Online Therapy That Takes Medicaid: Your 2026 Options

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program, and the rules are different in each state. States can also contract with private health plans, called managed care organizations, to deliver Medicaid benefits. Online platforms sign contracts with those specific plans, not with Medicaid as a whole.

So the useful question is not “does this app take Medicaid?” but “does it take my plan, in my state?” Here is what each company’s own pages say today.

Online therapy that takes Medicaid at a glance

Ratings are the overall scores we use for each platform across Mindkindly. BetterHelp, Talkspace, and SonderMind are not in the table because they do not take Medicaid.

Does Rula take Medicaid?

Yes, in some states, through select plans. Rula says it accepts Medicaid in many states, with coverage expanding regularly, and its pages for providers describe these as managed Medicaid programs.

Today, the insurance search on Rula’s website lists six Medicaid options: Amerigroup Medicaid, Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Medicaid, Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA) Medicaid, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii Medicaid / QUEST, Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Medicaid, and Kaiser Permanente Southern California Medicaid / Medi-Cal. The search does not say which states the Amerigroup and Blue Cross Blue Shield entries cover, so enter your ZIP code and the exact plan name on your card. Rula gives you a cost estimate before you book.

The honest downside: six plans is a short list, and if yours is not on it, Rula probably is not in network with your Medicaid plan yet. Rula’s FAQ also says it takes Kaiser plans by referral, so if you have Kaiser Medicaid, ask Kaiser how that works before you sign up. Our Rula review covers the rest of the platform.

Does BetterHelp take Medicaid?

No. BetterHelp says providers on its platform do not directly accept Medicaid, Medicare, or TRICARE. Its therapy insurance covers only some commercial plans in select states. Its separate UpLift psychiatry service lists a few other insurers, including AmeriHealth Caritas DC, so if you have that plan and need medication management, ask UpLift.

If you are thinking about paying out of pocket instead, our BetterHelp financial aid guide explains its income-based discount. First, though, check whether a platform or clinic on this page takes your plan.

Does Talkspace take Medicaid?

No. Talkspace’s help center says it currently does not accept Medicaid, and its Medicare guide says Talkspace is not enrolled with Medicaid.

It does take Medicare: its help center says Talkspace therapy is covered by Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage in all 50 states and DC. That matters if you have both (more below).

Other platforms that take some Medicaid plans

Headway: select Medicaid managed care plans

Headway says it accepts select Medicaid managed care plans in some states. Its online therapy page adds that it does not take Medicaid fee-for-service. To check, type “Medicaid” into the insurance box on Headway’s search and look for your plan. You see an estimated cost before you book. If Headway does not support your plan, it suggests searching your insurer’s own provider directory.

Many Headway therapists see patients both by video and in their offices. The honest downside: your state, your exact plan, and a therapist credentialed with that plan all have to line up.

Grow Therapy: managed care plans in 11 listed states

Grow Therapy says you can use Medicaid for therapy through Grow as long as it is contracted in your state. Its help center lists Medicaid managed care plans in California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia, plus Connecticut’s state Medicaid program. It also notes that Florida Medicaid enrollment for its providers is on hold for now, so Florida options may be limited.

Grow says Medicaid can cover video or in-person therapy and psychiatry, depending on where you live, and that most of its clients with Medicaid pay little or nothing out of pocket. Choose your state and plan in its search to confirm. Our Grow Therapy cost guide covers copays and fees.

Brightside: some Medicaid plans

Brightside’s FAQ says it accepts some Medicare and Medicaid plans, and Medicaid appears among the popular plans on its insurance page. Its Medicaid page adds that Brightside checks your Medicaid plan before you sign up and offers care to people aged 13 and up. None of these pages names the Medicaid plans or states it covers, so let that check confirm your plan before you start. Brightside offers therapy, psychiatry, or both.

Platforms that do not take Medicaid

SonderMind: its insurance page says its providers are not currently in network with Medicaid. It also says that, because of regulations, it cannot offer self-pay rates to anyone whose primary insurance is Medicaid. Its general FAQ is vaguer, saying coverage depends on program, state, and plan type, so if you want to be sure, look at the plans shown while booking.

Alma: its help center says Alma does not currently support standalone Medicaid plans. One article says it supports people with both Medicare and Medicaid, but its plan list says it does not accept Medicare or Medicaid plans, so confirm with Alma first. Our guide to what insurance Alma takes has the details.

Cerebral: its support center says it does not accept any state Medicaid plan.

Talkiatry: says it does not take Medicaid at this time, and that self-pay is not available for patients on government plans, including Medicaid and Medicare.

As SonderMind and Talkiatry show, Medicaid can rule out a platform’s self-pay rate as well as its insurance billing, so ask before you sign up anywhere you plan to pay yourself.

Is Medi-Cal Medicaid?

Yes. Covered California says Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid program, giving free or low-cost health coverage to Californians with limited incomes. Everything on this page applies to Medi-Cal plans.

Does Rula take Medi-Cal? Rula’s insurance search names one Medi-Cal plan: Kaiser Permanente Southern California Medicaid / Medi-Cal. If you have a different Medi-Cal plan, enter it in Rula’s search to see whether it comes up. Grow Therapy lists California among its Medicaid managed care states. For Headway and Brightside, search with the exact plan name on your card. Your Medi-Cal plan’s member services line can also tell you which therapists who offer video visits are in network.

Does Medicaid cover online therapy?

It can, but it depends on your state and your plan. Medicaid.gov says states have broad flexibility in how they design telehealth coverage, and the federal government’s telehealth site says Medicaid coverage for telehealth visits can differ depending on where you live.

So ask your plan two things: does it cover therapy by video or phone, and which telehealth providers are in its network?

How to check your Medicaid plan, step by step

Step 1. Find your plan’s name. Look at your Medicaid card. If it shows the name of a health plan, that plan’s network is what counts.

Step 2. Call member services. The number is usually on your card. Ask whether outpatient therapy by video is covered, whether you need a referral, what you will pay per session, and whether a separate company handles mental health benefits. If one does, ask for its number.

Step 3. Ask for in-network therapists who offer video. Use the plan’s online provider directory, or ask member services for a list, and confirm any name you find before you book.

Step 4. Check the platforms by plan name. Enter your exact plan in Rula, Headway, Grow Therapy, and Brightside. If one lists it, confirm your cost before the first session.

Step 5. If nothing fits, go local. A community mental health center or health center may take your plan and offer video sessions (see below).

Our guide to finding a therapist who takes your insurance covers what to ask when you call.

If you have both Medicare and Medicaid

People with Medicare and full-benefit Medicaid are “dually eligible.” Medicare.gov says Medicare pays first for Medicare-covered services and Medicaid pays last. Depending on your level of Medicaid, your state may also pay your share of Medicare costs, such as deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments.

That makes a platform that takes Medicare the natural place to start. Rula accepts Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and it says that if you are dual-eligible, Medicaid may cover your 20% coinsurance and deductibles, so you could pay $0. It checks both during signup. Talkspace and SonderMind take Medicare too, but neither is in network with Medicaid, so ask how any leftover share will be billed. Our guide to online therapy that takes Medicare goes through each platform, and our online therapy by insurance guide compares coverage across insurers.

Free and low-cost options

Community mental health centers. SAMHSA’s FindTreatment.gov is a confidential and anonymous locator for mental health and substance use treatment. You can filter for mental health facilities, for Medicaid, and for telemedicine or telehealth therapy, which can turn up local clinics that see you by video. FindTreatment.gov says there are free and low-cost facilities across the country, and many others accept Medicaid.

Health centers. HRSA-funded health centers are local clinics that treat mental health and substance use needs as well as medical and dental care. They adjust fees based on income and family size, and they must serve everyone, even people who cannot pay. Search HRSA’s Find a Health Center tool to locate one near you.

SAMHSA’s National Helpline. Call 1-800-662-4357 (TTY 1-800-487-4889). It is free, confidential, and open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in English and Spanish. It refers people to local treatment, support groups, and community organizations, and it can often point you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicaid. You can also text your ZIP code to 435748.

For more low-cost routes, see our cheapest online therapy guide.

Common questions

Which online therapy platforms take Medicaid? Rula, Headway, Grow Therapy, and Brightside take some Medicaid plans in some states. BetterHelp, Talkspace, SonderMind, Cerebral, and Talkiatry do not, and Alma does not take standalone Medicaid.

Does SonderMind take Medicaid? No. Its insurance page says its providers are not in network with Medicaid, and it cannot offer self-pay rates if Medicaid is your primary insurance.

Does Headway take Medicaid? It takes select Medicaid managed care plans in some states, but not fee-for-service Medicaid. Search “Medicaid” in its insurance box to see what it supports.

What if my plan is not on any platform? Ask member services for in-network therapists who offer video visits, then try FindTreatment.gov or a local health center. Many local clinics accept Medicaid, and some charge on a sliding scale.

The bottom line

With Medicaid, start with the plan name on your card, not with an app. Rula names six Medicaid plans, including one Medi-Cal plan, Headway takes select managed care plans, Grow Therapy lists managed care plans in 11 states, and Brightside takes some plans. BetterHelp, Talkspace, and SonderMind do not. If none takes your plan, your plan’s member services line, FindTreatment.gov, and local health centers are the most reliable next steps.

Sources

• Rula: online therapy and insurance search
• Rula: Medicare therapists and dual eligibility
• Rula: Medicare and Medicaid for providers
• Headway: online therapy covered by insurance
• Headway Help Center: using insurance on Headway
• Grow Therapy: therapy through Medicaid
• Grow Therapy Help Center: Medicaid availability by state
• Brightside: insurance coverage
• Brightside: Medicaid
• Brightside: FAQs
• BetterHelp: insurance coverage
• Talkspace Help Center: using health insurance benefits
• Talkspace Help Center: understanding Medicare at Talkspace
• SonderMind: insurance coverage
• SonderMind: insurance and payments help
• SonderMind: FAQs
• Alma Support: why Alma does not participate with your plan
• Alma Support: participating insurance plans
• Cerebral Support: Medicaid, Medicare Part B, and federal programs
• Talkiatry: insurance
• Covered California: Medi-Cal
• Medicaid.gov: Medicaid
• Medicaid.gov: telehealth
• Medicaid.gov: managed care
• Telehealth.HHS.gov: how do I pay for telehealth?
• Medicare.gov: Medicaid and dual eligibility
• FindTreatment.gov
• FindTreatment.gov: paying for treatment
• HRSA: what is a health center?
• HRSA: Find a Health Center
• SAMHSA: National Helpline

One important note: if you are in crisis or considering harming yourself, please reach out now. In the US, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Immediate human support is available.