Online therapy has long been an option, but many people didn’t know much about it. That all changed during the pandemic. Suddenly, it became the default choice for most counseling centers and therapists. Many states enacted policy changes at the beginning of 2020 to ensure that the services you receive via virtual counseling are the same as the ones you’d get in-person (service parity) and to ensure that the amount you pay for in-person and online therapy is the same (payment parity).
Pre-pandemic, only 16 states had a payment parity system in place. Once COVID-19 hit, most states enacted policies regarding reimbursement parity — at least for people insured with Medicaid. Two dozen states look poised to keep their policy parity enforcement intact.
What does this mean for you? You’ll likely be able to find online therapy that doesn’t cost more than in-person sessions. That can be a huge help