Is BetterHelp covered by UnitedHealthcare? (+3 BetterHelp Tips)
This article will discuss if BetterHelp is covered by UnitedHealthcare. We will also mention a few ways to afford therapy if you do not have insurance coverage. Finally, we will be describing some tips that you can use to make your experience in BetterHelp more successful. BetterHelp is an online therapy platform that offers very cost-effective options at high quality.
Is BetterHelp covered by UnitedHealthcare?
No, BetterHelp is not covered by UnitedHeatlhcare or any other insurance company. While BetterHelp does not allow any insurance coverage for its users, the plans of this platform are definitely affordable. Furthermore, BetterHelp also offers financial assistance for its users that can reduce the costs of therapy by up to 25 per cent.
How to afford therapy without insurance?
Insurance coverage can definitely reduce the costs of therapy, which we all know can be quite high. For those who do not have any insurance, there are still ways to afford therapy. Some of these options have been explored in the section below:
Ask your HR manager
If you are working, you can always ask your HR manager or your employer about EAP services that are available in your organization. More and more organizations have realized the importance of the mental health of their employees and thus are investing in EAP services which offer free therapy or counseling sessions.
Reach out to your school admin
You can also reach out to your school admin if you are studying in a school or a university. Most educational institutions have in-house counseling or therapy services to take care of the mental health of their students. These services may be free of cost or can be availed at discounts which can reduce the costs of therapy for students.
Explore your community centers
You can also reach out to various community non-profit organizations which may offer free mental health services. Many of the mental health professionals who work in these centers are in-network with insurance providers but may also provide discounted or free therapy services for those who belong to low-income statuses.
Join a support group
There are also many support groups that are free for participants. Group therapy generally is also a lot more cost-effective than in-person therapy. If you cannot find a support group near you, you can always use an online platform like BetterHelp that offers group therapy sessions that cover more than 20 different topics on mental health and mental illness.
Call hotlines
Hotlines are not only meant for emergencies and crises. There are plenty of hotlines which offer motivation and support that can be free of cost for any user. These hotlines are often run by volunteers who may also offer non-therapeutic advice for the listeners. Some examples of such hotlines or as they call themselves ‘warmlines’ are The Crisis Line and Compassionate Ear.
Ask your religious organization
If you are a member of a religious organization such as a church or a mosque, you can always ask them if they offer counseling services. Most of these counseling services are free of cost for members as well as non-members. The counselors and therapists here may also be religious affiliated and non-religious affiliated that you can choose according to your preference.
Find a sliding scale therapist
You can also find a sliding scale therapist who will not charge you for the entire hour. Traditional therapists charge for the full hour regardless of the work being done in these sessions. In comparison, sliding scale therapists charge for the amount of work being completed as they deem fit. This can also greatly reduce the costs of your therapy.
Tips for BetterHelp
BetterHelp is a pretty easy to use platform that offers great mental health services completely online. To those who are new to BetterHelp, the following tips and strategies can be quite useful.
Choose your own therapist
BetterHelp uses artificial intelligence to connect users with a suitable therapist. While this algorithm mostly works, you are also free to choose your therapist by your own means and methods. While sifting through the directory, you must keep in mind the attributes that you want your therapist to have, such as age group, gender orientation and even religious affiliation.
Create your space for therapy
To bring more effectiveness for your live therapy sessions, you can create a space in your home for this. In this space, you will be able to focus and concentrate better on what your therapist is saying. You can also fill this space with various paraphernalia so that it becomes a self-care spot that you can use at other times as well.
Use the various formats
BetterHelp offers a number of formats through which you can communicate with your therapist. These formats include messaging, live chats, live audio sessions and even live video sessions that you can choose according to your convenience and comfort. The platform also allows you to send a limitless number of messages in modes like texts, audio messages and video messages.
Conclusion
This article will discuss if BetterHelp is covered by UnitedHealthcare. We have also mentioned a few ways to afford therapy if you do not have insurance coverage. Finally, we have described some tips that you can use to make your experience in BetterHelp more successful.
If you like this article, please post your comments and questions in the space below.
Citations
https://www.uhc.com/member-resources/health-care-programs/mental-health-services
https://www.healthline.com/health/therapy-for-every-budget#sliding-scale
https://www.goodrx.com/well-being/healthy-mind/therapy-mental-health-services-without-insurance
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/therapy-without-insurance
https://www.talktomira.com/post/6-affordable-therapy-options-without-insurance
https://www.forhims.com/blog/how-to-get-therapy-without-insurance