Many people do not know that Medicare pays for mental health care. It covers talk therapy, visits to check and adjust medicines, a yearly depression check, and hospital care when needed.^1,3 It also helps pay for the medicines through Part D drug plans.⁹

This page explains what each part of Medicare does for mental health, what you may pay, and how to get help using it. Costs and rules here are current as of October 2026. They change most years, so check before you make plans.

Key points

Part B covers outpatient care: therapy, psychiatric visits, medicine checks, and more. You usually pay 20% after the yearly deductible.¹
A depression screening once a year costs you nothing if your provider accepts Medicare's payment as full payment.²
Since January 2024, Medicare also pays licensed marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors. This means many more therapists can see you.⁸
Part A covers hospital stays. Care in a stand-alone psychiatric hospital has a 190-day lifetime limit.³
You can have therapy by video or phone from home. For mental health, this is permanent.⁵

The parts of Medicare, in brief

Medicare has several parts. Each one covers a different kind of mental health care.

Part	What it covers for mental health
Part A (hospital insurance)	Inpatient stays in a general or psychiatric hospital³
Part B (medical insurance)	Outpatient visits, therapy, screening, day programs, telehealth¹
Part D (drug plans)	Most prescription medicines you take at home, such as antidepressants⁹
Medicare Advantage (Part C)	A private plan that gives you Parts A and B, and usually D. It may add extra benefits.⁹

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, your costs, rules and list of in-network therapists can be different from Original Medicare. Call the number on your plan card to ask.

Part B: therapy and outpatient care

Part B covers mental health care you get outside a hospital. This includes care in a doctor's office, a clinic, or a hospital outpatient department.¹ Covered services include:^1,7

Individual and group therapy. Group therapy is covered. Social support groups that are mainly for talking and visiting are not.⁷
Family counseling, when its main goal is to help with your treatment.
A psychiatric evaluation, and visits to manage your medicines.
Tests to diagnose a problem or see whether treatment is working.
Safety planning if you are at risk of suicide or overdose.
Care for alcohol and drug problems, including medicines that treat them.
Some digital treatment devices cleared or authorized by the FDA, such as certain prescribed apps, when other conditions are met.
Some drugs given by a provider, such as certain injections, that you would not usually give yourself.

For severe depression, Medicare also covers electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). TMS uses magnetic pulses on the scalp to change activity in mood areas of the brain.⁹ See when depression doesn't get better to learn more.

What you pay for Part B care

In 2026, the Part B deductible is $283 a year. The standard monthly premium is $202.90. People with higher incomes pay more.⁶

After you meet the deductible, you usually pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for each visit.¹ If you see the therapist in a hospital clinic, the hospital may charge an extra copayment.¹

Ask whether the provider "accepts assignment." This means they take Medicare's approved amount as full payment. They can then bill you only for the deductible and the 20%.⁷ Clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and mental health counselors must accept assignment to be paid by Medicare.⁹

The free yearly depression screening

Medicare Part B covers one depression screening each year. You pay nothing if your provider accepts assignment.²

The screening must happen in a primary care setting, such as your regular doctor's office. That office must be able to give follow-up treatment or a referral if needed.² It is usually a short set of questions. Our page on getting checked for depression explains the common questionnaires. You can also try our private check-in.

Two other preventive visits touch on mental health:¹

The one-time "Welcome to Medicare" visit includes a review of your risk for depression.
The yearly Wellness Visit is a time to talk about changes in your mood or mental health since last year.

Depression is not a normal part of aging. If the screening suggests depression, it is treatable at any age. See depression in later life.

New since 2024: more kinds of therapists

For many years, Medicare paid only some types of mental health professionals. Starting January 1, 2024, a federal law let licensed marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) bill Medicare.⁸ Many of these counselors use the title "licensed professional counselor" (LPC). Some addiction counselors who meet the rules can also enroll as mental health counselors.⁸

Today, these providers can see you under Part B:¹

Psychiatrists and other doctors
Clinical psychologists
Clinical social workers
Clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners
Physician assistants
Marriage and family therapists
Mental health counselors

A counselor still has to be enrolled in Medicare, so always ask, "Do you take Medicare?" before your first visit. Our guide on how to find a therapist can help you search.

Getting care from your regular doctor

Some primary care offices offer behavioral health integration. This means mental health care is built into your regular doctor's office. Part B covers it for conditions like depression or anxiety.¹¹

One type is the Psychiatric Collaborative Care Model. A psychiatric consultant advises your primary care team.⁹ Services may include care planning, regular check-ins, medicine support and counseling.¹¹

You pay 20% after the deductible. You will be asked to sign an agreement because the service is billed monthly.¹¹ Not every office offers it, so ask your doctor. Read more about this and other options in finding geriatric mental health care.

Day programs: more than weekly therapy

When weekly therapy is not enough but a hospital stay is more than you need, Part B covers two kinds of day programs:⁷

Intensive outpatient program (IOP)

A step up from weekly therapy
At least 9 hours of treatment a week in your care plan
Offered at hospitals, community mental health centers, and some community health centers and rural clinics
You go home every day

Partial hospitalization program (PHP)

A step down from (or instead of) a hospital stay
Usually 4 to 8 hours a day, at least 20 hours of treatment a week
A doctor or qualified professional must certify that you would otherwise need hospital care
You go home every day

For both programs, you pay a share of each service plus a daily coinsurance in hospital outpatient settings or community mental health centers, after the Part B deductible.⁷

Part A: hospital stays

Part A covers mental health care when you are admitted to a hospital as an inpatient. You can be treated in a general hospital or a psychiatric hospital, which cares only for people with mental health conditions. Part B pays for the doctors and therapists who see you there.³

What you pay for each benefit period in 2026:³

Days in the hospital	What you pay
Days 1–60	$1,736 deductible, then $0 a day
Days 61–90	$434 a day
Days 91–150	$868 a day, using "lifetime reserve days" (you have 60 in your whole life)
After day 150	All costs

You also pay 20% of the approved amount for the mental health providers who see you during the stay.³

The 190-day limit. In a stand-alone psychiatric hospital, Part A pays for only 190 days in your lifetime.³ After you use 190 days, Medicare pays for no more care in that type of hospital.⁹ This limit does not apply to a psychiatric unit inside a general hospital.⁹ If you have needed many hospital stays over the years, ask about this before you are admitted.

Part A does not pay for a private room unless it is medically needed, private nursing, or extra charges for a phone or TV.³

Part D: medicines

Most mental health medicines you take at home, such as antidepressants and antipsychotics, are covered by Part D drug plans or a Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage.⁹

Each plan has its own drug list, but plans must cover nearly all antidepressants, antipsychotics and anticonvulsants (seizure medicines, some of which also treat mood), with few exceptions.⁷

Costs in 2026 and 2027:¹⁰

The most a plan can charge as a yearly deductible is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027.
Your out-of-pocket costs for covered drugs are capped at $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. After that, you pay nothing more for covered drugs for the rest of the year.
The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs in monthly payments. It does not lower the total.
Extra Help helps people with limited income pay for drugs. You get it automatically if you have Medicaid, a Medicare Savings Program, or SSI. Others can apply.

Check each fall that your plan still covers your medicines. Never stop or change a medicine because of cost without talking to your doctor or pharmacist first. They may know a covered option that works as well. See antidepressant medicines for more about these drugs.

Telehealth: therapy by video or phone

You can get many mental health services by telehealth, including therapy and depression screening.⁴ For most telehealth visits, you pay the same as for an in-person visit.⁴

The rules for mental health are especially open:⁵

From home, for good. You can get mental health care at home by telehealth. This is permanent, not temporary.
Phone only is OK. If you cannot use video, or do not want to, an audio-only phone visit can count. This is also permanent.
No in-person visit needed through December 31, 2027. A rule calls for an in-person visit within 6 months before your first mental health telehealth visit, and then every year. Recent laws have put that rule on hold through the end of 2027.

Medicare Advantage plans may offer more telehealth options.⁴

New to online care? See online therapy and mental health apps.

Help in a crisis

Medicare covers safety planning and a follow-up phone call after you leave an emergency room for a mental health crisis.¹

If you or someone you love is thinking about suicide or is in crisis, call or text 988. It is open 24 hours a day, every day.^3,9 If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. You do not need to check your coverage first in an emergency.

You can also make a plan ahead of time with our safety plan tool, or see get help now.

What Medicare does not cover

Some things related to mental health are not covered by Original Medicare:^7,9

Meals (outside a partial hospitalization program)
Rides to and from mental health visits
Support groups that are mainly social (group therapy is covered)
Job training that is not part of treatment
Pastoral (religious) counseling, massage and biofeedback
24-hour care at home

Some Medicare Advantage plans offer extra benefits, such as rides or added counseling, that Original Medicare does not.⁷ Long-term custodial care, such as help with bathing and dressing in a nursing home, is mostly not covered either. See what Medicare covers in dementia and Medicaid and long-term care.

Tips for using your benefits

Start with your regular doctor. Ask for your yearly depression screening, or bring up mood at your Wellness Visit.
Ask every provider, "Do you take Medicare, and do you accept assignment?" This keeps your costs to the 20% share.
If you have Medicare Advantage, call your plan. Ask for a list of in-network therapists and whether you need a referral or approval first.
Ask about lower-cost help if money is tight, such as Extra Help, a Medicare Savings Program, or Medicaid.

Free help understanding Medicare. State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) offer free counseling to people with Medicare and their families.¹² In Virginia, this program is called VICAP, the Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program. Its counseling is free, unbiased and confidential. You reach it through your local Area Agency on Aging.¹³ You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day, every day except some federal holidays. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.¹²

For other ways to pay, such as Medicaid and community clinics, see paying for therapy.

Common questions

Is there a limit on how many therapy sessions Medicare pays for?

Medicare covers therapy when it is needed to treat your condition, and your provider must document why.⁹ Ask your therapist how often they plan to see you and how they will track progress. If a provider suggests a service Medicare may not cover, ask before you agree so you are not surprised by a bill.²

Does Medicare pay for counseling for family caregivers?

Medicare covers family counseling when its main goal is to help with the Medicare patient's treatment.¹ A caregiver who has Medicare can also get therapy under their own Part B coverage. See caregiver stress and burnout.

Sources

Medicare.gov. Mental health care (outpatient). Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2026. Medicare.gov
Medicare.gov. Depression screenings. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2026. Medicare.gov
Medicare.gov. Mental health care (inpatient). Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2026. Medicare.gov
Medicare.gov. Telehealth. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2026. Medicare.gov
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Telehealth policy changes after the COVID-19 public health emergency. HHS, updated February 2026. telehealth.hhs.gov
Medicare.gov. Medicare costs. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2026. Medicare.gov
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicare & your mental health benefits (Product No. 10184). CMS, September 2026. PDF
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule (fact sheet). CMS, 2023. CMS
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicare & mental health coverage (MLN1986542). Medicare Learning Network, March 2026. PDF
Medicare.gov. Costs for Medicare drug coverage. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2026. Medicare.gov
Medicare.gov. Behavioral health integration services. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2026. Medicare.gov
Medicare.gov. Talk to someone. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2026. Medicare.gov
Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services. Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP). Commonwealth of Virginia, 2026. vda.virginia.gov

Education only. This page is general information written from the sources listed. It is not medical, legal or financial advice and does not replace a doctor, therapist or lawyer who knows your situation. How we write and check pages.

What Medicare covers for mental health