Caring for your mental health is just as important as it is for your physical health . But with the American insurance landscape being so complicated and confusing, it can be tough to understand whether your health insurance covers what you need.
If you have Optum, this post can help you learn more about what mental health services are covered and what you might need to pay for them.
Does your plan use Optum for mental health?Check your coverage
What is Optum?
Optum is a health services and care delivery organization — a division of UnitedHealth Group, the same parent company as UnitedHealthcare. It serves more than 120 million people across the United States, connecting them to medical care, mental health services, and everyday wellness support both in person and online.
Optum operates through three main divisions:
Optum Health provides direct care services — including primary care, mental health, and specialty care — through clinics, telehealth, and in-home services. This is the arm most relevant to people seeking therapy, as Optum Health includes therapists, psychiatrists, and behavioral health specialists who provide in-person and virtual care.
Optum Insight focuses on data, analytics, and technology — helping healthcare organizations improve performance, manage operations, and power AI-driven tools across the health system.
Optum Rx is Optum’s pharmacy care division, providing pharmacy benefit management services and helping members access affordable medication.
For people seeking mental health support, Optum Health’s behavioral health network is the most relevant piece. If your health plan routes mental health benefits through Optum, you have access to a large network of in-network therapists and psychiatrists — searchable by specialty, location, and availability.
Does Optum cover therapy?
Depending on your insurance plan, Optum may provide services such as in-person and online therapy, as well as a wide range of mental health services that are designed to help with substance abuse, depression, anxiety, trauma, and more. To confirm that therapy is covered by your specific plan, we recommend you reach out to your insurance provider directly.
What therapies does Optum cover?
Insurance can cover many types of therapy that serve as quality care options for different conditions. You need to confirm what types of therapy your specific insurance plan covers. If your insurance plan works with Optum to deliver mental health care, the general the types of therapy plans may cover include:
Learn more about other types of therapy you might find when seeking mental health care. Please be sure to double check your specific insurance plan, or reach out to Optum directly, to understand what therapy may be covered.
Does Optum cover online therapy?
Your insurance plan will determine what types of therapy are covered. Optum provides access to both online therapy (also referred to as telehealth or virtual therapy) as well as in-person therapy. Online therapy through Optum is available nationwide, based on the platform you may be seeking care through.
You can receive virtual therapy on Grow Therapy in every state we are available in.
Does Optum cover out-of-network therapy?
Optum may cover out-of-network therapy in certain circumstances. If you want to see an out-of-network mental healthcare provider, it may cost much more than seeing an in-network provider. You may have to pay out-of-pocket, and you should check beforehand to see if you will be able to file for any kind of reimbursement from Optum.
If you have questions about out-of-network therapy coverage, please refer to your Optum summary of benefits (SOB) as described below, or reach out to Optum directly.
Did you know?
Optum serves more than 100 million people in the United States through its behavioral health and health services divisions — making it one of the largest behavioral health networks in the country. Because so many health plans route mental health benefits through Optum, you may already have access to Optum’s provider network without realizing it.
How to check if your Optum plan covers therapy
There are three main ways to find out whether you are covered for therapy and, if so, how much it will cost.
1. Check your insurance “summary of benefits” (SOB)
On the SOB, look for a row titled “If you need mental health, behavioral health, or substance abuse services” and refer to the second column that says “Outpatient services.”
Sample image—your summary of benefits may look different depending on your provider
If the “Network Provider” and/or “Out-of-Network Provider” say “not covered,” then your insurance plan does not cover mental health services such as therapy.
If the “Network Provider” and/or “Out-of-Network Provider” give cost information, such as a copay or coinsurance, then your plan does cover mental health services.
To learn more about how an SOB is structured, you can refer to this sample SOB from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
2. Contact Optum directly
Contacting Optum directly is the best way to get the exact information you need about what types of mental health care are covered. To find contact information for Optum, use the Optum website to log into your account, and either chat or email a representative directly
3. Use a therapy provider like Grow Therapy
With Grow Therapy, you can search for Optum therapists in your state who provide virtual or in-person care. Once you’ve found and booked an appointment with a therapist who you feel will be a good fit for your needs, Grow Therapy will verify your coverage and benefits and share any out-of-pocket expenses you need to be aware of. With Grow Therapy, there are no unexpected surprised with your therapy coverage.
How much does therapy with Optum cost?
Most people with insurance plans that administer mental health benefits through Optum will either fully cover therapy, or clients will have to pay a small copay amount. For most clients, the average cost of therapy is $4 to $71 per session, after the deductible has been met. For those who haven’t met their deductible yet, or for whose plan does not cover therapy, the typical range of cost is $80 to $200 per therapy session.
However, these are average ranges. The cost of therapy will depend on your plan’s specific coverage. You should always confirm your out-of-pocket costs before your appointment.
What will you pay with your Optum plan?See your estimated cost
Average cost of therapy with Optum by state
Looking at the therapy cost table above, we find that 65% of the states listed above have an average cost of $75 or less, with almost 50% of the states being less than $50 per session.
The most expensive state for therapy with Optum was Michigan ($0 to $137), and the least expensive states for therapy covered by Optum were Utah and Alabama ($0 to $15).
Optum therapy copay
When paying for therapy, your copay — or copayment — is an important cost you should know about.
The copay is a fixed amount you have to pay for each therapy session. Copays can vary depending on your plan, so it’s important to double check your copay under the mental health coverage section on your SOB.
If you have any doubts or questions about if you have to pay a copay, or what your copay is, you should reach out to UnitedHealthcare support directly.
Sample image
What’s the difference between Optum and UnitedHealthcare, and which one do I call if I have a question?
What’s the difference between Optum and UnitedHealthcare, and which one do I call if I have a question?
This is one of the most common points of confusion for members. UnitedHealthcare is the health insurance company — they issue your insurance card, collect your premiums, and set the terms of your coverage.
Optum is a separate division of the same parent company (UnitedHealth Group) that administers behavioral health benefits and operates the provider network for mental health services. In practice, if you have a UnitedHealthcare plan, your mental health benefits may be managed through Optum — which is why you might see Optum’s name on documents related to therapy or behavioral health.
For questions about your general coverage, call the member services number on your insurance card. For questions specifically about mental health or behavioral health benefits, you may be directed to Optum’s behavioral health line.
Grow Therapy verifies your coverage upfront, so you know exactly what you’ll pay before your first session.
Does Optum require a referral to see a therapist?
Most Optum plans do not require a referral at this time. To be sure, reach out to your insurance provider to determine whether referrals for therapists are necessary.
Find an Optum therapist
Finding an Optum therapist is not as difficult as you might think. There are several resources available to help you find a therapist online.
1. Check Your insurance plan
The first thing to do is check your insurance plan. This will show you what mental health services are covered, and what you might have to pay for. You can do this by looking at your online account, calling the customer service number on your insurance card, or reading your plan documents.
2. Grow Therapy
You can find an Optum therapist in almost every state within the U.S. using Grow Therapy. Simply select your state from the list below and explore our Optum therapists in your area.
Search Optum therapists by state:
3. Liveandworkwell.com
To access the Optum online directory, you can visit their website or download their mobile app.
From there, you can search for providers by location, specialty, service, and other factors to help you find a provider that meets your specific needs. You can also read reviews from other patients and see ratings for each provider to help you make an informed decision.
Using the Optum online directory can save you time and effort in finding a mental health provider. Instead of calling multiple providers to see if they accept your insurance, you can quickly and easily find in-network providers in your area with just a few clicks.
Other insurance providers that cover mental health
Final thoughts
Understanding whether your plan uses Optum for mental health benefits — and what that actually means for your out-of-pocket costs — is the hardest part. Once you know your coverage, finding the right therapist is straightforward. Optum’s network is one of the largest in the country, and Grow Therapy makes it easy to filter specifically for Optum-covered providers, check availability, and see your estimated cost before you commit to anything. Most clients are in their first session within two days.
Find an in-network Optum therapist
Browse therapists in the Optum network on Grow, and filter by insurance, specialty, and availability
Find a Therapist
Use the filters below to find a therapist that matches your type of care, location, insurance, and needs
Frequently asked questions
Is Optum the same as UnitedHealthcare?
Is Optum the same as UnitedHealthcare?
Not exactly. UnitedHealthcare is the health insurance company, while Optum is a separate health services division of the same parent company, UnitedHealth Group. Optum administers behavioral health benefits for many UnitedHealthcare plans and other health plans. If your insurance card says UnitedHealthcare but you’re seeing Optum’s name on mental health documents, this is why.
Does Optum cover telehealth therapy?
Does Optum cover telehealth therapy?
Yes — Optum provides access to both in-person and virtual therapy. Online therapy through Optum is available nationwide depending on the platform and provider you use. On Grow Therapy, you can filter for Optum-covered therapists who offer telehealth and book a virtual session directly.
Do I need a referral to see a therapist with Optum?
Do I need a referral to see a therapist with Optum?
Most Optum plans do not require a referral for mental health services, but this can vary by plan type. HMO plans may have different requirements than PPO plans. Confirm with your specific plan by calling the member services number on your insurance card before booking.
What if my therapy claim is denied?
What if my therapy claim is denied?
Start by reviewing your Explanation of Benefits or denial notice to understand the reason. Common causes include prior authorization issues, out-of-network providers, or services deemed not medically necessary. Contact Optum’s behavioral health line directly to discuss your options and, if needed, file an appeal. Grow Therapy’s support team can also help you navigate coverage questions before and after your sessions.
About Joseph Rendeiro
Joseph Rendeiro is a freelance writer with an extensive background covering topics related to mental health counseling, social work, and psychology. He has spent the past 8 years creating content highlighting faculty fieldwork and research at accredited higher education institutions.
