A Complete Guide to Access Therapy With Insurance in the US

Using insurance to pay for therapy sounds simple in theory. Find a therapist that is covered, book a session, pay your copay. In practice, it's full of scary and off-putting terms like "in-network," "deductible," and "out-of-network benefits" that can make the whole process feel confusing before you've even had your first session.

This guide breaks down how insurance coverage for therapy actually works in the US, what your plan may cover, and how to verify your benefits, and also how Ruh Care's Client Care Team makes the process much easier if you're looking for a licensed Muslim therapist who understands your faith and culture as much as your mental health.

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What Is In-Network Therapy Coverage?

"In-network" means your therapist has a credentialed and contracted rate with your insurance company and can bill them directly. You only pay your cost-share for the session, which is a copay, coinsurance, or the portion that goes toward your deductible.

"Out-of-network" (OON) means your therapist isn't credentialed with your specific insurer. You pay the full session fee upfront, and if your plan includes out-of-network benefits, you can submit a claim (often through a superbill) for partial reimbursement.

Three things decide whether a session with a Ruh Care therapist is in-network for you:

1. Your specific plan and insurance carrier. In-network status is tied to your exact plan, not just your insurance company's name and if you have coverage for psychotherapy services.
2. The state you're physically located in during your session. Insurance-based telehealth therapy sessions generally requires you to be in a state your therapist is licensed and credentialed in at the time of the appointment.
3. Whether your matched therapist is credentialed with that plan in that state. Credentialing happens plan by plan and state by state, so a therapist can be in-network with one insurer and still getting credentialed with another.

Ruh Care partners with Headway to handle in-network billing, and with Mentaya to help clients use their out-of-network benefits.

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List of Insurance Providers

Through Headway, Ruh Care therapists can bill the following major carriers directly:

• Aetna
• Anthem BCBS (select states)
• Blue Cross Blue Shield 
• Carelon Behavioral Health
• Cigna
• Curative
• Kaiser Permanente of the Mid Atlantic (VI)
• Point32 Healthcare (MA)
• Oscar
• Oxford
• UnitedHealthcare
• All Optum affiliates

If you don't see your insurance listed, feel free to send the insurance details to Client Care directly and they'll verify and share your coverage details so you're well prepared before booking.

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A note on Medicaid and Medicare: these aren't currently accepted through Headway, so they're not available for direct billing at Ruh Care at this time. For Medicare/Medicaid clients, you're welcome to submit an application for financial assistance to have access to therapy at a sliding scale.

States where Ruh Care is currently live for insurance-based therapy: New York, Texas, Michigan, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Ohio. To use in-network benefits, you'll need to be physically located in one of these states at the time of your session, in addition to carrying one of the plans above.

If your insurer isn't listed, or you're outside these states, that doesn't necessarily rule out coverage. Mentaya looks at your individual out-of-network benefits rather than a fixed list of carriers, so it's worth checking even if you don't see your plan above.

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What Your Insurance May Cover, and How to Verify It

Most plans with mental health benefits cover:

• CPT Code (90834): Individual sessions (under 52 minutes)
• CPT Code (90837): Individual sessions (over 53 minutes)
• CPT Code (90847): Couples sessions 
• CPT Code (90846): Family therapy sessions at standard length (typically 45–60 minutes)
• Virtual sessions are usually covered the same way as in-person visits, unless specifically stated otherwise by your plan. Please check in with your insurance directly to confirm. 

A few things insurance generally does not cover, regardless of your plan:

• Extended 80-minute sessions (these are often adjusted to 50 minutes so they stay covered)
• No-shows and late cancellations are billed at the full session fee

What varies by plan:

• Copay or coinsurance if you're in-network (commonly in the $20–$50 range, though this depends entirely on your plan)
• Deductible and reimbursement percentage if you're using out-of-network benefits; such plans commonly reimburse somewhere between 50–80% of the session fee once your deductible is met
• Whether couples or family sessions are included at all

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How to verify your coverage:

1. Share your details with our Client Care Team: your full legal name, date of birth, insurance provider, member ID, a clear photo of the front and back of your insurance card, and who the primary insured is (yourself, a spouse, or someone else).
2. Our Client Care Team checks your in-network status through Headway, or your out-of-network benefits through Mentaya, and sends you a clear cost estimate before you book.
3. Prefer to check yourself first? Call the member services number on the back of your card and ask specifically about your outpatient mental health or behavioral health benefits, and whether you have in-network or out-of-network coverage.

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Seeking Islamically Aligned Therapy at Ruh Using Your Insurance Coverage

Ruh Care connects you with licensed Muslim therapists across the US who understand both clinical mental health care and the cultural and religious context you bring into the room. You shouldn't have to explain your faith before you can talk about what's actually going on.

Here's how insurance fits into the process once you're ready to get matched:

1. Fill out our matching form to get connected with a therapist.
2. Share your insurance details with our Client Care Team, and we'll review your coverage.
3. We tell you exactly where you stand - whether you're in-network with a specific therapist and your estimated copay, or out-of-network with an estimated deductible and reimbursement rate, before you book anything.
4. If you're in-network: complete your Headway sign-up and create your Ruh Care client profile. You'll only be charged your estimated copay through Headway. Any invoices you see on the Ruh platform for these sessions are auto-generated and can be ignored.
5. If you're out-of-network, or not yet in-network: you can still book with your matched therapist at their standard self-pay rate. We can provide a superbill, or connect you with Mentaya, to help you pursue reimbursement.
6. If you don't have insurance at all and the self-pay rate isn't affordable right now, ask our Client Care Team about our financial assistance program. This program is reserved for clients without any insurance coverage.

A couple of things worth knowing upfront: no-shows and late cancellations are charged in full regardless of your insurance, and 80-minute sessions typically aren't covered, so they may be adjusted to 50 minutes to keep your session within your benefits.

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FAQs

Do you accept my insurance? It depends on your exact plan, the state you're physically located in, and whether your matched therapist is credentialed with that plan yet. Share your insurance details with our Client Care Team and we'll confirm.

What if I have out-of-network benefits instead of in-network? You're not out of options. We'll estimate your deductible and reimbursement rate through Mentaya, so you know roughly what each session will cost once your deductible is met.

What if my insurance isn't accepted, or my therapist isn't credentialed with my plan yet? You can still book at your therapist's standard self-pay rate, and our financial assistance program is available if cost is a barrier and you don't have insurance coverage.

Can I use my insurance if I don't live in New York, Texas, Michigan, Massachusetts, Virginia, or Ohio? Insurance-based sessions generally require you to be physically located in a state your therapist is licensed in at the time of your appointment. We are currently not offering sessions outside of these states, so you’re welcome to check out the Muslim Therapist Directory.

Are extended sessions, no-shows, or late cancellations covered by insurance? No. Insurance typically only covers standard-length sessions (up to 60 minutes), so 80-minute sessions are usually shortened to 50 minutes to stay covered. No-shows and late cancellations are billed at the full fee regardless of your plan.

I have insurance, but my copay is high. Can I still get financial assistance? Our financial assistance program is reserved for clients who don't have any mental health insurance coverage, per our funding guidelines. If your deductible is still being met, your per-session cost should decrease once it's reached.

How does billing actually work after each session? If you're in-network, your copay is charged through Headway, typically within 1–2 weeks after your session and not on the Ruh platform. If you're out-of-network or had a late cancellation, you'll be charged the full amount on the Ruh platform, and a superbill is available on request.

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