Is BetterHelp Covered by Insurance? Costs, Plans to Coverage, and More

How much does BetterHelp cost?

BetterHelp operates on a subscription model. This means your fee covers multiple sessions and other communication with your counselor.

The fee ranges from $65–$95 per week and is billed monthly. You’ll be charged between $240 and $320 per month, payable via a credit card or PayPal. You can also use a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA) card.

BetterHelp allows you to change counselors for any reason or cancel your subscription at any time.

The subscription includes the ability to text your counselor at any time and have one live weekly video or phone call session with your counselor.

BetterHelp financial aid

BetterHelp offers flexible pricing plans that are comparable with the copays of many insurance plans, but they may not be affordable for everyone.

Financial aid is available. BetterHelp will ask you to fill out a short survey about your employment status and monthly income to check your eligibility. You may have to submit your income tax return or other documentation to show your financial status.

To find out more information, it’s best to call billing and customer service directly.

Finding counseling that’s covered by insurance

If you have health insurance, there’s a good chance your policy covers at least some mental health services. If you want to use your insurance rather than pay out of pocket for a service like BetterHelp, here’s what you can do.

Check your insurance plan for mental health coverage

To find out what your plan covers, you can:

1. Ask the mental health professional you want to work with to find out if your insurance is in their network.
2. If applicable, check with your company’s human resources department.
3. Log in to your online account and look to see what your insurance covers.
4. Call your insurance provider and ask what they cover.

In some cases, you’ll need to obtain preauthorization to obtain coverage. Other insurers require you to pay a deductible before they pay any claims. Deductibles can be quite high, so be sure to ask your insurance company.

Determine your deductible and copays

A deductible is how much you have to spend for health services that are covered by your insurance before your insurance company pays for anything.

With some types of plans, you might have a low monthly health insurance cost, or premium, each month but a high deductible. This means you must spend more on healthcare that qualifies for insurance payments before being covered by your plan.

In other cases, your monthly insurance premium may be higher but your deductible is lower. This means you have to spend less on healthcare per year before your insurance coverage kicks in.

Your plan likely also has copays, which is the amount you pay for each visit to a healthcare professional. These are often around $20–$40, but they can vary.

Find a counselor covered by your insurance

Once you know what your plan covers, it’s time to find a therapist. To find a therapist, check out one or more of the following resources:

• your insurance plan’s list of mental health professionals
• referrals from healthcare professionals, family, and friends
• trustworthy online databases, such as the American Psychological Association’s psychologist locator or the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy’s therapist locator
• local options, including community mental health or behavioral health clinics, and other organizations such as colleges, advocacy groups, religious groups, and nonprofits
• Healthline’s FindCare resource

What about FSAs and HSAs?

FSAs and HSAs can help you save money on health expenses, including some online counseling services.

Ask your employer whether they offer an FSA or HSA. Not all employers offer these tax-saving tools for health expenses.

Other affordable counseling options and tips

If you don’t have health insurance (or even if you do), here’s what you can do to access affordable mental health care.

Try online counseling

While online therapy isn’t for everyone, it does have some advantages. For one, it tends to be less expensive than paying for counseling out of pocket.

Some people also find it more convenient than visiting a counselor in person.

BetterHelp is just one of many online therapy options out there. Talkspace, Regain, and Amwell offer comparable services.

Look for sliding-scale healthcare professionals

Some mental health professionals offer what’s known as a sliding-scale payment for their services. If you’ve found a counselor you want to work with but can’t pay their fee, it doesn’t hurt to ask — respectfully — about a sliding-scale payment option.

This means the fee will be based on your income, usually between $75 and $175 per session. The lower your income, the less you pay. Be aware that you’ll likely have to show documentation to prove your annual income.

You can search for a sliding scale therapist using one of the following search tools:

• FindTreatment.gov
• Find a Health Center
• Therapy Aid Coalition (currently only serving certain communities)

Join a local support group

Support groups are a more affordable in-person therapy option. Many support groups are free to attend. The National Alliance on Mental Illness offers peer-led support groups in cities across the country.

One benefit is that joining a support group will allow you to connect with others who are managing similar concerns and challenges, like substance use disorders, depression, or chronic health conditions.

Try an educational institution or training center

Most therapists have to undergo a substantial amount of training before they obtain certification. As a result, many training institutions offer free or reduced-cost therapy services provided by counselors or clinicians in training before they obtain their licenses and other certifications.

These services are often available in universities and colleges that offer advanced degrees in psychology, social work, or counseling. Students are supervised by a licensed mental health professional with experience in a particular area of mental health treatment.

Check out community mental health centers

You might be able to find a free or low cost therapy option provided at a local mental health center. These services are often covered by Medicaid. To find one, contact your state health department, or use an online search engine to look for community mental health centers in your area.

What to do if you’re in crisis

To talk with someone right now, try calling one of the following 24/7 crisis lines:

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Dial 988.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline: Call 800-662-4357.
• Samaritans Crisis Hotline: Call 212-673-3000.
• YouthLine: Call 877-968-8491.
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: Call 800-799-7233.

Text-based options are also available. These include:

• 988 Lifeline Chat and Text
• Crisis Text Line (from the United States and Canada, text “HOME” to 741741)

It takes courage to reach out for help. If you want to seek help but you’re not sure where to start, you can also contact your doctor or another healthcare professional.

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself or someone else, call 911 or local emergency services or go directly to your nearest emergency room.

Frequently asked questions about insurance and BetterHelp

The takeaway

BetterHelp is an online, subscription-based therapy service. It’s one of many therapy options you can access online. BetterHelp is not covered by health insurance, but it does offer financial assistance.

If you’re looking to use health insurance, check with your insurance company on coverage first, so you’ll be aware of the costs. You can also consider other options, such as doing group therapy, finding a therapist locally, or trying one of the other online counseling services available.