Psychotherapy has been shown to help 90% of people who receive it, yet most who would benefit from it don’t go, largely because of the perceived costs.
However, online counseling, a form of telehealth, can cut costs (as much as 50% in some cases), and is now more affordable than ever due to new regulations on insurance reimbursement: you can now search for a therapist, preview their services, have a therapy session, and file your insurance claim, all without ever leaving home.
The American Psychological Association today issued an update on reimbursement of telehealth.
Currently:
-Over 100 private payers reimburse telemental health, with Blue Cross/Blue Shield being a leader.
-Medicare will reimburse live telemental health sessions at in-person rates when the client is in a qualifying location (generally a rural medical office). We’ve also heard they are working to expand these covered scenarios.
-Medicaid leaves telehealth reimbursement policies to its state offices, 35 of which currently reimburse in some form.
-Twelve states require reimbursement of telemental health: California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Virginia.

With these new regulations, it is hoped that more of the 57 million Americans who would benefit from mental health services will be able to access them.