Online therapy covered by insurance

Health plans are required by law to cover mental health care costs comparably to physical health care, meaning online therapy costs should be similar to other medical costs under your plan. Whether that includes online therapy depends on your plan.

Headway is in-network with most major commercial plans, plus select Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Medicaid Managed Care plans. You can verify your coverage and see your estimated cost before booking.

Online therapy works similarly to in-person therapy. You’ll meet with a licensed therapist for regular sessions, but do so remotely over video. Your therapist must be licensed in the state where you’re physically located when you attend the session.

In many cases, you can find an appointment within days of signing up, though availability varies depending on your location, insurance plan, and which providers are currently accepting new patients.

Online therapy, telehealth therapy, virtual therapy, and online counseling all refer to the same thing: licensed mental health care delivered remotely by video.

Research consistently shows that online therapy is just as effective as in-person therapy for most mental health concerns, including anxiety and depression.

Look for a provider who is in-network with your insurance plan, licensed in your state, and has experience with the concerns you want to address. Communication style matters a lot as well – the fit between you and your therapist is one of the strongest predictors of staying in care and making progress.

On Headway, enter your insurance plan and ZIP code to see in-network providers who provide care in your state and are accepting new patients.

From there, answer a few questions about what you want to work on and what kind of support feels right for you, and we’ll match you with providers who fit. You can filter by specialty, availability, and more, and you’ll see your estimated cost before you book.

Some providers also offer a no-cost 15-minute phone consultation – a low-pressure way to get a feel for someone before committing to a first appointment.

Yes. Many therapists on Headway offer both virtual and in-office appointments. You can filter by session format when searching, and talk to your provider about switching between online and in-person care as your needs and schedule change.

Sessions take place over a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform designed to protect your health information.

Headway accepts select Medicaid Managed Care plans in some states, not Medicaid fee-for-service. Availability varies by plan and state; search "Medicaid" in the insurance dropdown or verify your coverage during sign-up.

Headway accepts select Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans, which is not the same as Original Medicare. Headway doesn’t accept Original Medicare (Parts A/B) or Medigap on their own. Search "Medicare" in the insurance dropdown to check your specific plan.

Yes. In addition to therapy, Headway offers access to psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners who can evaluate and diagnose mental health conditions and, when clinically appropriate, prescribe and manage medication. You can search for psychiatric care and filter for medication management, then narrow results by insurance, location, and availability.

Yes, for select EAP carriers. Headway currently accepts Optum/UnitedHealthcare EAP, Cigna EAP, and certain Anthem EAPs. If your EAP is through a different carrier (such as ComPsych, Modern Health, or Resources for Living), it can’t be used on Headway.

EAP benefits are separate from your primary insurance and are designed for short-term, solution-focused care, typically 3–12 sessions per issue per year, at no cost to you. Once your EAP sessions are used up, you can continue care using your primary insurance.