with only 4% saying they wouldn’t.
• After 12 weeks of online therapy sessions, 72% of BetterHelp clients showed a reduction in symptoms, compared to 37% of clients who met with a Talkspace provider.

The keys to user success on the platform are BetterHelp’s large therapist team and effective matching process. Research suggests that finding the right therapist who you can feel comfortable with is crucial for effective care, and BetterHelp’s large and diverse network as well as its client-therapist matching commitment can help you find the right provider. See the Reviews page for user feedback about BetterHelp therapists who have treated social anxiety, depression, life challenges, and more.