Investing in therapy can seem like a big commitment, both monetarily and in terms of time and energy. Many folks are still unaware, however, that some insurance providers cover mental health services — and access to telehealth — helping to alleviate the financial burden. This added coverage comes at an especially important time when the ravages of coronavirus have forced many to forego treatment for mental health issues predating the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as for new challenges arising after its onset.
Fortunately, many insurance providers have put their full support behind digital health services — for both physical and mental health care — during this mental health emergency. The ability to access vital care from the safety of your home via telehealth is vital during this uncertain and unsettled period.
Think about it — with all the stress and chaos we’ve experienced recently, it would likely be a relief to get some of those overwhelming thoughts off your chest. Maybe you’re having trouble sleeping, battling nerves regarding job stability, or having all-consuming thoughts about the virus. Regardless of the particular challenge you’re facing, talking to a licensed therapist will help you work through your feelings of distress and turn them into actionable coping strategies. Therapy can help you improve and maintain your mental health, and with online therapy, that prospect becomes convenient and accessible for everyone.
The top two factors that most often keep us from seeking the help we need, however, tend to be insurance eligibility and cost. Throw in the fact we’re living through a pandemic — eliminating many face-to-face appointments —and we have a third massive barrier to mental health care.
Luckily, Talkspace has you covered! As the global leader in digital behavioral health, we now cover 40 million Americans with eligible insurance plans.
With the help of our partner Michael Phelps, we’re spreading the word that you may have valuable access to mental health care without even knowing it.
“I have really good news for 40 million Americans; 40 million people who might struggle with their mental health, just like I do,” says Phelps. “I’m proud to announce that Talkspace online therapy now covers 40 million people through their health insurance or employer.”
Does Insurance Cover Talkspace?
A recent survey by Qualtrics and Talkspace showed that 60% of Americans ages 18-49 believe that their insurance covers in-person mental health services, but only 20% think that their insurance would cover telemedicine services such as online therapy. These startling statistics are of course backgrounded by the shadow of the pandemic, which has increased mental distress by as much as three times, and thus seriously increasing the need for mental health care.
That’s why it’s so important to spread the word that Talkspace is covered by the nation’s largest health insurers, companies like: Cigna, Anthem, Aetna Student Health, Optum, Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield, Medicare, TRICARE, and more. Coverage is also offered through employers, educational institutions, and other large member organizations. Tens of millions of those who need help are very likely eligible to receive it.
This expanded coverage — providing a lifeline to millions of Americans — is taking place at a critical juncture as we prepare for fall, the return to school, and a potential second wave. We’re only now beginning to grapple with and understand the long-term mental health impacts that may linger long after the physical suffering from the disease has abated.
Studies have found that half of those who have received hospital treatment for the coronavirus have indicated that, even a month after recovering from physical symptoms, the lingering psychiatric impacts of the disease persist. Being able to access convenient, thoughtful, and professional care from licensed therapists — any time, anywhere — is of critical importance right now.
How to Access Talkspace Through Your Insurance Provider
While the world feels like it’s on it’s head and most of us have been gripped by anxiety, uncertainty, and fear, Talkspace has been working diligently to broaden critical access to mental health care. It’s critical that those who need support receive it — no evidence is more telling than the fact that the ranks of Talkspace users have more than doubled over the previous year since the onset of the pandemic.
To find out if your insurance covers Talkspace and you can get the mental health care you need just follow these simple steps:
- Check your insurance eligibility. You’ll enter your insurance details to see whether you’re covered and what you can save.
- Take a brief assessment. You’ll have to answer a few brief questions to get started.
- Choose your therapist. You select your therapist from a list of those who specialize in the challenges that you need help with.
- Start therapy. Once you select your therapist you’ll be on your way, a journey toward a happier, healthier you.
What if I’m insurance eligible but already pay for Talkspace?
To add your coverage to your existing account please ask your current therapist to send you our eligibility questionnaire. Once you receive this survey, click “Get Started” and enter your employer or college; the survey will walk you through the process of getting started with your coverage. Once you have made a new “room” using your insurance coverage, let customer support ([email protected]) know and they can proceed with closing out your self-paying service.
If you have any trouble matching with your original provider, customer support can help you with the switch. Please note that selecting a therapist will occur at the end of the process.
Don’t Wait to Get the Help You Need
It’s an unprecedented time and it’s important to get the help you need; delaying treatment often only exacerbates the suffering of those struggling with their mental health. “We are living in the worst mental health crisis of our lifetime, where we experience political, social, and financial stressors daily,” Talkspace founder and CEO, Oren Frank, opined recently. “People need same-day access to care right now, and our hope with this campaign is to educate the public around the options available to them for more affordable mental health care.”
Remember, there’s no shame in seeking help, and certainly not when so many of us need it. And now, thanks to Talkspace’s expanded insurance coverage, you and 40 million American can access it.
Talkspace articles are written by experienced mental health-wellness contributors; they are grounded in scientific research and evidence-based practices. Articles are extensively reviewed by our team of clinical experts (therapists and psychiatrists of various specialties) to ensure content is accurate and on par with current industry standards.
Our goal at Talkspace is to provide the most up-to-date, valuable, and objective information on mental health-related topics in order to help readers make informed decisions.
Articles contain trusted third-party sources that are either directly linked to in the text or listed at the bottom to take readers directly to the source.
