Getting started · Washington online therapy
Clear answers before your first session.
Understand your coverage, feel more prepared for costs, and know exactly what happens when you request an appointment.
Practical guides for your next step
Practical starting points for using insurance and finding support around work.
Using your insurance for therapy in Washington
You have health insurance. The next step is finding out how it can help you start therapy—with a clinician, a cost and a schedule that work for you.
Clinically reviewed by Katie Sedgwick, LMHCRead the guide →
Starting therapy for work stress in Washington
When the workday ends but the pressure follows you home, it can be hard to know where to begin. You can ask for support without having every part of the problem figured out.
Clinically reviewed by Katie Sedgwick, LMHCRead the guide →
Choose a guide below. You can come back to these details whenever you need them.
Your coverageUsing employer or marketplace insurance
Your employer-sponsored or marketplace insurance may help pay for online mental health counseling. The important detail is your specific plan and network—not just the employer name or the logo on your card.
Start with three details.
- The insurer and exact plan name. Check your current insurance card or member portal.
- The behavioral health network. Ask whether mental health benefits use a separate administrator or provider network.
- The clinician you want to see. Confirm that the specific clinician and online outpatient counseling service participate in your plan.
Using a marketplace plan?
We also accept marketplace plans with participating clinicians. These are individual or family plans you purchase yourself, including through Washington Healthplanfinder. Select the exact marketplace plan in our therapist finder or appointment-request form so we can match you with a clinician who accepts it. Marketplace and Apple Health / Medicaid plans from the same insurer can have different networks.
Questions to ask your benefits team or insurer
- Is online outpatient mental health counseling covered under my plan?
- Is my preferred clinician in the correct network for this benefit?
- Does the deductible apply, and what copay or coinsurance would I pay?
- Is a referral or prior authorization required?
- Do any visit or authorization limits apply to my benefits?
A familiar employer name does not guarantee coverage. Two people working for the same company may have different plan options. Our intake team checks your particular plan and clinician before confirming care.
Explore your plan with Arcadia.
We accept Aetna, Cigna, Regence and Premera Blue Cross with participating clinicians. Select your insurer to explore the relevant information and current options.
Have your plan details ready for the appointment process. Please do not send your insurance card, member number or other sensitive documents through a general email.
For definitions and benefit questions, use your insurer’s current plan documents and the HealthCare.gov coverage glossary ↗. This guide explains the process; it does not confirm a specific benefit.
Your costsCopays, deductibles & therapy costs
With employer-sponsored or marketplace insurance, your therapy cost depends on your plan, the clinician’s network participation, the service and how your benefits apply. Apple Health / Medicaid works differently; see the section below.
Deductible
The amount you pay toward covered services before your plan starts sharing costs for services subject to that deductible. Some benefits can work differently.
Copay
A set dollar amount for a covered service. Check whether it applies to outpatient therapy and whether you must meet a deductible first.
Coinsurance
Your percentage share of a covered service’s allowed cost, generally after the applicable deductible. Your plan sets the percentage.
Before your first appointment, ask:
- Does my mental health benefit have a copay, coinsurance, a deductible—or a combination?
- How much of the applicable deductible remains?
- What is the expected cost with this clinician for an online therapy visit?
- When does my plan year reset, and could my cost change then?
Benefits verification is a starting point. We verify and explain all out-of-pocket costs before your first appointment. Your plan’s terms, eligibility and claims processing determine the final benefit.
Apple Health / Medicaid
Several Arcadia clinicians accept Apple Health / Medicaid. Covered therapy appointments with a participating clinician cost $0—no out-of-pocket cost. Medicaid members do not need a credit card on file during intake. Choose your exact Apple Health plan when requesting care. Our intake team will confirm your coverage and clinician before your appointment is finalized.
Apple Health information: Washington Health Care Authority ↗. Cost definitions checked against HealthCare.gov: deductible ↗, copayment ↗ and coinsurance ↗. Your own plan documents control your coverage.
Your next stepWhat happens after you request care
You can explore clinicians, use the therapist finder, or select an available time before completing the appointment-request form. This gives our intake team a place to start.
Your appointment is not booked when you submit the form. We must hear back from you and confirm the details together before your appointment can be scheduled.
1. Watch for our email.
Our intake team will contact you from information@arcadiawa.com within 24 business hours to confirm your request and collect any additional details. Check both your inbox and spam folder.
2. Reply so we can finalize scheduling.
We will review clinician availability, your insurance or private-pay choice, and the proposed appointment. Selecting an opening expresses your preference; it is not a confirmed reservation. We make up to three attempts to reach you. If we do not hear back, we cannot finalize your appointment.
3. Complete paperwork and get ready to connect.
After confirming your appointment, our team sends intake paperwork to complete before the first session and directions for joining through our secure electronic health record (EHR) platform. Plan to attend from a private space in Washington with a reliable internet connection.
What should I have ready?
- Your scheduling availability and any clinician preference.
- Your current insurance plan details, or your private-pay preference.
- An email address you check regularly.
Arcadia provides ongoing therapy. We do not offer FMLA letters, emotional support animal letters, or evaluations or letters for gender-affirming surgery.
Following Apple Health changes? Read our Washington Medicaid 2027 guide for links to official HCA information and help maintaining coverage.
Ready to take the next step?
Explore clinicians and current openings, then let our intake team help confirm the details.