How to find a therapist covered by insurance — Talkspace

Although the thought of it can be overwhelming, learning how to find a therapist covered by insurance is easy when you know the ins and outs of the process. It’s also worth taking the time to learn — a little time and effort can save you a bundle by ensuring you find the right therapist or mental health professional while minimizing your treatment expenses.

Even if you don’t have mental health insurance coverage, there are still ways you can find affordable treatment. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about treatment and your health insurance plan — our step-by-step guide makes your search easier by taking the guesswork out of the process. For tips on how to find a therapist who will take insurance, read on.

1. Understand your insurance coverage

When trying to figure out how to find a therapist that is covered by insurance, you need to understand what your health plan covers.

This eliminates any surprise costs after you receive mental health treatment. You can access specific health insurance plan details online or by calling the customer service number on your ID. You can also find information about your health plan coverage, including copayments, printed on your card or through your insurance company’s app.

Tips for understanding coverage details:

• Determine what your pay is — This is the amount you are responsible for paying out of pocket at each visit for a treatment session.
• Know your discount — This is the annual amount you may have to pay before benefits start.
• Understand offline — Providers can be “in-network” or “out-of-network,” meaning they have either worked with your insurance to offer you discounted “in-network” rates or not. This can significantly affect the amount you pay after your insurance coverage is applied. Often going off the grid will be cost prohibitive.
• See the benefits of your plan — Make sure you understand if certain treatment methods, types of treatment, or medications are not covered.

2. Find a list of in-network providers

Knowing how to find a therapist covered by insurance usually means finding an in-network provider, especially if the cost of treatment is a concern. You can access an online directory of insurance companies or see a list of all providers in your network on your insurance website. You can also call your insurance company to see if a therapist is in-network.

It’s important to consider your needs before deciding who you want to work with. Narrow your search by matching the provider’s skills and capabilities with what you want to get out of treatment.

Think about things that may be important to you as you seek care, such as:

• Location
• Specialties such as types of treatment or treatments
• Language preferences
• Genus
• If you want someone who specializes in a specific group or population, such as LGTBQIA+ treatment or adolescent mental health

3. Research Dynamic Therapists

You should always research a mental health provider before working with them. Use online directories, professional association websites, word-of-mouth referrals, online reviews, or referrals from other doctors as a starting point.

Things to consider when looking for potential therapists may include:

• Credentials — Do they have a master’s degree or a doctorate?
• Specialties — Do they focus on anxiety, depression, substance abuse, or family therapy?
• Critics — What others say about their experience with a provider can be very insightful.
• Availability — Sometimes providers aren’t taking new patients, so before you decide to work with one provider over another, it’s worth asking if they’re currently accepting new clients.
• Caring approach — A therapist’s style, approach to care, and treatment preferences can be factors in your comfort level and how much you get out of the procedure. DBT), or other form of therapy.

“Finding a therapist with a similar background or experiences can help during the engagement process. For example, if a mother is struggling with parenting, she can find a relationship with a counselor who is also a parent. If the counselor does not have children, the client may feel that they are not fully understood.”

– Talkspace therapist Dr. Carmen Smith LCSW, DD

4. Contact and verify therapist details

Once you have a short list of potential therapists you might want to work with, it’s time to reach out to each one.

Prepare a list of questions to ask about things like:

• Availability
• Rewards
• Therapeutic approach
• Cancellation and Payment Policies
• Emergency or out-of-hours contact options
• If it is in network with your security
• Cost per session

Verify the in-network status: Even if you believe a therapist is in-network, you should verify with your security that their status has not changed. Check quickly and easily by contacting the customer service number on your ID or connecting to your insurer’s website. It may help if you know the provider’s VAT number to avoid any surprises or unexpected costs after treatment.

If you don’t have insurance: Note, if you don’t have insurance or if you want to work with a specific therapist but they’re not in network, ask about a sliding scale fee option, which means your treatment cost will be based on what they can afford.

What to do if you can’t find an in-network therapist

You may still have options even if you can’t find an in-network therapist. Some plans will help you figure out how to find a therapist covered by insurance, even if you have to go out-of-network. Ask if you have any benefits that allow you to see therapists that aren’t on the list of preferred providers — yes, you’ll incur a higher cost, but the option is nice.

You can also ask your insurance company if they will reimburse you for any part of sessions with out-of-network providers. If so, you will likely need to ask your therapist for detailed receipts to submit to your insurance.

Finally, some therapists offer sliding scale treatment fees that adjust their rates based on what a client can afford, making treatment more accessible and affordable.

In addition to traditional in-person treatment settings, online treatment platforms like Talkspace provide affordable, convenient, accessible mental health services when insurance isn’t enough. Because of the low overhead and efficiency of the technology, Talkspace therapy often costs less than in-person therapy and studies show it is equally effective for most people.

Find online therapists covered by insurance

Knowing how to find a therapist covered by insurance can seem like an uphill battle, but Talkspace has worked hard to simplify and streamline the process. We offer you access to a diverse network of licensed mental health professionals, covered by various insurance providers and accepted by most plans.

Contact us today to see if you can get online treatment covered by your Talkspace insurance.