Does BetterHelp Take Insurance? (2024)
No. BetterHelp does not take insurance directly and you can’t submit a claim to your insurance company for their services.
The good news is if you don’t want to use insurance (or don’t have insurance), BetterHelp’s rates may be more affordable than what you’d pay to see an out-of-network provider.
What Discounts Are Available for BetterHelp?
You can get 20 percent off your first month by clicking the link below:
How Much Is BetterHelp Without Insurance?
BetterHelp bills every 4 weeks and costs $65-$100 per week, prior to any offers, discounts, or financial aid. Your exact cost will depend on several factors such as where you live. To see you actual cost, follow the sign-up quiz (there is no obligation to join).
PRO TIP
BetterHelp offers income-based financial aid. If you qualify for financial aid, it can reduce your cost significantly.
To apply for financial aid, follow this link. When you enter your payment details, look for the “Apply for Financial Aid” link and click it. Next, answer a few questions about your income and ability to pay.
Any discount you receive is instant and based on a good-faith representation of your finances.
Note that you get the most value out of your BetterHelp subscription if you get weekly video sessions (which is our recommended way of using BetterHelp).
How Is Choosing a BetterHelp Therapist Different From Choosing an In-Network Therapist?
Finding a therapist who’s a good match takes at least a little bit of research no matter where you’re looking or how you’re paying. You’ll nearly always get a better match if you compare a few therapist profiles before you choose a therapist.
If you want to use insurance, the easiest way to find an in-network therapist is to use your insurance plan’s website. When you log in, the site will have your plan information on your profile and will usually provide a search engine you can use to find therapists who accept your plan.
However, even if your insurance plan’s website is easy to use (not all of them are), it’s easy to run into frustrations. You may end up calling or emailing several in-network therapists before you find one who has availability. It can be even more difficult to find an in-network therapist who matches your therapist preferences.
Pro Tip!
The easiest way to find a therapist who’s a good match on BetterHelp is to click on “Find a Therapist” at the bottom of their page and enter your zip code into their search engine. That will take you to a list of profiles for BetterHelp therapists who are serving your area. You won’t need to call and leave messages checking availability—getting started is as easy as a few clicks.
One of the best perks you get on BetterHelp is how easy it is to change therapists. If your therapist isn’t a great fit, you can simply click “Change Therapists” to get started with a new one. You can do this as many times as you like.
Is BetterHelp FSA Eligible?
BetterHelp is an eligible FSA (flexible spending account) expense.
Flexible spending accounts are special accounts offered by some employers that can help you save on healthcare expenses. You decide how much money to set aside and that money is deducted from your paycheck and put into your FSA without any taxes taken from it.
If you believe you may benefit from an FSA, you can ask your employer if they offer one.
Is BetterHelp HSA Eligible?
BetterHelp is an eligible HSA (health savings account) expense. Health savings accounts are similar to flexible spending accounts. You put income into them and withdraw it for eligible healthcare expenses without paying any taxes on it (though you are subject to taxes and fees if you withdraw income from your HSA to pay for anything other than healthcare expenses).
It is possible to have an HSA even if your employer does not offer one. Whether you qualify depends on whether you have an HSA-eligible health insurance plan. If you believe you may benefit from an HSA, you can check with your insurance plan to see if you’re eligible for one.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't BetterHelp take insurance?
BetterHelp doesn’t take insurance because it isn’t compatible with their platform and the billing model they use.
However, BetterHelp therapists aren’t the only therapists who don’t accept insurance. Because of low reimbursement rates and onerous, time-consuming paperwork, many therapists opt out of participating in insurance networks and take private pay clients only. BetterHelp is one way some therapists try to connect with more clients than they could with a private practice alone.
Another reason many therapists choose not to take insurance is because insurance requires them to give clients a diagnosis before they can get reimbursed. Some therapists find this and other insurance requirements too restrictive, if not completely incompatible with the way they practice therapy.
Seeing clients through BetterHelp avoids this problem. BetterHelp doesn’t require therapists to diagnose clients. In fact, they don’t allow it! BetterHelp explicitly disclaims use of their platform “for the provision of clinical diagnosis.” While this restriction has its downsides, especially for clients who want to use insurance or to get a diagnosis, the upside is that it fits better with the way many therapists work.
Is BetterHelp in-network?
BetterHelp is not in-network with any health insurance plan. It is a subscription-based platform that isn’t compatible with the way insurance claims are billed. That’s the bad news: you can’t use insurance to cover BetterHelp.
The good news is that BetterHelp can be an affordable alternative when you don’t have insurance or when you can’t find a therapist who’s a good match in your insurance plan’s network. It can also be a good option when you have insurance, but your plan isn’t as affordable as you’d like because you have a high deductible or other barriers to care.
Does BetterHelp take Kaiser?
BetterHelp doesn’t accept Kaiser or any other insurance plan. Even if your Kaiser plan offers out-of-network benefits, you can’t use them to cover services received through BetterHelp.
However, BetterHelp may still be an affordable way to access therapy, as it typically offers lower rates for weekly sessions than you’d pay out of pocket to see an out-of-network therapist.
Does BetterHelp take Cigna?
BetterHelp doesn’t take Cigna or any other insurance plan. Even if you have out-of-network benefits with Cigna, you can’t use them to cover BetterHelp.
However, paying for BetterHelp is often more affordable than paying to see private-practice therapists who are out of network.
Does BetterHelp take Aetna?
BetterHelp doesn’t accept any plans offered by Aetna (or any other insurance companies). Even if your Aetna plan provides coverage for out-of-network mental health providers, Aetna will not reimburse you for any services you receive through BetterHelp.
However, you may still find that BetterHelp is more affordable than paying out of pocket to see an out-of-network mental health provider, so we recommend doing some research and comparing your options.
Does BetterHelp take Tricare?
BetterHelp does not accept Tricare or any other form of health insurance. While Tricare does cover teletherapy, it only covers providers who are in-network with Tricare, and BetterHelp is not in-network with Tricare (or any other insurance plan).
However, BetterHelp does give you income-based discounts that can make it an affordable option. It also offers a free month of therapy to all veterans.
Does BetterHelp accept Medicaid?
BetterHelp doesn’t accept Medicaid or any other public or private insurance plan. However, BetterHelp does offer income-based financial aid. If you qualify for Medicaid based on your income, you probably also qualify for financial aid through BetterHelp. You can apply for financial aid when you sign up.
Does BetterHelp accept Medicare?
BetterHelp doesn’t accept Medicare or Medicaid or any other government- or employer-sponsored health plans. They do offer income-based financial aid, though. If you think you might qualify, you can apply during sign-up. Even if you don’t, it can be worth comparing the convenience and quality of match between therapists covered by Medicare and therapists you could see on BetterHelp.
Does BetterHelp take medical insurance?
BetterHelp doesn’t take medical insurance of any kind. It doesn’t matter whether you have a military, employer-based, public or private insurance plan; BetterHelp simply doesn’t take it.
That’s the bad news. The good news is that BetterHelp provides an affordable alternative when you don’t have insurance, when you have expensive deductibles that make your insurance hard to use, or when there aren’t any in-network therapists who are a good match for you.
Is BetterHelp free with insurance?
BetterHelp is not free with insurance. Having insurance does not impact the cost of BetterHelp in any way. However, BetterHelp does offer income-based financial aid. You can apply for a discounted rate when you complete the BetterHelp sign-up questionnaire.
Does BetterHelp require insurance?
One of the benefits of BetterHelp is that you don’t have to have insurance to get it. Having insurance doesn’t affect your eligibility for BetterHelp or your subscription cost in any way. Many people who don’t have insurance find BetterHelp to be an affordable and convenient way to see a therapist compared to other options they have locally.