Can I Use My Insurance for Telehealth Therapy Sessions in Edina?
By Cabot Psychological Services · Published 2026-10-14 · Last updated 2026-10-14
Yes, in many cases you can use your insurance for telehealth therapy sessions in Edina. Current Minnesota law requires many state-regulated health plans to cover mental health care by video much like in-person visits. Coverage depends on three things: your plan type, whether your therapist is in network with your plan, and where you’re physically located during the session. When your therapist is licensed in Minnesota, that location generally needs to be within Minnesota. Medical Assistance (Minnesota Medicaid) and Medicare can also pay for therapy by video, although rules and cost-sharing differ by plan. The surest step is to have your coverage checked before your first session, either by calling your insurer or by asking the therapy practice to verify your benefits, so you avoid surprise bills.
Does Insurance Cover Telehealth Therapy in Minnesota?
Yes. Current Minnesota law requires most state-regulated health plans to cover mental health care delivered by video the same way they cover in-person care. That rule is a big part of why many clients of Cabot Psychological Services can use their insurance for our telehealth therapy sessions across Minnesota, whether they live in Minneapolis, Edina or a town hours away.
The legal idea behind the rule is called coverage parity, which means equal treatment for two ways of delivering the same service. If your plan pays for in-person therapy, it generally must also pay for the same therapy online. You can read the statute itself in Minnesota’s telehealth coverage law, Minnesota Statutes section 62A.673.
The big exception is the self-funded plan. Some large employers pay their employees’ health claims directly instead of buying a policy from an insurance company. Federal rules govern self-funded plans, not Minnesota law, so their telehealth coverage can differ from what state-regulated plans must offer.
You can usually find out which kind of plan you have in two ways:
- Check your plan booklet or summary of benefits for the words “fully insured” or “self-funded” (sometimes “self-insured”).
- Ask your HR or benefits office directly whether the plan is fully insured or self-funded.
A fully insured plan bought in Minnesota is the type the state telehealth rule is written for.
What If My Plan Is Self-Funded Through My Employer?
Many self-funded plans still cover telehealth therapy. You just have to confirm coverage with the plan itself, because Minnesota’s telehealth rule may not apply. Don’t rely on the name on your card to tell you: it may show a familiar insurer even when the plan is self-funded, since many self-funded employers hire an insurance company only to process claims. Call the member services number on the back of your insurance card and ask specifically about “outpatient behavioral health via telehealth.” That wording tends to get you a more precise answer than a general question about coverage.
How Do I Check If My Insurance Covers Online Therapy in Edina?
Call the member services number on your insurance card, or ask the therapy practice to verify your benefits for you before your first appointment. Either route works, as long as you come away with specific answers about your plan rather than general reassurance.
Before you call, have three things ready: your member ID, your date of birth, and the name of the clinician you plan to see. Then ask these six questions:
- Do I have outpatient mental health benefits?
- Is telehealth therapy covered at the same level as in-person therapy?
- Is this therapist or practice in network with my plan?
- Do I have a deductible, and how much of it is left this year?
- What is my copay or coinsurance for a therapy visit?
- Do I need a referral or prior approval before starting therapy?
Write down the date of the call, the name of the representative you spoke with, and the call reference number. If a claim is denied later and the insurer’s answer differs from what you were told, a reference number gives the plan a record to look up.
Making these calls can feel like one more task at a time when you may already be struggling. At Cabot Psychological Services, we verify insurance coverage before the first appointment, so you don’t have to work through your benefits alone. You’re still welcome to call your insurer yourself, and some people like to hear the answers firsthand.
Does My Specific Therapist Need to Be In Network?
Usually yes, if you want the lowest out-of-pocket cost. Network status can vary by clinician, not just by practice, so a practice being “in network” doesn’t always mean every clinician there is. Out-of-network benefits work differently from plan to plan: some plans pay part of the cost when you see an out-of-network therapist, and others pay nothing at all.
Our team holds a range of Minnesota licenses, including PhD, LP, LICSW, LMFT, LADC, and LGSW credentials. Insurers typically credential clinicians individually, so ask about the exact clinician you plan to see when you check your coverage.
Will Medicaid or Medicare Pay for Virtual Therapy Sessions?
Yes. Minnesota Medical Assistance (Medicaid) and Medicare can both cover therapy by video, as long as the therapist accepts your plan.
Medicare allows mental health telehealth from your home. Its telehealth rules have changed several times in recent years, though, including rules about in-person visit requirements. Confirm this year’s rules with Medicare or your Medicare Advantage plan before you book.
Finding a therapist who takes these plans is often the harder part, because many private psychology practices don’t accept Medicaid or Medicare. Cabot Psychological Services accepts a broad range of insurance, including Medicaid and Medicare. For many people, that decides whether therapy is affordable at all. Hennepin Healthcare is also among our insurance partners, which can help Hennepin County residents who have coverage through that plan.
One detail trips up many people on Medical Assistance. In Minnesota, many Medicaid members are enrolled in a managed care plan run by a health plan company, and each managed care plan keeps its own provider list. A therapist who is in network for one Medical Assistance plan may not be listed for another. Check that the therapist is listed for your specific plan, not just for “Medicaid” in general.
What Costs Might I Still Owe When Insurance Covers Telehealth Therapy?
Even with coverage, you may still owe a copay, coinsurance, or the full cost of each session until your deductible is met. Covered doesn’t always mean free, and knowing these three terms makes your plan’s answers much easier to follow.
| Term | What it means in plain words |
|---|---|
| Copay | A set amount you pay for each visit |
| Coinsurance | A percentage of the visit cost that you pay |
| Deductible | The amount you pay yourself before your plan starts sharing costs |
Your plan may use one of these or a combination. For example, some plans require you to meet the deductible first and then charge coinsurance after that.
Minnesota’s parity rule also touches cost-sharing. For state-regulated plans, the deductible, copay, or coinsurance for a telehealth visit generally shouldn’t be higher than for the same visit in person. If your plan quotes a higher cost for video therapy, ask the representative to explain why, and confirm whether your plan is fully insured or self-funded.
Deductibles often reset at the start of the plan year, which is January for many plans but not all. Sessions early in the plan year may cost more out of pocket until the deductible is met, then cost less afterward. Ask your insurer when your plan year starts.
Why Would Insurance Deny a Telehealth Therapy Claim?
Common reasons include an out-of-network therapist, being outside the therapist’s licensed state during the session, or a service your plan does not cover. Denials often trace back to one of these causes:
- The client was physically outside Minnesota during the video call with a Minnesota-licensed clinician.
- The clinician is out of network for the client’s plan.
- The plan is self-funded and excludes telehealth.
- The service is not considered medically necessary under the plan.
- The service type is not covered by the plan.
The location rule can surprise people. In general, your therapist must be licensed in the state where you’re physically located during the session, not just the state where you live or where the therapist’s office is. A session from a Wisconsin cabin or a Florida vacation may not be allowed, and a session that isn’t allowed may not be covered. If you’ll be traveling, talk with your therapist ahead of time about how to handle sessions while you’re away.
Medical necessity is the insurance term for care that treats a diagnosed health condition. In practice, insurance usually pays for therapy tied to a diagnosis such as anxiety, depression, or PTSD, and your therapist documents that diagnosis as part of treatment.
Some services fall into gray areas. Couples counseling, for instance, may or may not be covered depending on your plan, because some plans require a diagnosis for one partner. Cabot Psychological Services also offers Reiki and certified life coaching alongside licensed clinical care. Those complementary services aren’t the same as clinical therapy, so ask about cost and coverage for them separately before you book.
What Can I Do If My Claim Is Denied?
Ask your insurer for the denial reason in writing, then ask about the appeal process. Before you appeal, look for simple errors, such as a wrong member ID or a wrong location listed on the claim. Clerical mistakes are often easier to correct than a coverage dispute, and a corrected claim can sometimes be resubmitted. Your call notes, including the reference number from your benefits check, can support your case. You can also ask the therapy practice whether someone can help review the claim, since the practice can see how the claim was coded.
Telehealth vs. In-Person Therapy at an Edina Office With Insurance
For most state-regulated plans, insurance treats a telehealth session and an in-person session at an Edina office the same way. The choice can come down to what fits your life. Cabot Psychological Services has offices in Minneapolis and Edina and offers telehealth therapy statewide.
Winter is a practical reason many people choose video. Minnesota winters bring ice and limited daylight from November through February, and those months are a known driver of seasonal mood changes and worsening depression. When low mood makes leaving home harder, a video session removes the drive, the parking and the cold walk to the door, which may make it easier to keep regular appointments through the hardest months.
For Edina families, a video session can save a teen and a parent a trip across town. Ask whether telehealth is a good fit for your child’s therapy, and confirm your child’s coverage under the family plan, including whether the child’s clinician is in network.
Some services may work better in person for some people. Ask your clinician which format, or combination of formats, they recommend for your needs. The answer may be different for therapy than for psychological testing and evaluation.
Can I Switch Between Video and Office Visits?
Many plans cover both formats, so switching may be possible. Ask your clinician whether mixing formats fits your care, and confirm with your insurer that both formats are covered at the same level. As a hypothetical example, you might use video sessions during a busy work week or a snowstorm, then come to the Edina office when you prefer face-to-face time. Telehealth from anywhere in Minnesota is an option with our licensed therapists, so moving within the state doesn’t have to mean starting over with a new therapist. Just remember the location rule: with a Minnesota-licensed clinician, you generally need to be physically in Minnesota for each video session.
When Should You Ask a Therapy Practice to Verify Your Benefits?
Ask before your first session, and again any time your insurance changes, such as a new job, a new plan year, or a switch to Medicare or Medicaid. A plan you checked last year may have a new deductible, a new network or new rules this year.
Cabot Psychological Services verifies insurance coverage before the first appointment, which helps you avoid surprise bills and confusing phone calls. Once your coverage is clear, you can book without calling. We offer online self-scheduling through SimplePractice, so you can choose a time that works for you.
Insurance billing also depends on who provides your care. Insurers generally pay for therapy delivered by licensed providers, and our clinicians hold Minnesota licenses. For example, Amanda Mulfinger, PhD, LP, is the President and Owner of Cabot Psychological Services and holds Minnesota License #LP5029. Cabot Psychological Services has been in practice since 2010.
If you’re in crisis, don’t wait on insurance questions. Call or text 988 right away to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Key Takeaways on Using Insurance for Edina Telehealth Therapy
State-regulated Minnesota health plans generally must cover telehealth therapy like in-person care, and self-funded employer plans are the main exception to check. Medicaid and Medicare can cover video therapy too, but only with a therapist who accepts your plan, and with a Minnesota-licensed clinician you generally need to be in Minnesota during each session. Whatever your plan, verifying benefits before the first session is the easiest way to avoid denied claims and surprise costs.
If you’re weighing video sessions against visits to our Edina office, ask us to check your coverage for both formats before your first appointment. Once you know what you’ll owe, you can pick a time through SimplePractice.
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Cabot Clients Say
"Sessions with Amanda are empowering."
Sessions with Amanda are empowering. She is a deeply kind therapist who has helped me to process, heal, and develop as a person.
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I have been a client of Cabot since the inception in 2010; my experience with the therapists and administrative staff have always been positive. I trust them and have referred both family and friends to Cabot and all have come back thanking me for the referral and have benefited from the caring and compassionate work of the Cabot staff.
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Cabot provides a welcoming and safe environment for those who may be struggling or need additional support. Each time I come for an appointment I am welcomed with a smile and hello not only from my therapist but others who pass through the waiting room.
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