Open Enrollment: How to Choose the Best Insurance for Therapy in 2026

December 3, 2025

Open Enrollment: How to Choose the Best Insurance for Therapy in 2026

A quick guide for current Move Forward Counseling clients, or people making insurance decisions, during open enrollment.

Open Enrollment comes around just once a year, and it’s your chance to switch health insurance plans. If therapy is something you value—whether you’re in it now or think “future me might want this”—this is the perfect time to choose a plan that actually helps you get the care you want. Click here if you prefer to email MFC a question to the scheduling team about insurance for 2026.

Not sure about your plan?

Use the website chat to ask an insurance question, or email or call our scheduling team during business hours.

Let’s make the process a whole lot easier.

1. First: Decide if Therapy Might Matter to You in 2026

Before diving into all the insurance stuff, ask yourself:

Do I want to start or return to therapy next year?
Could my partner or kids need support?
Am I dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, or big life changes?

If you’re thinking yes, maybe, or even I’m not sure but it would be nice to have the option, then choose a plan with strong mental health coverage—not just the lowest monthly price.

Your future self will thank you.

2. Check If Move Forward Counseling Is In-Network

“In-network” is basically insurance language for: You pay less. Things are simpler. Fewer surprises.

Therapists at Move Forward Counseling are in-network with:

Aetna
Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Capital Blue Cross
Eliance Health Solutions (Preferred Health Care)
Employer EAP from Move Forward Counseling
Evernorth (formerly CIGNA)
Geisinger
Highmark Blue Shield
Independence BC (Highmark)
Life Solutions EAP
Optum
Populytics (Highmark)
Quest / Quest EAP
United Behavioral Health / Optum
United Healthcare UHCI UBH
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)

Important:
Move Forward Counseling does not accept Medicaid or Medicare, and federal regulations prevent us from accepting self-pay clients who hold those plans.

Not sure about your plan?
Use the website chat to ask an insurance question, or email or call our scheduling team during business hours.

3. Compare These 5 Things That Actually Affect What You Pay

Insurance can feel overwhelming, so here’s the short version of what actually matters for therapy:

Copay or Coinsurance
- Therapy usually counts as a “specialist visit.”
- Copay = a set price each time (e.g., $50 per session).
- Coinsurance = you pay a percentage after you meet your deductible.

Neither is “better”—it just depends on the rest of your plan.

Deductible

This is the amount you pay before insurance helps.

- Lower deductible = you get the insurance discount sooner.
- Deductibles under $1,000 are ideal if you plan to use therapy regularly.
- High-deductible plans may look cheap monthly, but you’ll pay the full session rate until you meet that deductible.

Every once in a while (maybe 2% of plans), you’ll see a copay and a deductible. If that confuses you, ask—we’re happy to help!

Out-of-Pocket Maximum

Think of this as your safety net:
Once you hit this number, insurance covers 100% of in-network care for the rest of the year.

- A “good” out-of-pocket max is around $2,000 or less.
- If you expect lots of therapy or medical visits, a lower max can really pay off.
Monthly Premium

- This is the amount you pay every month for the plan itself.

- Sometimes it’s worth paying a little more each month to save a lot during the year—especially if therapy is part of your routine.

Online Therapy: Also referred to as Virtual or Telehealth Coverage

- Double-check that your plan covers online therapy sessions the same way it covers in-person sessions.

If you rely on video sessions for childcare, commute time, or just convenience, this matters!

4. Save About 25% Using HSA, FSA, or Other Pre-Tax Accounts

If your employer offers an HSA or FSA, you can use pre-tax dollars to pay for:

Therapy copays
Deductible payments
Coinsurance

This feels like getting a built-in discount—and it’s money you’ve already set aside.

A quick refresher:

HSA: The money rolls over forever (and even follows you to new jobs).
FSA: “Use it or lose it” each year, so plan ahead.

If therapy is part of your wellness plan, this can be a smart way to make it more affordable.

5. Questions You Can Ask HR or Your Benefits Team

Here are some super simple questions that make comparison easier:

“Which plan has the best coverage for outpatient mental health therapy?”
“What’s the copay or coinsurance for therapy sessions?”
“Is online video therapy covered the same as in-person?”

They’ll know exactly what you mean.

6. Already in Therapy With Us?

Open Enrollment is the perfect time to keep what’s working—or improve it.

If you like your current plan, you can usually stick with it.
But if your copays or deductible feel too high, look at other options and choose one that:
- Keeps us in-network
- Has reasonable specialist copays
- Offers a lower deductible

And as always, if you need help figuring out whether your new plan includes us, just send a message—we respond within a day.

7. Not in Therapy With Us Right Now?

Open Enrollment might be the perfect moment to come back.

A new plan could mean:

Lower copays
Better mental health coverage
More flexibility with telehealth
Less financial stress around getting support

Click here to get matched with Move Forward Counseling therapists who accept your new plan or to ask additional questions about insurance and booking services with Move Forward Counseling.

This article was written to provide comprehensive information about choosing a healthcare plan that includes mental health therapy services. The content has been reviewed for accuracy by the leadership at Move Forward Counseling, a leading provider of outpatient therapy services across Pennsylvania.