How Much Does Therapy Cost? A Plain Guide to Prices and Coverage

Does insurance cover a therapist?

Yes. Most health insurance plans in the United States cover mental health therapy. A federal law called the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act requires plans that offer mental health benefits to cover them on the same terms as physical health care. Your copay, deductible, and visit limits for therapy cannot be stricter than the ones for a regular doctor visit.

With insurance, here is what you usually pay:

• A copay of about $20 to $50 per session for an in network therapist, once any deductible is met.
• Coinsurance instead of a flat copay on some plans, often 20 to 40 percent of the visit cost.
• The full negotiated rate until you meet your deductible, which can be a few hundred to a few thousand dollars at the start of the plan year.

In network versus out of network

An in network therapist has a contract with your insurer, so you pay the lower copay and the insurer handles the rest. An out of network therapist does not have that contract. You often pay the full fee up front, then your plan may reimburse 50 to 80 percent if you have out of network benefits. Ask the therapist for a superbill, an itemized receipt you submit to your insurer for reimbursement.

How to check your own coverage

Call the member services number on the back of your insurance card and ask three questions: Is outpatient mental health covered? What is my copay or coinsurance for a therapy visit? Have I met my deductible? Also ask how to find an in network therapist, since using one keeps your cost lowest. Many insurers, including Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, and Kaiser, list covered providers in their online directory. Kaiser members typically see therapists within the Kaiser system, often at a low per visit copay.

How much therapy costs with Medicare and Medicaid

Medicare covers outpatient mental health therapy under Part B. After you meet the Part B deductible, you generally pay 20 percent of the approved amount for each session, and Medicare pays the other 80 percent. Recent rule changes extended coverage to visits with licensed counselors and marriage and family therapists, not just psychiatrists and psychologists. There is no longer a yearly cap on the number of covered sessions. If a session is medically reasonable and necessary, Medicare keeps covering it. A Medicare Advantage plan must cover at least what Original Medicare does, though copays and provider networks differ.

Medicaid covers mental health therapy in every state, and for many people it covers it with no copay or a very small one. Coverage details and session limits vary by state because each state runs its own program. Some state programs, such as Arizona's AHCCCS, cover therapy with licensed providers as part of behavioral health benefits. Call your state Medicaid office or the number on your card to confirm which therapists are covered and whether you need a referral.

The number of sessions covered is rarely a hard limit anymore. Under parity rules, insurers and public programs generally cannot impose an arbitrary annual cap on therapy that they would not also place on medical care. In practice, coverage continues as long as your therapist documents that the care is needed.

How often you go and how that changes the total

How much therapy costs over time depends on how often you go and for how long. Most people start with weekly sessions. As things improve, many shift to every other week, then monthly.

Here is what frequency tends to look like by goal:

• A specific, focused problem such as a phobia or mild anxiety may take 8 to 20 weekly sessions of a structured method like cognitive behavioral therapy.
• [Depression](/conditions/depression) often improves with 12 to 20 sessions, though some people benefit from longer support.
• Trauma, grief, or relationship work can run longer, sometimes months to a year or more, especially for deep or layered issues.

Do the math before you commit. At a $30 copay, weekly sessions cost about $120 a month. Without insurance at $150 a session, weekly therapy is roughly $600 a month. Knowing this helps you plan, and it gives you a useful question to put to your therapist: how many sessions is this goal likely to take? For relationship help, our couples therapists and relationship therapists pages can help you find someone. Our depression therapists and anxiety therapists pages cover those specific needs.

Low cost and free therapy options

If you do not have insurance or the copay is still too high, you have real options. Quality care does not have to be full price.

• Sliding scale therapists. Many private therapists adjust their fee based on your income, sometimes down to $40 to $80 a session. Ask directly: "Do you offer a sliding scale?" Most will not advertise it but will say yes.
• Community mental health centers. Every state funds these clinics. They charge based on income and treat people with or without insurance. SAMHSA's free national helpline can point you to one near you.
• University training clinics. Graduate programs in psychology, counseling, and social work run low cost clinics where supervised trainees provide therapy for $10 to $40 a session.
• Federally Qualified Health Centers. These community health centers offer behavioral health on a sliding scale and serve everyone regardless of ability to pay.
• Employee Assistance Programs. If you have a job, your employer may offer an EAP that gives you several free counseling sessions a year. Check with human resources.
• Nonprofit and faith based counseling. Local nonprofits and some religious organizations offer free or donation based counseling.
• Online directories and apps. Some apps offer lower per session rates, and some nonprofits run free peer support and group programs.

When you find a few candidates, our guide on how to find a therapist that fits you walks through how to screen them and ask about cost up front.

If you are in crisis, help is free right now

Cost should never stand between you and safety. If you are thinking about suicide, feel unsafe, or are in emotional distress, you can reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline any time. Call or text 988, or chat online at 988lifeline.org. It is free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For ongoing emotional support or to find treatment, the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 is also free and runs around the clock in English and Spanish. These services do not require insurance and will not ask for payment. They can also connect you to local low cost care so that the first step toward help does not depend on what you can pay.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

Medical disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with questions about a medical condition. If you have a medical emergency, call 911. Our editorial standards