The 8 Best Online Psychiatry Services That Take Insurance, Tried and Tested

We asked two people to try Talkiatry in New York to test its psychiatry services. Overall, we found it to be an excellent platform with unusually long session times and supportive clinicians who were responsive to our needs. It accepts a wide variety of insurance and in fact only accepts patients with insurance, making the process that much easier for those who need to use their insurance to pay for psychiatric services.

We appreciate that intake sessions (one hour long) and follow-up sessions (30 minutes long) are double the length of other platforms. By ensuring clinicians take their time with patients, Talkiatry proves it's a far cry from a pill mill. We had plenty of time to ask and answer questions, and some parts of the sessions even felt a little like therapy. It was nice that we could message our providers between sessions when we had concerns regarding side effects. Talkiatry impressed us with its ability to treat a wide range of conditions, from PTSD to insomnia to substance use disorder (SUD) and more. We feel confident recommending Talkiatry to our community.

Our experience wasn’t perfect, though. We didn’t like that one of the psychiatrists was late to the session and a bit too clinical for our taste. He didn’t have the warmth and compassion we were looking for. We were able to switch providers, but we had to call customer service to do so, and there was a waiting period to get a match and an even longer wait for a session. We would also like to see Talkiatry ask more questions during intake to match us with the right person so there’s less of a chance of needing to switch.

• Insurance Accepted: Accepts plans from five of the biggest health insurance providers: Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield, Cigna, Optum, United Healthcare, and more; accepts some Medicare plans
• Subscription Required: No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Varies by insurance; you can input your insurance information before signing up to get an estimate of your copay 

We surveyed 100 users of Talkiatry:

• 86% rated Talkiatry as very good or excellent overall
• 87% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 96% said that most or all of their needs were met at Talkiatry
• 95% are likely or very likely to recommend Talkiatry to a friend or someone like them
• 33% said the psychiatric care they received at Talkiatry was better or significantly better than previous experiences with psychiatry/medication management

We asked 11 people to try Talkspace’s individual, couples, and family (parent-child) therapy services in Indiana, Iowa, California, South Dakota, Kansas, Missouri, Florida, North Carolina, Minnesota, and New York. We recommend the platform because of the wide range of therapists and psychiatrists available who treat depression and the multitude of insurance plans it accepts.

Overall, we had positive experiences with good-quality providers. Conversations flowed easily, and our therapists put us at ease when it was clear that we were uncomfortable. We often left sessions feeling optimistic and empowered, seeing our issues in a new light. Sessions usually included a mix of listening and support alongside practical tools and plans of action. While we didn’t try Talkspace’s psychiatry services, we appreciate that you can opt for psychiatry sessions, therapy sessions, or both. Having both options means that you could potentially approach depression from multiple angles, which may be more effective than just therapy or psychiatry alone. 

We didn’t like that a few therapists were late to sessions or seemed distracted. Such an attitude made us feel reluctant to open up and trust the provider. In another case, our therapist seemed to actually talk over us instead of listening to us. The downside to a big platform like Talkspace is that not everyone will be the right fit. You might have to switch once or even a few times. Still, switching providers is pretty straightforward.

• Insurance Accepted: Accepts plans from most major insurers, including Aetna, Cigna, Optum, UnitedHealthcare, Carelon, and Regence; accepts some Medicare plans; doesn’t accept Medicaid
• Subscription Required: No subscription for psychiatry, which is pay-as-you-go; subscription required for therapy
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Varies by insurance; psychiatry/medication management costs $299 for an initial evaluation and $175 for a follow-up session; psychiatry bundles include an initial evaluation and three follow-up sessions for $725 (new members only); follow-up session psychiatry bundles also range from $140 per session for nine sessions to $159 per session for three sessions; a messaging-only therapy subscription plan starts at $69 per week; live therapy plan starts at $99 per week and includes messaging and four live sessions a month; and couples therapy starts a $109 per month.

We surveyed 100 users of Talkspace:

• 92% rated Talkspace as very good or excellent overall
• 89% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 95% said that most or all of their needs were met at Talkspace
• 97% are likely or very likely to recommend Talkspace to a friend or someone like them
• 56% of those using Talkspace for psychiatry/medication management said they were being treated for depression
  

We had four people, from North Carolina, New York, and California, try Brightside Health for individual therapy and found the platform to be an excellent resource for people with anxiety. While we didn’t test the medication management or psychiatry services ourselves, we found the overall quality of clinicians to be outstanding, and we’re thrilled that Brightside specializes in anxiety.

Our providers were experts in anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety, and panic disorder. All had demeanors that made us feel safe, comforted, and cared for. Brightside offered helpful tools like quizzes to track our progress and symptoms, which was a great motivator and helped us learn what affected our mental health and manage those lifestyle habits more clearly. We appreciate that Brightside offers cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a proven method for treating anxiety, in addition to psychiatry. This therapeutic approach resonated with us, as it helped us break down thought patterns that may trigger anxious responses.

We weren’t happy, however, about prepaying for sessions and then having our provider booked for weeks. Switching clinicians wasn’t a fast process either, and when you’ve got anxiety, long delays can really impact your mental well-being. Another time, a provider was late to a session and seemed distracted. Unfortunately, both issues aren’t all that uncommon across mental health platforms.

• Insurance Accepted: Cigna (all states except Minnesota), Aetna, Allegiance, UnitedHealthcare, Ambetter (all states, except Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin), Anthem CA, Blue Shield of CA, Blue Cross Blue Shield (of Montana, Illinois, Texas only), PEHP (Utah only), Florida Blue, Meritain; accepts Medicare and Medicaid in some states; accepts HSA/FSA payments
• Subscription Required: Yes
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Varies by insurance; medication-only plan is $95 per month plus your pharmacy co-pay; therapy-only plan is $299 per month, which includes one session per week; additional therapy sessions can be purchased for $59 each; medication and therapy plan is $349 per month

We surveyed 100 users of Brightside:

• 88% rated Brightside as very good or excellent overall
• 94% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 93% said that most or all of their needs were met at Brightside
• 99% are likely or very likely to recommend Brightside to a friend or someone like them
• 71% of those using Brightside for psychiatry/medication management said they were being treated for anxiety

We asked five people to try Teladoc for individual therapy from Missouri, New York, Texas, and Ohio and found it to be a great resource for experienced, professional mental health providers. While we didn’t try Teladoc for psychiatry, we’re comfortable recommending the platform because of its high clinician quality, flexible scheduling, and the fact that it offers both mental and physical healthcare options—making it perfect for people who need treatment for both kinds of conditions.

The selection of providers at Teladoc was impressive. We loved that we could choose our own, and after going through several filters, we saw a pretty wide range of experienced providers. Having the ability to be super-specific with our needs and yet have a wide range of clinicians to choose from could be very helpful for people struggling with the complexities of co-morbid (co-occurring) conditions. You can receive psychiatric help for concerns like depression, ADHD, anxiety disorders, phobias, adjustment disorders, trauma, PTSD, and OCD. Outside of mental health, the company’s offerings include primary care, pediatric care, dermatology, and nutritional counseling. This means that people with comorbid or chronic conditions—whether mental, physical, or both—can work with Teladoc to access ongoing care in a variety of areas. 

Flexible scheduling is a great feature at Teladoc—we found that nights and weekend sessions weren’t hard to get, which is great for busy working people. But we did have an issue with one therapist, who ended a 50-minute-long session after only 30 minutes. Another time, our provider made a last-minute cancellation literally minutes before the session. These issues are fixable by switching providers, but we’d have liked to avoid them altogether.

• Insurance Accepted: Accepts many insurance plans, including major providers like Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, and some Medicare and Medicaid plans
• Subscription Required: No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Varies by insurance; If you’re paying out-of-pocket, the pricing is up to $299 for the initial psychiatry consultation and up to $129 per session for follow-ups; therapy appointments are up to $119 per session

We surveyed 100 users of Teladoc:

• 94% rated Teladoc as very good or excellent overall
• 89% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 94% said that most or all of their needs were met at Teladoc
• 98% are likely or very likely to recommend Teladoc to a friend or someone like them
• 30% said they were using Teladoc for psychiatry or medication management services

We tested individual therapy at LiveHealth Online from California and Ohio and found it to be a great resource with highly experienced providers, many with over a decade of experience, within an easy-to-use, intuitive platform. The company stands out because of its network of providers who can treat complex conditions and mood disorders, including bipolar disorder.

Unlike many competing online psychiatry platforms, LiveHealth Online has board-certified psychiatrists who specialize in diagnosing and treating people with bipolar I or II. You can choose your own provider, which makes it easier to connect with someone who has directly relevant experience. And LiveHealth Online works with some major insurance providers and health plans and accepts Medicaid, making specialized treatment for those living with bipolar disorder that much more accessible and affordable.

We liked that the website was exceptionally user-friendly and that we could schedule right from the app anytime we wanted. Providers were trained in delivering online care, which made the video experience seamless and free from the technical errors found on other platforms that can sometimes disrupt sessions. It was great to see night and weekend availability for many providers, but unfortunately, those spots were hard to snag and required scheduling weeks in advance.

• Insurance Accepted: Yes, including most Anthem BlueCross and BlueShield plans, Anthem BlueCross, BlueCross and BlueShield of Georgia, Empire BlueCross and Empire BlueCross Blue and Shield health plans; accepts Medicaid
• Subscription Required: No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Varies by insurance; out-of-pocket costs are $185 for an initial consultation with a psychiatrist and $80 for each subsequent visit; talk therapy sessions are $85 to $100, depending on your therapist’s level of experience.

We surveyed 100 users of LiveHealth Online:

• 90% rated LiveHealth Online as very good or excellent overall
• 94% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 98% said that most or all of their needs were met at LiveHealth Online
• 98% are likely or very likely to recommend LiveHealth Online to a friend or someone like them
• 33% of those using LiveHealth Online for psychiatry/medication management said they were being treated for bipolar disorder

We tested Doctor on Demand's individual therapy services and teen psychiatry services from Pennsylvania, as well as individual therapy services from North Carolina and New York. We found our clinicians to be experienced and compassionate, both critical qualities for someone treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Plus, clinicians used a variety of techniques that would be helpful for those struggling with PTSD.

We loved that our providers were on time, prepared, and attentive, something we don’t always see on other platforms. We also appreciated our teen's provider’s transparency, as they let us know right away that they didn’t specialize in kids (since our son was 15, it wasn’t a big deal to us). That sort of openness goes a long way in building trust. Clinicians offered emotionally sensitive support alongside practical advice that we could use in daily life. We appreciate this strategy of empowering patients with tools they can use when symptoms arise. 

It was great to see clinicians using a wide range of techniques, including breathing exercises, to calm symptoms like anxiety (which can often crop up when living with PTSD). Education can help assure those living with PTSD that what they’re experiencing is normal, while breathing techniques are among the most effective and simple techniques for healing PTSD’s hallmark nervous system dysregulation.

• Insurance Accepted: Doctor on Demand accepts most major insurance plans, including BlueCross BlueShield, UnitedHealthcare/Optum, Humana, and Medicare; FSA/HSA accepted
• Subscription Required: No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Varies by insurance; an appointment with a psychologist is $134 for a 25-minute session and $184 for a 50-minute session; it's $299 for an initial 45-minute consultation with a psychiatrist and $129 for 15-minute follow-ups.

We surveyed 100 users of Doctor on Demand:

• 88% rated Doctor on Demand as very good or excellent overall
• 91% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 95% said that most or all of their needs were met at Doctor on Demand
• 97% are likely or very likely to recommend Doctor on Demand to a friend or someone like them
• 34% said they were using Doctor on Demand for psychiatry or medication management

We had two people test Mindful Care in New York for individual and group therapy, and while we didn’t test it for substance use disorder, its comprehensive approach to addiction support gives us the confidence to recommend it. Mindful Care adopts a “whole-person” approach to substance use by offering medication-assisted treatment and psychiatric urgent care both in-person and online and including individual therapy, group therapy, and substance use counseling. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for substance use disorders might include the prescription of naltrexone for alcohol use or buprenorphine for opioid use.

We appreciate that Mindful Care offers same-day appointments and has very responsive providers. The last thing someone needs when they’re in the midst of a craving is to have long session delays or wait for days to get a provider response. The vibe in the group therapy sessions was really nice—it felt like a safe space to share our struggles confidentially. 

We love that Mindful Care has an online Mindful Recovery program with group therapy, care navigation, and MAT for people with alcohol use disorder or opioid use disorder. We didn’t like our microtherapy sessions (20 minutes long), however, as they were too rushed, and we don’t recommend them for those struggling with addiction.

• Insurance Accepted: Yes, in-network with many insurance providers, including Aetna, Humana, Oxford Health Plans, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare; accepts some Medicare plans; though group therapy might not be covered by insurance
• Subscription Required: No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Varies by insurance; self-pay for psychiatry or addiction recovery with medication-assisted treatment is $175 for an initial evaluation (40 minutes) and $75 for follow-up appointments (20 minutes); recovery microtherapy appointments are $50 for 20 minutes; therapy (individual or group) is $150 for an initial evaluation and then $50-$100 for individual session (20 or 40 minutes) or $35 for group sessions

We surveyed 100 users of Mindful Care:

• 83% rated Mindful Care as very good or excellent overall
• 86% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good, or excellent
• 90% said that most or all of their needs were met at Mindful Care
• 96% are likely or very likely to recommend Mindful Care to a friend or someone like them
• 12% said they were seeking treatment from Mindful Care for substance use issues

We asked six people to test LifeStance Health in Illinois, New York, Florida, Oregon, Missouri, and Ohio and found it to be a solid platform with professional, confident, and empathetic counselors who treat a wide variety of needs. Given that it has providers who are trained to treat more complex disorders, we recommend it for people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

On the whole, we loved our providers. They were professional, caring, and supportive, making us feel relaxed and safe in their presence. Building trust felt natural, and virtual sessions felt so smooth, they were comparable to in-person ones. We were happy to see that LifeStance Health offers a wider variety of specialized treatment options than many of its competitors do—including treatment specifically for OCD that is covered by a broad range of insurance plans. 

We did have an issue with one of our providers, who was late, distracted by her pet, and came across as unsure of herself. Her demeanor made us lose confidence in her and her ability to help us. Signing up with LifeStance Health means that, like with many other platforms, there’s a chance you’ll get someone you don’t click with. We also didn’t like that weren’t able to see the self-pay rate ahead of time and had to wait for a bill after the session.

• Insurance Accepted: Yes, accepts most insurance plans, including Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield, Cigna, Carelon, and Humana
• Subscription Required: No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Varies by insurance and doesn’t list its exact prices until you sign up and check on your insurance coverage

We surveyed 100 users of LifeStance Health:

• 77% rated LifeStance Health as very good or excellent overall
• 84% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 95% said that most or all of their needs were met at LifeStance Health
• 89% are likely or very likely to recommend LifeStance Health to a friend or someone like them
• 61% said they were a parent or guardian
• 31% said they were using LifeStance Health for psychiatry or medication management services