Therapists who accept Optum

Using Optum for therapy

Optum is the behavioral-health network used by UnitedHealthcare and by a number of self-funded employer plans that contract for Optum's behavioral-health benefits. If your medical insurance is UHC, your therapy benefits run through Optum. If your employer's plan uses Optum directly for behavioral-health carve-out, the same network applies. The therapists in this directory who accept Optum are credentialed in the Optum network and can bill Optum directly.

Federal mental-health parity rules apply to Optum-administered plans the same way they apply to medical coverage. Most plans cover individual therapy with an in-network Optum provider for a copay (typically $25-$50) or coinsurance after deductible. Telehealth is reimbursed at the same rate as in-person on the vast majority of Optum-administered plans.

Optum's member portal — separate from the medical-side portal on some plans — is where you can verify your specific benefits. The portal will tell you whether outpatient mental-health is covered, your copay or coinsurance for in-network therapy, and whether your deductible has been met for the year. If you'd rather not navigate the portal, our intake coordinator can verify coverage with the therapist's billing team before your first session.

A few practical notes. Optum's HMO products may require a referral from a primary-care physician; PPO and EPO products generally don't. Session limits are uncommon but exist on some plans, usually 20 or 30 per year, with the option for additional sessions when clinically warranted. Out-of-network reimbursement under Optum-administered plans is typically 50 to 70 percent of the session fee after an out-of-network deductible — you'd pay the therapist up front and submit a superbill.

To find an Optum-accepting therapist, submit the matching form or browse the profiles below.