Medicare-Covered Therapy in New York
Original Medicare (Part B) covers online therapy across New York with no session limits. With a Medigap supplement, most beneficiaries pay $0 per session. We verify your exact cost before your first session.
$0–$27
Same week
to start your therapy
5,000+
clients served since 2014
Source: the $0–$27 range is verified against the 2026 CMS Physician Fee Schedule (NYC); $0 with a Medigap supplement or Medicaid, up to about $27 coinsurance on Part B alone for a 60-minute session after the deductible.
Manhattan Mental Health Counseling provides 100% online therapy across New York State with 91+ Medicare-enrolled therapists. Original Medicare Part B covers outpatient therapy, including telehealth, with no annual session limits. Most beneficiaries with a Medigap supplement pay $0 per session; on Part B alone you pay about $27 after the $283 deductible, and no referral is required. We verify your exact Medicare cost before your first session, and you can often start the same week.
Quick Answers About Medicare Therapy in New York
- Does Medicare cover therapy in New York?Yes. Original Medicare Part B covers outpatient therapy, including telehealth, when treatment is medically necessary and the therapist is Medicare-enrolled. There are no annual session limits.
- How much does therapy cost with Medicare?Original Medicare uses 20% coinsurance, not a fixed copay. On Part B alone, a full session in NYC runs about $27 after the $283 annual deductible. With a Medigap Plan G or N supplement, most beneficiaries pay $0 to $20 per session.
- Do I need a referral?No. Original Medicare does not require a referral to see a therapist.
- Does Medicare cover online (telehealth) therapy?Yes. Medicare covers behavioral health telehealth from your home at the same rate as in-person sessions, with no geographic restriction.
- Is there a limit on how many therapy sessions Medicare covers?No. Medicare Part B sets no annual cap on therapy sessions. Coverage continues as long as your therapist documents that treatment is medically necessary.
Which Kind of Medicare Do You Have?
Your therapy cost depends on which Medicare path you are on. Find your situation below:
What Mental Health Services Does Medicare Cover?
Original Medicare Part B covers individual psychotherapy, family therapy with the patient present, group therapy, psychiatric diagnostic evaluations, and medication management when treatment is medically necessary and delivered by a Medicare-enrolled provider. Coverage applies whether sessions are in-person or by telehealth.
Medicare does not impose an annual cap on therapy sessions. As long as your therapist documents that treatment remains medically necessary, coverage continues, which means a Medicare beneficiary can attend weekly therapy for as long as the clinical need is there. (“Medically necessary” means your provider documents that the treatment is needed to treat a diagnosed condition or keep it from getting worse, which is the standard most people meet when they start therapy.) This is Medicare’s own coverage rule, not a state mandate.
Coverage is not limited to severe conditions. Medicare reimburses therapy for mild to moderate concerns when treatment prevents symptoms or daily functioning from getting worse, which is the situation most people are actually in when they start therapy.
Most beneficiaries with Medigap pay $0 per session.
5,000+ New Yorkers served since 2014. We verify your exact Medicare cost before your first session.
Does Medicare Cover Online Therapy in 2026?
Yes. Medicare covers behavioral health telehealth as a permanent benefit: you can receive therapy from your home, with no rural or geographic restriction. Telehealth therapy is reimbursed at the same rate as an in-person session, so virtual care is a full Medicare benefit.
When you verify your benefits with us, we confirm exactly what applies to your situation.
All MMHC sessions are conducted online via secure, HIPAA-compliant video, which removes the commute that often keeps older adults from attending therapy consistently.
What Does Medicare Therapy Cost in New York? (2026)
A standard 60-minute therapy session in New York City costs about $27 out of pocket on Original Medicare Part B alone (after the deductible), or $0 with a Medigap supplement. Here is how that breaks down.
Original Medicare does not use fixed copays for therapy. You pay 20% coinsurance (your share of the cost, the portion Medicare does not pay) of the Medicare-approved amount, after you meet the Part B deductible. (Fixed copays are a Medicare Advantage feature, which is one reason the two work so differently.) Your actual cost then depends on whether you carry a Medigap supplement or Medicaid.
Your exact coinsurance for a 60-minute session (CPT 90837), by NYC locality, 2026
After the Part B deductible is met, your 20% coinsurance for a standard 60-minute therapy session in New York City is:
So for most New Yorkers on Part B alone, a full session costs about $27 out of pocket once the deductible is met, and $0 with a Medigap Plan G. Shorter sessions cost less.
What you’ll actually pay depends on a few things
- A Medigap supplement. If you carry Medigap Plan G or N, it covers the 20% coinsurance, so most sessions cost $0 with Plan G after the deductible.
- Medicaid or dual eligibility. If you have both Medicare and Medicaid, you typically owe little or nothing.
- Whether you’ve met your deductible yet. Until you meet the $283 Part B deductible, you pay the full Medicare-approved amount. Once the deductible is met, your cost drops to about $27, or $0 with Medigap.
- A Medicare Advantage plan. If you are on Medicare Advantage instead of Original Medicare, your plan sets its own copay or coinsurance. See our Medicare Advantage guide →
We confirm exactly which of these applies to you, and your precise cost, in about 10 minutes before your first session: a real person and a real number, not a self-serve estimate to puzzle over.
Annual cost comparison (52 weekly 60-minute sessions)
Source: 2026 CMS Physician Fee Schedule, NYC localities 01/02/04.
A New York Advantage: How to Get to $0 Per Session
The $0-per-session path runs through Medigap (a Medicare Supplement plan), and New York is one of the best states in the country to get one. New York is one of only a handful of states (with Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine) that require Medigap insurers to sell you a policy year-round, regardless of your age, health, or pre-existing conditions. In most states, if you miss your one-time enrollment window you can be medically underwritten or denied. In New York, you cannot.
Two things this means for a New Yorker on Original Medicare:
You can add or switch a Medigap plan at any time of year, not just during a narrow window. If you are on Part B alone today and want to get to $0 per session, you are not locked out.
Your premium is community-rated. It does not go up because of your age or health; it varies only by where in New York you live. Everyone pays the same rate for the same plan.
This is a real, New-York-only reason the $0 path is more accessible here than almost anywhere else, and it is not something a national directory will tell you.
Verified: KFF and NY Department of Financial Services. NY requires continuous guaranteed-issue, community-rated Medigap. Cited in Sources.
Have a Medicare Advantage Plan Instead?
Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans work differently from Original Medicare: costs are set as fixed copays by your carrier, and you use the plan’s network. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan from Healthfirst, Molina, UnitedHealthcare, EmblemHealth, Fidelis, or another carrier, we cover that in detail on a dedicated page.
Not Sure Which Plan You Have?
We verify everything for you before your first session and explain your exact cost clearly.
Comprehensive Mental Health Conditions and Treatment Methods Covered
Our 91+ therapists are experienced in addressing a broad variety of mental health concerns and utilizing a wide variety of therapeutic modalities.
ANXIETY
DEPRESSION
SELF ESTEEM
TRAUMA
FAMILY ISSUES
COPING SKILLS
MINDFULNESS
CBT THERAPY
EMDR THERAPY
LIFE TRANSITIONS
OCD THERAPY
SOCIAL ANXIETY
MEN’S ISSUES
BIPOLAR DISORDER
DOMESTIC ABUSE
PHOBIAS
INTEGRATION
PORN ADDICTION
ADHD
BURNOUT ISSUES
DBT THERAPY
ANGER MANAGEMENT
PTSD
WORK STRESS
CAREER COUNSELING
GRIEF
MARRIAGE COUNSELING
EATING DISORDERS
SPIRITUALITY
YOUNG ADULTS
LGBTQ
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
SEXUAL ABUSE
PARENTING
SOMATIC THERAPY
WOMEN’S ISSUES
Why Older Adults on Medicare Choose MMHC
ONE-CALL COVERAGE VERIFICATION
100%
of our Medicare members have their exact cost confirmed before their first session.
A real person and a real number
On Medicare, coverage is rarely the hard part. The hard part is knowing what you will actually pay and whether a provider is enrolled and taking patients. Other services hand you a self-serve cost calculator and an estimate. Share your Medicare card and our benefits team confirms your Part B status, checks whether you carry Medigap or Medicaid, calculates your exact per-session cost, and books your first session. You do not sit on hold with Medicare, type your details into a tool, or guess at your bill.
All clinicians Medicare-enrolled
Every MMHC therapist is enrolled in Medicare with an active NPI number and bills Medicare directly, so you do not submit paperwork or pay upfront and wait for reimbursement.
Senior-friendly telehealth
One click to join, no app to download, works in any browser. Phone support to test your setup before the first session.
Not the right fit? We rematch you
If your first therapist is not right, we match you with another Medicare-enrolled clinician on our team without restarting your benefits verification.
Evening and weekend availability
Sessions outside business hours, so therapy fits around your life and your caregivers’ schedules.
Built for New York
We are a New York practice serving New Yorkers only, not a national directory. That means we know the New York Medigap rules, the local plans, and how coverage actually works here.
How to Start Medicare Therapy (Step-by-Step)
Verify your coverage.
Get in touch with your Medicare card on hand. We confirm your plan, calculate your exact cost, and confirm no referral is needed.
Get matched.
We match you to a Medicare-enrolled therapist based on what you are dealing with and your scheduling needs.
Schedule your first session.
Book by phone or online. You receive a confirmation, a reminder, and a one-click telehealth link.
Join your session.
Click the link, no download required. We file your Medicare claim automatically.
What to have ready for the first session: Your Medicare card, photo ID, a list of current medications if you are seeing a prescriber, and a private space.
Online Medicare Therapists in New York Accepting New Patients
Manhattan Mental Health Counseling is a New York State telehealth therapy practice founded in 2014 and led by Natalie Buchwald, LMHC-D, clinical director. Its therapists are all Medicare-enrolled, accept Original Medicare and Medigap supplement plans, and are currently accepting new patients. The practice serves adults across New York State by secure video and verifies each patient’s Medicare benefits before the first session at no charge.
Yes, we accept Medicare, and we are taking new patients now. All of our therapists are Medicare-enrolled, bill Medicare directly, and work with adults across New York State by secure video. Whether you are on Original Medicare, have a Medigap supplement, or are dual-eligible with Medicaid, you can start with a Medicare-enrolled therapist who is accepting new patients this week.
Because every session is online, you are not limited to therapists within driving distance. MMHC serves Medicare patients in every part of New York State: no commute, no geographic restriction. If you have been searching for a Medicare therapist near you anywhere in New York, from Manhattan to Buffalo to the North Country, we are available to you by telehealth.
Our Medicare-enrolled therapists use evidence-based approaches for the concerns older adults most often bring to therapy: late-life depression, anxiety, grief and bereavement, caregiver stress, PTSD, and adjusting to retirement, illness, or loss.
Alyssa Sardis, LMHC-D
License #D6595
Dr. Sandra Vazquez, LMHC
License #5190
- Trauma Specialist: Over 15 years of experience treating sexual trauma, generational trauma, and grief.
- Guided by Core Principles: Focuses on safety, trust, support, choice, collaboration, and empowerment.
- Culturally Sensitive Care: Dedicated to destigmatizing counseling and fostering healing within BIPOC communities.
Lindsey Rosenberg, LMHC-D
License #D14618
- Holistic and Eclectic Approach: Combines CBT, Person-Centered therapy, psychodynamic and Mind-Body techniques for personalized healing.
- Unique Insight from Dance Background: Empathetic understanding of pivotal life transitions and performance-related pressures.
- Specializes in Anxiety, Depression, and Eating Disorders: Dedicated to supporting adults and young adults through various mental health challenges.
How to Verify Your Own Medicare Coverage
If you want to check your benefits yourself before working with us, you can:
Call Medicare directly at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Log into your account at medicare.gov.
Contact New York’s free Medicare counseling program, HIICAP (Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program), through the NY State Office for the Aging.
Questions worth asking
Is outpatient psychotherapy covered under my plan, and what is my cost after the Part B deductible?
Have I met my $283 Part B deductible for the year yet?
Do I have a Medigap (Supplement) plan, and does it cover my Part B coinsurance?
Is telehealth therapy from home covered at the same rate as in-person?
(For Medicare behavioral health, yes.)
Do I need a referral or prior authorization?
(For Original Medicare, no.)
If you would rather skip the calls, we run all of this for you when you verify your benefits, and we tell you your exact cost before your first session.
Frequently Asked Questions
We have compiled answers to the most common questions about our services, policies, and procedures. If you don’t see your question here, contact our support team at 212-960-8626.
Ready to Start Medicare-Covered Therapy?
Fill out the form. We verify your exact Medicare cost, confirm no referral is needed, and book your first session, often the same week. Rated 4.0 on Google. 5,000+ New Yorkers served since 2014.
All therapists Medicare-enrolled, billing Medicare directly
Exact cost confirmed before session one
First session often the same week
Prefer to talk? Call 212-960-8626
Manhattan Mental Health Counseling · 303 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1108, New York, NY 10016
Hours: Monday–Friday 8am–8pm
Founder and Clinical Director of Manhattan Mental Health Counseling. A licensed mental health counselor in New York State, Natalie specializes in mood disorders, anxiety, burnout, and culture-based identity conflict using a holistic, mind-body approach. She holds a Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling from Brooklyn College (CUNY) and is a fellow of the Karen Horney Institute.
Last Updated: June 2026 | Next Review: September 2026