Health Insurances Humana for Therapy

Humana for Therapy

Humana is a large health insurance company that aims to support healthy lives across the lifespan. They provide health insurance coverage — through Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO), Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs), Fee-for-Service (FFS), and Special Needs Plans (SNP) plans — for millions of Americans nationwide, typically including mental health benefits like therapy. Humana Behavioral Health is a subsidiary of Humana and is responsible for offering therapy coverage to its members by managing a therapist network.

Does Humana Cover Therapy?

Yes, Humana health insurance plans offer therapy coverage. While Humana is a sizable health insurance company with dozens of plans, all of them have mental health benefits. The amount of coverage, however, depends on your location, your therapist’s provider status, and your exact plan type.

Humana Behavioral Health, the arm of the health insurance company that provides mental health benefits, includes a team of care managers to help you understand your benefits and guide you in your search for a budget-friendly therapist.

How Do I Check if My Humana Plan Covers Therapy?

Each Humana plan comes with its own Summary of Benefits and Coverage document. The Summary of Benefits and Coverage document lists the coverage provided for each service type, usually in a line-by-line format. This makes it easy to determine how much therapy coverage your Humana plans allow and calculate how much it will cost. When you find your Summary of Benefits and Coverage document, which is generally found online through your Humana portal, look for the “mental health services” line. You’ll find the coverage rates for both in-network and out-of-network therapy visits.

Example Humana Summary of Benefits and Coverage document, with outpatient mental health section highlighted

You might also call the phone number on the back of your Humana health insurance card to learn more about your specific plan details, and mental health benefits coverage. You’ll speak with a Humana customer service representative who can answer your questions.

How Much Does Therapy Cost With My Humana Plan?

While therapy costs depend on your specific plan, expect to pay a copayment of $25 to $100 per visit with your in-network therapist. Some plans offer coverage for out-of-network therapists, ranging from 25% to 45% coinsurance, which means you’ll be responsible for that amount of the session fee each time you see your therapist. It’s typically most cost-effective to see a therapist in-network with Humana.

If you’re concerned about the cost of therapy, there are many ways to decrease the impact on your budget, such as sliding scale fees or joining a support group.

What Types of Mental Health Conditions Does Humana Cover?

Boosting mental health is part of the Humana mission. Humana provides coverage for a wide range of mental health conditions, including:

When you start therapy, your therapist will designate a diagnosis for your condition, situation, or goals. They’ll share this diagnosis with Humana to account for coverage. If you would prefer for your therapist to not disclose your diagnosis with Humana, consider your out-of-network options. This way, your mental health care stays between you and your therapist — not the insurance company and anyone who has access to your insurance account information.

What Types of Therapy Does Humana Cover?

It’s vital to Humana that all mental healthcare professionals incorporate evidence, clinical rigor, and the given diagnosis into their care process. Taking a thorough approach ensures appropriate care and reimbursement for each of its members. They provide coverage for all therapy modalities proven to reach healthy and desired outcomes, including:

Often, therapists use blended methods as they individualize treatment for each client. Humana will cover therapy sessions as long as the therapist is professionally credentialed and provides appropriate therapeutic services.

What Types of Therapy Does Humana NOT Cover?

Humana will not cover therapy costs if a therapy approach is not evidence-based — that is, it lacks empirical research backing its efficacy.

Some therapy methods Humana will not cover include life coaching and career coaching, as these disciplines are less based on mental health diagnosis and more on goal-setting and achievement.

Humana does not cover holistic approaches to treatment, like aromatherapy, massage therapy, or nutritional therapy. They also do not cover ketamine and psychedelic treatments, even if the purpose of this treatment is for a mental health condition. Humana does not cover energy work such as reiki healing.

Does Humana Cover Online Therapy?

Yes, Humana provides coverage for online therapy and telehealth. They approved coverage for online visits with providers during the pandemic, so while unlikely, Humana may rescind this policy in the future. If you want to see your therapist online rather than in person, check with your Humana benefits to ensure you understand your online coverage.

Generally, health insurance companies provide the same amount of coverage for all visit types, both in-person and online. This means you’ll have the same copayments and coinsurance rates if you see your therapist through a virtual platform as if you saw them at their office.

Does Humana Cover Couples Therapy?

Some Humana health insurance plans may provide coverage for couples therapy. However, most health insurance plans do not offer this as a benefit. This is in part because it is difficult for the therapist to bill for reimbursement under the required mental health condition diagnosis. Check with your specific Humana health insurance plan to learn more about your couples therapy coverage.

If you’re still interested in couples therapy, there are many ways to make it more affordable. This opens the door for you and your partner or partners to work with a high-quality couples therapist and grow your relationships.

Do I Need to See My Primary Doctor Before Starting Therapy?

You may need to see your primary care physician before starting therapy if you have an HMO plan. HMO health insurance plans require that the member attain a referral for mental healthcare before seeing a therapist.

If your plan is a PPO or FFS plan, you will not need to see your primary care physician before finding a great therapist — you can start searching for the right therapist whenever you’re ready.

Many therapists accept Humana's HMO and PPO plans. However, your access to therapy may differ slightly depending on your chosen plan. HMO plans have limited network flexibility and only cover in-network providers, except in emergencies. PPO plans provide the option of in and out-of-network providers with higher costs for out-of-network care.

Since HMOs require referrals, it may take longer for you to start seeing a therapist, which can delay your treatment process. HMO plans can also need additional approvals even after a referral. PPO plans do not request approvals, but you may have to pay higher premiums and out-of-pocket costs.

Regardless of your choice, Zencare makes it simple to find a provider who accepts your insurance so you can start your mental health journey with ease.

Why Choose Zencare to Find an In-Network Therapist?

At Zencare, we've simplified the process of finding a qualified therapist who accepts your insurance. We've been able to connect 250,000 people and counting to the right therapist through benefits such as:

Personalized Matching

Our custom matching process connects you to a therapist based on your needs, preferences, and values. Our personalized approach increases the likelihood of finding a therapist who understands you and can provide the most support on your mental health journey.

Wide Range of Options

Our diverse directory of therapists allows you to filter options based on specialty, gender, and approach. Let us help you feel comfortable with your new therapist from day one.

Free Consultations

Meet your therapist without any financial commitment with our free consultation option. This initial meeting is a low-stakes way to decide if your therapist is the right fit for you. You can also use your consultation to ask questions and learn more about whether they will be a good member of your mental health wellness team.

Insurance Compatibility

Understanding insurance coverage for mental health services can be challenging — let us make it easy. We offer the option to filter therapists based on your insurance provider for greater transparency and to manage costs.

Helpful Resources

We provide more than therapist matching, and our website is a wealth of resources covering common questions and tips to make navigating the mental health landscape easier. Our resources can help you make informed decisions and demystify the therapy process.

User-Friendly Experience

Our website incorporates user-friendly designs for easy navigation. From intuitive search features to a clean layout, we make finding what you're looking for easy.

Community Support

We have an extensive network of therapists and users to create a strong sense of community. We invite you to explore the many testimonials and success stories on our site to learn more about the positive impact of therapy.

Find the Best Therapist for You With Zencare

Start your mental health journey on the right foot by finding a therapist through Zencare. Our extensive network, paired with our thorough vetting process, allows us to easily connect you with a therapist who gets you and your mental health needs. Take our therapist matching quiz or select your state below to find vetted therapists who are in-network with Humana:

Find vetted therapists who are in-network with Humana