Affordable Care and Coverage
Does Medicare Cover Therapy? What You Pay
Does Medicare Cover Therapy?
Yes. Does Medicare cover therapy? Part B covers individual, group and family psychotherapy, psychiatric evaluation and medication management, and you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the 2026 Part B deductible of $283. Since January 1, 2024, marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors can bill Medicare too. SAMHSA lists 8,330 mental health facilities that accept Medicare (October 2026); search them in the finder.
Medicare covers therapy. Part B pays for outpatient mental health care, Part A pays for care in a hospital, and since 2024 the list of therapists who can bill Medicare has grown to include licensed counselors and marriage and family therapists.
This guide covers what each part pays for, what you pay in 2026, who you can see, and how telehealth works.
Does Medicare Cover Therapy? What Part B Pays for
Part B (Medical Insurance) covers a wide range of outpatient mental health services. Medicare.gov lists:
- Individual and group psychotherapy with doctors or other Medicare-enrolled licensed professionals, as your state allows
- Family counseling, if the main purpose is to help with your treatment
- Psychiatric evaluation and medication management
- Diagnostic tests, and testing to see whether your treatment is helping
- Partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs, for people who need more than a weekly session
- Safety planning if you are at risk of suicide or overdose, and a follow-up call after an emergency room visit for a behavioral health crisis
- Certain FDA-cleared digital mental health treatment devices, including some that treat ADHD, when a qualified provider orders them
- One depression screening each year in a primary care office or clinic
- A review of depression risk at your “Welcome to Medicare” visit, and a chance to discuss mental health changes at your yearly Wellness visit
CMS says covered services must be medically reasonable and necessary for your diagnosis and condition. Medicare doesn’t cover some services, including pastoral counseling, biofeedback training, massage therapy and rides to appointments.
What You Pay for Therapy With Medicare in 2026
With Original Medicare, outpatient therapy works like other Part B care:
| Cost | 2026 amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Part B monthly premium | $202.90 (higher for some incomes) | Medicare.gov |
| Part B yearly deductible | $283 | Medicare.gov |
| Your share of each therapy visit after the deductible | 20% of the Medicare-approved amount | Medicare.gov |
| Yearly depression screening | $0 if your provider accepts assignment | Medicare.gov |
| Hospital outpatient clinic visits | 20% plus a possible extra copayment or coinsurance to the hospital | Medicare.gov |
“Accepts assignment” means the provider takes Medicare’s approved amount as full payment and can’t bill you more than the deductible and coinsurance. Ask about this before your first visit. Every marriage and family therapist and mental health counselor who bills Medicare must accept assignment.
If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, the plan sets your copays and network. Call the number on your card.
Who You Can See: Therapists Who Take Medicare
Medicare.gov lists eight kinds of providers for mental health visits:
- Psychiatrists or other doctors
- Clinical psychologists
- Clinical social workers
- Clinical nurse specialists
- Nurse practitioners
- Physician assistants
- Marriage and family therapists
- Mental health counselors
The last two are new. CMS says that since January 1, 2024, marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors can enroll in Medicare and bill it directly. To qualify, they must be licensed in their state, hold a qualifying master’s or doctoral degree, and have at least 2 years or 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience after the master’s degree. Addiction and alcohol and drug counselors who meet those standards can enroll as mental health counselors.
If a counselor or family therapist told you before 2024 that they couldn’t take Medicare, ask again.
Before you start, confirm the therapist is enrolled in Medicare, and look up their license with your state board. The license lookup guide shows how, and the psychiatrist vs therapist guide explains which professional fits which need.
Telehealth Therapy With Medicare
You can get therapy from home. CMS says Medicare covers telehealth for behavioral and mental health on a permanent basis, including when you are at home. Your provider must be able to offer a two-way video visit, but can use a phone call (audio only) if video doesn’t work for you because of your technology, abilities or preference.
For telehealth more broadly, Medicare.gov says that through December 31, 2027, Medicare covers telehealth services you can get from anywhere in the U.S., including your home. For most telehealth services, you pay the same amount as you would in person: 20% after the deductible.
SAMHSA lists 10,324 mental health facilities that offer telehealth (October 2026). The telehealth therapy guide explains privacy and how to check that a remote therapist is licensed in your state.
Where to Find It: Accepts Medicare by State
SAMHSA's FindTreatment.gov lists 8,330 mental health facilities with this service (accepts medicare) across 53 states and territories, checked October 2026. Pick a state for its facilities, cities and treatment agency.
When Weekly Therapy Isn’t Enough
Some people need more support than one session a week but don’t need a hospital stay. Part B covers two steps in between:
- Intensive outpatient program (IOP): structured care for people a physician finds need at least 9 hours of services a week. Hospitals, community mental health centers, health centers and some clinics offer it.
- Partial hospitalization (PHP): a structured day program that is an alternative to inpatient psychiatric care, with no overnight stay. A physician must certify a need for at least 20 hours of therapeutic services a week. Hospital outpatient departments and community mental health centers run these programs.
Your doctor or therapist can tell you whether one of these fits. CMS says you may pay a share of each provider service plus a daily coinsurance for partial hospitalization. SAMHSA lists 2,161 facilities with partial hospitalization (October 2026).
Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage: What Changes for Therapy
Both versions of Medicare cover the same core mental health services. CMS says Medicare Advantage plans provide the mental health services Part B covers. The differences are practical:
- Original Medicare: you can see a therapist who is enrolled in Medicare and accepts it. You pay the Part B deductible and 20% coinsurance.
- Medicare Advantage: you usually use the plan’s network, and the plan sets your copays. CMS says plans may also offer more telehealth and supplemental benefits that Original Medicare doesn’t, such as counseling for coping with life changes, conflict resolution or grief.
If you have a plan, ask member services three things: which therapists near you are in network, what a therapy visit costs, and whether you need a referral.
Inpatient Psychiatric Care Under Part a
Part A (Hospital Insurance) covers mental health care when you are admitted to a hospital. You can get it in a general hospital or a psychiatric hospital. Part B covers the doctors and other providers who treat you there, and you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for their services.
What you pay for each benefit period in 2026:
- Days 1 to 60: $0 a day after the $1,736 deductible
- Days 61 to 90: $434 a day
- Days 91 to 150: $868 a day while you use your 60 lifetime reserve days
- After day 150: all costs
A benefit period starts the day you are admitted and ends when you have had no inpatient care for 60 days in a row. There’s no limit on the number of benefit periods.
One limit applies only to psychiatric hospitals: Part A pays for up to 190 days of inpatient psychiatric hospital care in your lifetime.
SAMHSA lists 1,021 facilities with hospital inpatient mental health care (October 2026).
How to Find a Therapist or Psychiatrist Who Takes Medicare
- Search the finder. SAMHSA lists 8,330 mental health facilities that accept Medicare and 10,994 that serve older adults (October 2026). Filter by your city.
- Ask your primary care doctor. They can refer you, and the yearly Wellness visit is a good time to raise mood, worry or memory concerns.
- Call and ask two questions: “Are you enrolled in Medicare?” and “Do you accept assignment?”
- If you have Medicare Advantage, use the plan’s directory or member services line to find in-network therapists.
Your state page lists community clinics and crisis lines near you. For a step-by-step approach to the first call, see how to find a therapist.
Lowering Your Share of the Cost
If 20% is hard to manage, you have options:
- Medicaid. If your income is limited, apply for Medicaid as well. HealthCare.gov says to apply even if you don’t think you’ll qualify. See the Medicaid therapy guide.
- Sliding-fee clinics. SAMHSA lists 5,028 facilities with a sliding fee scale. The sliding scale therapy guide explains how they work.
- Community mental health centers. See the community mental health centers guide.
The low-cost care checker matches your state and coverage to the options that fit. If you also have job-based or marketplace insurance, the insurance coverage guide explains your parity rights.
If You or Someone You Love Needs Help Now
Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org, any time. Veterans can press 1 after dialing 988. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. The crisis guide explains what to expect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Medicare Cover Marriage Counseling?
Only in a narrow way. Medicare.gov says Part B covers family counseling if the main purpose is to help with your treatment. Counseling aimed at the relationship itself, rather than at treating a Medicare patient's condition, generally falls outside that rule. The couples therapy guide covers low-cost options.
How Many Therapy Sessions Does Medicare Cover?
Part B covers outpatient psychotherapy when it is medically reasonable and necessary for your diagnosis and condition, which your therapist documents in your record. Part A does set a lifetime limit of 190 days of care in a psychiatric hospital.
Does Medicare Cover a Psychiatrist?
Yes. Part B covers psychiatric evaluation and medication management from psychiatrists and other doctors, as well as nurse practitioners, physician assistants and clinical nurse specialists. You pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the deductible. The psychiatrist vs therapist guide explains the difference.
Is the Yearly Depression Screening Free?
Yes, if your provider accepts assignment. Medicare covers one depression screening a year, done in a primary care doctor's office or primary care clinic that can provide follow-up treatment and referrals.
Do Medicare Advantage Plans Cover Therapy?
Yes. Medicare Advantage plans must cover the mental health services Part B covers, and CMS says they may add benefits such as more telehealth or supplemental counseling for grief or life changes. Your copays and network rules come from the plan, so call the number on your card before you book.
Can I Get Help Paying My Medicare Costs?
If your income is limited, apply for Medicaid; HealthCare.gov says to apply even if you don't think you'll qualify. Sliding-fee clinics can also lower what you pay. See the Medicaid therapy guide and the sliding scale therapy guide.
More on Affordable Care and Coverage
- Free Mental Health CarePublic clinics, sliding-scale fees, and free crisis and peer support
- Sliding-Scale TherapyHow sliding fees work and where to find them
- Community Mental Health CentersPublic mental health centers, CCBHCs and who they serve
- Medicaid and TherapyMedicaid mental health benefits and how to find a provider
- Insurance and ParityThe parity law, networks and how to appeal a denial
- Therapy CostWhat affects therapy cost and ways to pay less
This guide explains mental health care in plain language from official sources. It isn't medical advice; a licensed clinician can assess what care fits your situation.