Talkspace takes TRICARE in both the East and West regions, and Talkspace says the average TRICARE member copay is $0. If you live in the West Region, Rula and SonderMind take TRICARE too. BetterHelp does not accept TRICARE. Active duty service members need a referral first; family members and retirees usually do not. For short-term, non-medical counseling, Military OneSource is free.
TRICARE covers mental health care by secure video or phone much as it covers an office visit. Your costs and referral rules are the same as for in-person care, and they depend on who you are and which TRICARE plan you have. What changes online is which platforms are in your region’s network, so that is where to start.
TRICARE online therapy options at a glance
| App | Best for | Price (annual) | Rating | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Talkspace | TRICARE East or West, messaging plus video | $0 average TRICARE copay (per Talkspace) | 8.4 | iOS, Android, Web |
| Rula | TRICARE West, hour-long video sessions | Your plan copay, estimated before you book | 8.4 | iOS, Android, Web |
| SonderMind | TRICARE West, online therapy | Your plan copay, estimated before you book | 8.0 | iOS, Android, Web |
Ratings are our overall scores from our full reviews of each platform. BetterHelp is not in the table because it does not take TRICARE.
How TRICARE covers online therapy
Video and phone sessions are covered. TRICARE’s virtual health benefit lets you see a mental health professional by secure video call or phone appointment. Text-only appointments are not covered. Talkspace says TRICARE members can use messaging, live video, or both, so ask during signup how your plan handles each.
Costs match in-person care. Active duty service members have no out-of-pocket costs for covered care. Active duty family members on TRICARE Prime pay $0 for outpatient mental health visits with a network provider. Retirees, their families, and people on TRICARE Select usually pay a copay or cost-share set by their plan, and TRICARE lists the current amounts on its costs pages.
Referral rules match in-person care too. Active duty service members, including activated Guard and Reserve members, need a referral and pre-authorization before seeing a civilian mental health provider, online or in person, and TRICARE asks them to use a military hospital or clinic when possible. TRICARE Prime enrollees who are not on active duty do not need a referral for most outpatient therapy visits with a network provider; the exceptions include psychoanalysis and outpatient substance use disorder therapy. TRICARE Select members do not need referrals for most outpatient mental health care either, and they can see network or non-network TRICARE-authorized providers, though costs differ between the two.
On Prime, stay in your region’s network. If you are on TRICARE Prime and see a non-network provider, or a network provider in another region, without a referral, you pay point-of-service fees. That is why your region matters so much when you pick a platform.
Which TRICARE region are you in?
Your region is based on where you live.
East Region: managed by Humana Military (800-444-5445). It covers the East Coast and much of the South, including Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
West Region: managed by TriWest Healthcare Alliance (888-874-9378). It covers states including California, Washington, Colorado, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Illinois, Hawaii, and Alaska.
Parts of Arkansas, Indiana, Missouri, and Wisconsin are split between the two regions, so if you live there, check your ZIP code with TRICARE’s region tool. Overseas is a separate region with its own rules (more on that below).
Your online options, platform by platform
Talkspace: TRICARE East and West
Talkspace is a TRICARE network partner in both regions. It offers therapy, teen therapy for dependents aged 13 to 17, and psychiatry for adults 18 and over. Talkspace says the average TRICARE member copay is $0 for therapy or psychiatry, though yours depends on your plan. To sign up, you enter your 11-digit DoD Benefits Number (DBN).
Active duty service members need a referral from their Primary Care Manager or military treatment facility first. Family members, retirees, and Guard and Reserve members who are not on active duty orders can start without one. Talkspace’s TRICARE services are available only within the United States.
The honest downside: Talkspace live sessions are usually 30 minutes, which some people find short. Best for: anyone in the East Region, teens, and people who like writing to their therapist between sessions. Our Talkspace insurance guide explains how its coverage check works.
Rula: TRICARE West
Rula is in network with TRICARE West (TriWest Healthcare Alliance) for both therapy and psychiatry. It does not list TRICARE East. Sessions are scheduled 60-minute video appointments, and Rula gives you a personalized cost estimate before your first appointment.
The honest downside: there is no messaging-based therapy, and if you live in the East Region, your TRICARE benefit will not work there. Best for: West Region members who want full hour-long sessions. Our Rula vs Talkspace comparison weighs the two side by side.
SonderMind: TRICARE West
SonderMind is in network with TRICARE West and offers online therapy to eligible TRICARE West members, depending on your location and provider availability. SonderMind says it is not currently in network with TRICARE East.
The honest downside: SonderMind notes that TRICARE does not cover cancellation or no-show fees for any plan, and it requires a signed financial responsibility agreement and a payment method on file. Check your provider’s cancellation policy before your first session. Best for: West Region members who want another network to search for a good match.
Other TRICARE network partners
TRICARE’s own lists of virtual mental health partners include Doctor On Demand, Teladoc, and Telemynd in both regions. The West Region list is longer and also includes services such as Spring Health and Thriveworks. Check your region’s list on tricare.mil before you sign up anywhere.
BetterHelp: does not take TRICARE
BetterHelp says its providers do not directly accept TRICARE, Medicare, or Medicaid. You can still pay out of pocket, but if a covered option is open to you, it will usually cost far less. Our BetterHelp vs Talkspace comparison covers the other differences.
Free and low-cost options
Military OneSource. Free, confidential, short-term non-medical counseling, with up to 12 sessions per issue, in person, by phone, by video, or by live chat. It is open to active duty, Guard, and Reserve members (regardless of activation status) and their immediate family members listed in DEERS, to service members and families for 365 days after separation, and to surviving spouses who have not remarried. It helps with things like stress, relationships, grief, and deployment. It does not diagnose or treat mental health conditions, and it does not handle issues such as active suicidal thoughts or substance use; for those, it points you to TRICARE, or to the crisis line in an emergency. Call 800-342-9647.
Military and Family Life Counselors. Also free, confidential, and non-medical, these counselors work on or near installations, at Military and Family Support Centers or embedded with units. Contact your installation’s Military and Family Support Center, or call Military OneSource for a connection.
Vet Centers. VA’s Vet Centers offer individual, group, and family counseling at no cost to eligible veterans, service members (including Guard and Reserve), and their families, in a non-medical setting. Their call center, 1-877-927-8387, is free and open around the clock.
Community mental health centers. If you are between coverage, or none of your TRICARE options fit, many community mental health centers offer sliding-scale fees. SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, is free, confidential, and open 24/7, and it can refer you to local treatment and community organizations.
Special situations
TRICARE For Life. You follow Medicare’s rules for virtual visits. For virtual services that TRICARE covers but Medicare does not, TRICARE pays first. A platform that takes Medicare is the natural place to start: Talkspace and Rula accept it, and SonderMind does too, though availability can vary by state.
Living overseas. US-based providers cannot provide TRICARE virtual health visits overseas, and Talkspace’s TRICARE services are US-only. The country where you live must allow virtual care, and your provider must be licensed there, so contact International SOS, TRICARE’s overseas contractor, for options.
Teens. Talkspace offers teen therapy for TRICARE dependents aged 13 to 17 in both regions, which makes it an easy online route for a military teen.
How to get started, step by step
Step 1. Confirm your region and plan. Use TRICARE’s region tool, or look at your plan details, so you know whether you are East or West and Prime or Select.
Step 2. Check whether you need a referral. If you are on active duty, talk to your Primary Care Manager first. Most other beneficiaries can book outpatient therapy directly with a network provider.
Step 3. Pick a platform in your region’s network. In the East, start with Talkspace. In the West, compare Talkspace, Rula, and SonderMind.
Step 4. Confirm your cost. Each platform shows an estimate during signup, and Humana Military or TriWest can confirm what your plan covers.
Step 5. Give the fit a fair chance, and switch if it is wrong. The right therapist matters more than the platform. If the first match does not feel right, ask for another.
Common questions
Does TRICARE cover BetterHelp? No. BetterHelp says its providers do not directly accept TRICARE. Talkspace (East and West), Rula (West), and SonderMind (West) do.
Does TRICARE cover online therapy? Yes. TRICARE covers virtual mental health care by video or phone at the same cost as in-person care. Text-only appointments are not covered.
Do I need a referral for online therapy with TRICARE? Active duty service members do, along with pre-authorization. Most others on TRICARE Prime or Select do not need one for outpatient therapy with a network provider.
Is Military OneSource the same as therapy? Not quite. It offers free, short-term, non-medical counseling for everyday challenges. It does not diagnose or treat mental health conditions, so for ongoing treatment, use your TRICARE benefit.
The bottom line
If you have TRICARE, Talkspace is the most flexible online option because it covers both regions, and Talkspace says the average TRICARE member copay is $0. In the West Region, Rula and SonderMind give you more choice, and Rula’s hour-long sessions suit people who want traditional therapy. BetterHelp does not take TRICARE. And whatever your plan, Military OneSource offers free short-term counseling while you sort out longer-term care.
Sources
- TRICARE: Virtual health
- TRICARE: Does TRICARE cover virtual health services?
- TRICARE: Mental health care appointments
- TRICARE: How do I know what region I am in?
- Talkspace: TRICARE coverage for therapy and psychiatry
- Rula: TRICARE West psychiatry
- SonderMind: FAQs on TRICARE and insurance
- BetterHelp: Insurance coverage
- Military OneSource: Using confidential non-medical counseling
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. Veterans, service members, Guard and Reserve members, and the people who support them can also dial 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line, text 838255, or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net.