How to Pay for Therapy: 8 Options to Help with the Cost

Once you make the decision to seek therapy, it’s natural to have questions about the process — and it’s even more natural to wonder how you’ll pay for your therapy. The cost of mental healthcare varies widely based on several factors. Fortunately, many resources are available to help if cost is a concern and you’re worried about how to pay for therapy.

Keep reading to explore various ideas on how to pay for therapy without insurance, with insurance coverage, with an FSA or HSA account, and more. You’ll also learn how you can — and can’t — pay for Talkspace’s convenient online therapy option. 

1. Health Insurance 

Wondering how to pay for therapy with insurance? This is the most well-known way to cover the cost of mental health treatment. An insurance plan offers financial protection for health care needs, and federal law requires that insurers offer insurance coverage that is at least equal to physical care benefits. 

However, does insurance cover therapy fully? Yes, but depending on your provider, plan, coverage, and deductible, the cost of therapy will differ. Navigating the ins and outs of how to pay for therapy with insurance can be confusing, but understanding certain things — like common language and terminology — is helpful. Rest assured, mental health coverage through your health insurance typically covers at least part of the cost of a therapy session.  

Your insurance provider can share what you should know about your insurance plan so you understand exactly what mental health service is available to you vs what you’ll be financially responsible for. 

Remember that even with insurance, you may be responsible for covering things such as copayments (the cost you’ll pay for each visit) or coinsurance (the share that’s your responsibility for each claim). You might also need to meet a deductible before some or all of your mental health coverage kicks in. 

You can conveniently pay any portion of the charges that are your responsibility through the Talkspace platform.  

Talkspace accepts most major insurance companies, including:*

• Aetna
• Anthem
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Regence
• Cigna
• GatorCare
• Optum
• And more

*Insurance coverage for online therapy can vary by your individual plan and state you live in, so make sure to check with your insurance provider. 

In-network vs. out-of-network

You’ll often hear the terms “in-network” and “out-of-network” when discussing the topic of insurance. These simply refer to healthcare providers who’ve partnered with an insurance provider to be considered part of their “in-network” team of medical professionals. 

It’s easiest to think of in-network providers as preferred. They’ve established agreed-upon rates with insurers to lower your out-of-pocket costs. When you seek care from an in-network mental health professional, the services you receive will be covered at a higher rate, making care more affordable and accessible. In some cases, the difference in therapy cost will be substantial. 

If you choose to see a provider who’s “out-of-network,” you’ll still receive the same quality and level of care, but you’ll be responsible for much more (sometimes up to 100%) of the therapy cost. Some plans let you see an out-of-network provider and will still cover a low percentage (for example, 20%), but you’d be responsible for the remainder (in this case, 80%). 

The choice is yours, but seeing an out-of-network provider often means extra work and cost. You’ll likely need to submit claims and diligently track sessions, receipts, and payments you make. You will also have to meet claim submission deadlines to be reimbursed. 

2. Employer Coverage

Research shows that employees with adequate access to healthcare — including mental health services — are more effective and productive, generally happier, and tend to miss less work.

These incentives for organizations — along with federal mandates that now require some employers to offer healthcare to employees — have ultimately resulted in superior packages and plans that include mental health benefits. To fully utilize your benefits, you must understand what coverage you’re entitled to. Review your employee handbook or compensation package or contact your Human Resources department to clarify coverage options.

“Many employers offer a mental health plan that provides the number of sessions and a list of therapists to choose from. The issue is that because we don’t inquire about it, we assume all that’s offered is medical or dental. By becoming familiar with all the benefits in your employee plan, you can take advantage of more.”

– Talkspace therapist Dr. Karmen Smith LCSW DD

Many plans now cover online therapy platforms like Talkspace. Talkspace has partnered with hundreds of employers and organizations nationwide, eliminating one of the largest barriers to mental healthcare access — cost. 

Even if your insurance benefits don’t include Talkspace services, online therapy can often be more affordable than in-person, traditional therapy.   

3. EAP Sessions

Many companies with Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) offer employees a specified number of therapy sessions. EAPs are employee-sponsored programs designed to help reduce or eliminate everyday workplace stressors by offering access to free or substantially reduced-cost benefits to employees and their families. 

Services commonly provided by EAPs include:

• Free and confidential assessments
• Short-term counseling
• Follow-up services
• Referrals
• Financial guidance and counseling
• Family services
• Substance abuse and dependency interventions
• Mental health services to target work-related stress and burnout

If your EAP covers mental healthcare with Talkspace, you can get started after a brief assessment that takes less than two minutes to complete. You’ll be matched with a provider and can start therapy, often in a matter of days.

4. Medicare/Medicaid

Understanding Medicare and Medicaid can be a daunting experience. If there’s one thing to grasp, though, it’s that you can use these plans to help pay for therapy and other mental health services, including some medication. Medicare and Medicaid are government-funded programs that can be a lifeline for anyone seeking mental health services where cost is a concern or barrier. Talkspace is covered by Medicare in certain states, with more to be added soon.

• Medicare: Serves people 65 years and older and covers various mental healthcare services through the different “parts” of the plan. There are four Parts to Medicare: Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D. Each plays a distinct role in coverage and services. Treatments such as psychotherapy and counseling are generally covered with Medicare therapy coverage. In fact, Talkspace provides online therapy covered by traditional Medicare in select states, with more states to come.

• Medicaid: Serves low-income families and individuals through comprehensive benefits, including therapy, at little to no cost. While Medicaid is government-funded, it also has individual state-level requirements for eligibility and enrollment. For this reason, it’s vital to research your state’s Medicaid program to understand any intricacies related to cost or details of Medicaid therapy coverage.

5. Through HSA or FSA Reimbursement via Superbill

For those with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) or Flexible Savings Accounts (FSAs), superbills can be a convenient way to get reimbursed for therapy or other mental health services. 

To use a superbill for therapy, you pay upfront for sessions. Then, you can be fully or partially reimbursed through your HSA or FSA. These pre-tax accounts help people afford healthcare expenses like copays, appointments, and prescriptions. 

There are some important differences between HSAs and FSAs to be aware of. Primarily, you own an HSA for therapy account and don’t lose the money you put in at the end of each year. FSAs, on the other hand, can be considered more like a line of credit you can borrow against. 

Note that if you don’t spend everything you contribute to an FSA account, in most cases, you’ll lose that money at the end of the year. You can also pay directly for therapy with an FSA card.

6. Through Insurance Reimbursement via Superbill

Superbills — also referred to as Charge Slips, Fee Tickets, or Encounter Forms — can also be submitted to your insurance company to reimburse the cost of therapy. A superbill is an itemized, detailed list of services you receive and have paid out-of-pocket (upfront) for.   

Like using an HSA or FSA account, you can pay for your therapy session and then submit a superbill to your insurance. The superbill document contains critical information your insurance company will need to determine what services are allowed per your benefits and plan structure. 

A superbill will share information like:

• Diagnosis codes — also known as The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) code
• Treatment codes — also known as Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code
• Date(s) of service
• Fee(s) for service(s)
• Provider information
• National Provider Identifier (NPI) number 
• Practice information
• Your (the patient’s) information — date of birth and insurance information

Superbills can be especially beneficial if your insurance provider isn’t a Talkspace partner.  

7. Out-of-Pocket Via Major Debit or Credit Cards

It’s possible — and easy — to get Talkspace therapy without insurance. We make it simple to figure out how to pay for therapy without insurance by taking any major credit card or debit card. Talkspace also accepts domestic and international cards and takes CareCredit when Visa, MasterCard, or American Express is the processor. 

8. Sliding Scale Therapy 

Sliding scale therapy offers an affordable way to get help based on income and other eligibility requirements. In short, the sliding scale approach adjusts the cost for services based on need so that care is more accessible financially.

Mental health providers that offer sliding scale rates have a range of fees for services corresponding to varying income levels. You’ll be asked for proof of income and other financial information before your rate is determined. Being upfront about what you can afford will help a provider get you the help you need at a cost you can afford.

To find a mental health provider who offers a sliding scale option, start with local clinics and community centers. These providers often extend lower-cost services to those who are most in need. Many private practices also offer flexible pricing, so contacting a therapist or provider can be worthwhile if cost prevents you from seeking care.

Ways You Can’t Pay for Talkspace 

Talkspace strives to make therapy as accessible as possible for our members. We take multiple forms of payment and offer several options to make treatment more affordable. However, there are a few payment methods you cannot use for Talkspace therapy. For example, you can’t pay for Talkspace services with:

• PayPal
• Personal or business checks
• ACH payments
• Crypto

Note: Unfortunately, Talkspace no longer accepts gift cards.

Therapy Made Accessible & Affordable Through Talkspace

Talkspace is changing the narrative on mental health. We set out to make the process of getting therapy accessible and affordable, and our convenient and straightforward platform ensures you can connect with a mental health care provider quickly to get started. 

Knowing how to pay for therapy is easy once you understand copays and employer coverage, how to use an EAP, submit superbills to your HSA/FSA or insurance, or pay out-of-pocket with a credit or debit card. With all the options available to you, paying for therapy is the last thing you’ll have to worry about. You’re just a few steps away from getting started on your path toward healing.