Short answer: yes. Most major commercial insurance plans — and Medicare — cover appointments with an online psychiatrist the same way they cover an in-person visit. In most of the states we serve, that's not just a plan perk; it's required by state law.

Here's how coverage actually works, and how to find out what your visit will cost before you book anything.

How insurance covers online psychiatry

An online psychiatry visit is billed to your insurance the same way an office visit is. What you pay out of pocket depends on the same three things that apply to any medical appointment:

Network status. Seeing an in-network psychiatrist means your plan's negotiated rate and normal copay apply. Out-of-network visits cost more or may not be covered.
Your copay or coinsurance. Many plans charge a flat copay for behavioral health visits; others charge a percentage (coinsurance) after your deductible.
Your deductible. If you haven't met it yet, you may pay the plan's negotiated rate until you do — which is still usually well below the "list price."

The important point: with an in-network provider, telehealth doesn't change any of this. A video visit is a real medical visit to your insurer.

State laws require plans to cover telehealth

Coverage for online care isn't left to each plan's goodwill. Most of the states we serve have telehealth parity laws on the books:

New York insurance law bars insurers from excluding an otherwise-covered service just because it's delivered by telehealth (NY Insurance Law § 3217-h).
Connecticut requires policies to cover telehealth to the same extent as in-person care (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 38a-499a).
Minnesota requires health plans to reimburse telehealth on the same basis and at the same rate as in-person services (Minn. Stat. § 62A.673).
Michigan has required insurers to cover telemedicine services the same as face-to-face care since 2012 (MCL 500.3476).
Arizona's 2021 telehealth law requires insurers to pay providers at the same level for equivalent services delivered by telehealth (HB 2454).
Illinois insurers regulated by the Department of Insurance were required to cover telehealth services beginning in 2020 (Executive Order 2020-09).

So if your plan covers psychiatric care, in these states it generally has to cover it by video, too.

Does Medicare cover an online psychiatrist?

Yes. Medicare covers telehealth visits — including visits from your own home — through at least December 31, 2027, per Medicare.gov. We accept Medicare at TelepsychHealth.

Which insurance plans does TelepsychHealth accept?

We are in-network with Aetna, Anthem Blue Shield, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, UnitedHealthcare/Optum, Preferred One, and Medicare. The full, current list is on our accepted insurance page.

How do I find out what my visit will cost?

You shouldn't have to guess. We verify your benefits before your first appointment and tell you what your plan covers and what your copay or deductible responsibility will be — before you're ever billed. That's standard for every new patient.

What if I'm uninsured, or my plan isn't in-network?

You can still be seen. We offer clear self-pay rates, and for some people with high-deductible plans, self-pay is genuinely the simpler option. The fastest way to sort out your specific situation is to reach out — our team will walk through your coverage and options with you.

The bottom line

Most commercial plans and Medicare cover online psychiatry like an in-person visit.
In most of our states, parity laws require it.
We check your exact benefits before your first visit, so there are no surprises.

Ready to get started? Request an appointment — we'll verify your coverage as the first step.

Does insurance cover an online psychiatrist?