{"id":39688,"date":"2021-08-24T09:30:46","date_gmt":"2021-08-24T13:30:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=39688"},"modified":"2025-01-28T17:43:08","modified_gmt":"2025-01-28T22:43:08","slug":"therapy-without-insurance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/therapy-without-insurance\/","title":{"rendered":"How to get therapy without insurance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Almost 20% of adults in the United States seek treatment for <\/span>mental health issues<\/span>, with 9.5% receiving some counseling or <\/span>psychotherapy<\/span>, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But for 56% of people, the <\/span>cost of therapy<\/span> is the biggest obstacle to mental health treatment, according to a <\/span>SingleCare survey with Mental Health America<\/span><\/a>. Cost should not be a barrier to getting help. In this article, we outline <\/span>counseling costs<\/span> and strategies to help you find <\/span>low-cost<\/span> or <\/span>free therapy<\/span>.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>RELATED: <\/b>Mental health statistics<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

How much is therapy without insurance?<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cTypically, the <\/span>average cost of therapy<\/span> [without insurance] is somewhere between $100 and $250 [per session],\u201d according to Ashley McGirt, MSW, therapist, author, and the founder of WA Therapy Fund Foundation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Online therapy programs<\/span> are generally less expensive than in-person therapy, depending on what you need and want. And the cost can vary by region. For example, therapy in <\/span>New York<\/span> would generally be more expensive than in Idaho. The <\/span>mental health professional<\/span>\u2019s education, training, or <\/span>specialization<\/span> could also influence <\/span>therapist costs<\/span>\u2014and so does the length of the session.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Most sessions are 45-50 minutes; some can be 30 minutes long while others are 90 minutes or longer, according to<\/span> Roseann Campanna-Hodge<\/span><\/a>, Ed.D., psychologist and founder of The Global Institute of Children\u2019s Mental Health.<\/span><\/p>\n

Does insurance cover therapy?<\/span><\/h2>\n

If you have a <\/span>health insurance plan<\/span>, your <\/span>insurer<\/span> might help pay for <\/span>therapy sessions<\/span>. Most plans offered through <\/span>health insurance<\/span> exchanges through the <\/span>Affordable Care Act<\/span> are required to provide <\/span>mental health coverage<\/span>. Private <\/span>insurance providers<\/span> not under the umbrella of the ACA may offer\u2014but aren\u2019t necessarily required to\u2014mental health benefits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If your plan does cover mental health benefits, the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici <\/span>Mental Health Parity<\/span> and Addiction Equity Act (also known as the <\/span>mental health parity<\/span> law) requires that mental health and addiction coverage is comparable to their physical health coverage, according to the<\/span> American Psychological Association<\/span><\/a>. For example, if you pay a $20 <\/span>copay<\/span> for most physical health visits, your <\/span>copay<\/span> can\u2019t be higher for <\/span>mental health services<\/span>. The law also prevents <\/span>insurance companies<\/span> from placing a firm limit on the number of visits per year. However, they can request a review after a certain number of visits to determine if the care is still needed, or they may require <\/span>prior authorization<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to note that the <\/span>reimbursement<\/span> rates <\/span>insurance companies<\/span> pay therapists is quite low, which is held over from the time before <\/span>mental health parity<\/span> laws. Unlike so many other branches of medicine, a disproportionate number of <\/span>mental health professionals<\/span> simply do not accept insurance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How much does therapy cost with insurance?<\/span><\/h3>\n

How much you will pay for <\/span>mental health care<\/span> depends on your plan and your mental health provider. Some factors that can affect <\/span>health insurance<\/span> payments, according to the American Psychological Association, include:<\/span><\/p>\n