Does Medicare Cover Therapy & Counseling in 2026?

Quick answer: Yes. Part B covers a wide range of outpatient mental health services — individual and group psychotherapy, family counseling tied to your treatment, psychiatric evaluation, and medication management. You pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible. Your yearly depression screening is $0.

Does Original Medicare cover therapy?

Yes — Part B covers outpatient mental health care

Original Medicare rule · verify your plan at Medicare.gov

Part B covers outpatient mental health services — the visits often called counseling or psychotherapy — delivered individually, in group settings, in family settings, or in a crisis. Covered services include individual and group psychotherapy, family counseling when the main purpose is to help with your treatment, psychiatric evaluation, medication management, diagnostic tests, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs, mental health services as part of substance use disorder treatment, and one depression screening each year (in a primary care setting that can provide follow-up). You can see a psychiatrist or other doctor, clinical psychologist, clinical social worker, clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, marriage and family therapist, or mental health counselor — the last two became billable Medicare providers in 2024, which widened access considerably. Costs: $0 for the yearly depression screening when your provider accepts assignment, and after the Part B deductible you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for visits to diagnose or treat your condition. If you're seen in a hospital outpatient clinic or department, you may owe an additional copayment or coinsurance to the hospital.

Medicare Advantage: what some plans add

Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans must cover outpatient mental health care at least as well as Original Medicare, but they use their own networks and set flat copays instead of the 20% coinsurance. Confirm your therapist is in-network and check whether the plan requires a referral or prior authorization.

Who this matters to

Anyone on Medicare dealing with depression, anxiety, grief, or a substance use disorder — and the family members helping them. The most common misconception is that Medicare doesn't cover mental health at all; it does, at the same 20% cost-share as most other Part B care, and the provider list is broader than it used to be.

What does Medicare cost you in 2026?

See the current Part A, Part B, and Part D numbers — premiums, deductibles, and the new drug cap — in one place. Free, no signup.

See 2026 Medicare Costs →

Frequently asked questions

How much does therapy cost with Medicare?

After you meet the Part B deductible, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount per session. A Medigap policy can cover that 20%; Medicare Advantage plans set their own copay instead. If you're seen in a hospital outpatient department, an extra hospital copayment can apply.

What kind of therapist does Medicare cover?

Psychiatrists and other doctors, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, marriage and family therapists, and mental health counselors. The provider must be enrolled in Medicare and licensed as your state allows.

Related Medicare coverage & tools

Does Medicare cover an annual physical?

No routine physical — but a yearly “Wellness” visit is $0.

Does Medicare cover walkers?

Yes — as durable medical equipment (you pay 20%).

Does Medicare cover dental?

Dental, vision & hearing under Original Medicare vs Advantage.

Medigap Plans Explained

How supplement plans cover the 20% Original Medicare leaves you.

Comparing plans this year?

Coverage gaps in Original Medicare — like therapy — are exactly what a Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan is meant to fill. Our free Enrollment Finder shows the window you can switch in, and the guide library walks through the trade-offs. This page is free to share with anyone weighing their options.

Open the Enrollment Finder →

Official sources

This answer is based on U.S. government Medicare coverage rules:

Medicare.gov — Mental health care (outpatient)