Medicare Covers Online Therapy in New York: MMHC's Medicare-Enrolled Therapists Now Accepting New Patients Statewide at $0 to $27 Per Session

Every therapist at Manhattan Mental Health Counseling is enrolled in Medicare and bills Medicare directly; no referral required, no annual session limits, exact cost confirmed before session one, and first sessions often within 5 days of submitting the form, from Manhattan to Buffalo to the North Country

NEW YORK, July 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Manhattan Mental Health Counseling (MMHC), the highest-rated affordable telehealth therapy practice in New York, today unveiled the rollout of its Original Medicare program: the practice is in-network with Original Medicare (Part B) across New York State, with every therapist Medicare-enrolled and accepting new patients now.

Most beneficiaries with a Medigap supplement pay $0 per session. On Part B alone, a standard 53-minute session costs about $27 after the annual deductible. Original Medicare requires no referral and sets no annual session limits. Exact costs are confirmed before the first session, at no charge, at manhattanmentalhealthcounseling.com/medicare-therapy-coverage-new-york/.

Because all sessions are online, Medicare beneficiaries are not limited to therapists within driving distance. MMHC serves patients in every part of New York State: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Long Island, Westchester County, and upstate from Buffalo to the North Country. No commute, no geographic restriction.

This launch matters for a population that often needs therapy most while using it least. Many older adults assume Medicare does not cover mental health care, or contact multiple practices without finding a Medicare-enrolled therapist accepting new patients. Every MMHC therapist bills Medicare directly under an active National Provider Identifier (NPI), so patients pay nothing upfront and file no paperwork.

Who This Is For

• Adults on Original Medicare (Part B) seeking covered therapy
• Beneficiaries with a Medigap supplement (Plan G or N) looking for $0 sessions
• Dual-eligible New Yorkers with both Medicare and Medicaid
• Anyone searching for a Medicare-enrolled therapist accepting new patients in New York

“We serve a generation that was raised to keep this kind of struggle private. Many have carried grief, anxiety, or depression for decades without once talking to a professional, and Medicare has covered that care the whole time. We enrolled every one of our therapists and made the first step as small as possible: one call, your exact cost, a session within days.”

Steven Buchwald, Managing Director, Manhattan Mental Health Counseling

Does Original Medicare Cover Therapy in New York?

Yes. Medicare Part B covers outpatient psychotherapy, including telehealth from home, when treatment is medically necessary (your provider documents that treatment is needed for a diagnosed condition or to keep it from getting worse) and the therapist is Medicare-enrolled. There is no annual session cap: coverage continues as long as medical necessity is documented. Coverage is not limited to severe conditions; Medicare also reimburses therapy for mild to moderate concerns when treatment prevents symptoms or daily functioning from worsening.

Costs work differently than Medicare Advantage. Original Medicare uses 20% coinsurance (your share of the Medicare-approved amount) rather than fixed copays, after the $283 annual Part B deductible. Your actual cost depends on your coverage path:

If you have	Your cost per session
Part B + Medigap Plan G	$0 after the $283 annual deductible
Part B + Medigap Plan N	$0 to $20
Part B alone	About $27 for a 53-minute session (20% coinsurance; no out-of-pocket maximum)
Medicare + Medicaid (dual-eligible)	Typically $0
Medicare Advantage (Part C)	Fixed copays set by your carrier; see MMHC's Medicare Advantage guide

The $27 figure is exact, not an estimate. Verified against the 2026 CMS Physician Fee Schedule, the 20% coinsurance for a standard 53-minute session (CPT 90837) after the deductible is $27.30 in Manhattan, $27.48 in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Staten Island, and $27.40 in Queens.

Over a full year of weekly therapy (52 sessions), a beneficiary with Medigap Plan G pays $283 total, just the deductible. On Part B alone, the same year costs $283 plus about $27 per session. Dual-eligible beneficiaries typically pay $0.

“A surprising number of patients don't know whether they carry a Medigap supplement, and that one detail is the difference between twenty-seven dollars a session and zero. We check it for them as part of verification. Telling someone their therapy costs nothing is a really good phone call to make.”

Nashuan Lee, Director of Credentialing, Manhattan Mental Health Counseling

How Do New Yorkers Get to $0 Per Session?

Through Medigap, and New York is one of the best states in the country to get one. Medigap (also called a Medicare Supplement plan) is private insurance that covers the costs Original Medicare leaves to you, including the 20% coinsurance. New York is one of only a handful of states, with Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, that require Medigap insurers to sell a policy year-round regardless of age, health, or pre-existing conditions, a fact verified by KFF and the New York State Department of Financial Services.

For a New Yorker on Part B alone, the option for $0 sessions is always available. A Medigap Plan G or N can be added at any time of year, and premiums are community-rated: they do not rise with age or health, only by region within the state. One important detail: without six months of continuous prior coverage, an insurer may apply a waiting period of up to six months for pre-existing conditions. MMHC walks patients through how this applies to them. Most national directories do not provide New Yorkers with this information.

What Do MMHC's Medicare-Enrolled Therapists Treat?

MMHC's 91+ therapists are experienced in addressing a broad range of mental health concerns, with particular expertise in the issues older adults most often bring to therapy: late-life depression and anxiety, grief and bereavement after the loss of a spouse or partner, caregiver stress, PTSD and trauma, and adjustment to retirement, illness, or loss. Care uses evidence-based psychotherapeutic modalities including CBT, DBT, EMDR, somatic therapy, and mindfulness-based interventions.

Why Older Adults on Medicare Choose MMHC

• Exact cost confirmed first, every time: 100% of MMHC's Medicare members receive confirmation of their exact per-session cost before their first session. A real person and a real number, not a self-serve estimate.
• Every therapist Medicare-enrolled: all bill Medicare directly with an active NPI, so there is no upfront payment and no reimbursement paperwork.
• Senior-friendly telehealth: one click to join, no app to download, compatibility with any browser, and phone support to test the setup before the first session.
• Rematching without restarting: if the first therapist is not the right fit, MMHC matches you with another Medicare-enrolled clinician without redoing benefits verification.
• Built for New York: a New York practice serving New Yorkers only, which means fluency in the state's Medigap rules and local plans that national directories do not have.
  
  

How Does MMHC's Medicare Intake Work?

• Step 1, Verify: share your Medicare card and MMHC confirms Part B status, Medigap or Medicaid coverage, and your exact per-session cost, usually in about 10 minutes.
• Step 2, Match: a member of the pre-screening time pairs you with a Medicare-enrolled therapist based on your goals and schedule.
• Step 3, Begin: first sessions are often within 5 days of submitting the form. MMHC files your Medicare claim automatically.
  
  

About Manhattan Mental Health Counseling

Manhattan Mental Health Counseling is a New York State telehealth therapy practice founded in 2014 and led by Natalie Buchwald, LMHC-D, Founder and Founding Clinical Chair. Its therapists are all enrolled in Medicare, accept Original Medicare and Medigap supplement plans, and are currently accepting new patients. The practice has supported more than 5,000 New Yorkers since 2014, is rated 4.0 on Google, and is in-network with major commercial and government-sponsored insurance plans throughout New York State, including Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, TRICARE, and several Medicaid managed care plans.

Yes, MMHC accepts Medicare and is currently accepting new patients. Medicare beneficiaries can verify benefits and schedule a first appointment at https://manhattanmentalhealthcounseling.com/medicare-therapy-coverage-new-york/ or by calling 212-960-8626.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does Medicare cover online therapy in New York?

A: Yes. Medicare covers behavioral health telehealth from home as a permanent benefit, at the same rate as in-person sessions, with no geographic restriction.

Q: Is therapy free with Medicare?

A: With a Medigap Plan G, most sessions cost $0 after the $283 annual Part B deductible. Plan N runs $0 to $20. On Part B alone, a 53-minute session in New York City costs about $27 after the deductible. Dual-eligible patients with Medicare and Medicaid typically pay $0.

Q: Is therapy covered by Medicare Part B or Part A?

A: Part B. Outpatient therapy, including telehealth, is a Part B benefit; Part A covers inpatient psychiatric hospital care.

Q: Do I need a referral for Medicare therapy?

A: No. Original Medicare does not require a referral to see a therapist.

Q: How many therapy sessions does Medicare cover per year?

A: There is no annual cap. Coverage continues as long as the treating therapist documents that treatment is medically necessary, so weekly therapy can continue as long as there is a clinical need.

Q: Does Medicare cover therapy for depression, anxiety, PTSD, or grief, and methods like CBT or EMDR?

A: Yes. Medicare covers outpatient psychotherapy by medical necessity, not by method or diagnosis category, so covered care includes depression, anxiety, PTSD, and grief, delivered through approaches such as CBT, DBT, or EMDR.

Q: What is the difference between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage for therapy?

A: Original Medicare uses 20% coinsurance and works with any Medicare-enrolled therapist nationwide. Medicare Advantage plans set fixed copays and use the carrier's network. MMHC covers Advantage plans in a dedicated guide at manhattanmentalhealthcounseling.com/medicare-advantage-online-therapy-in-new-york/.

Q: Can I still get a Medigap plan in New York if I missed my enrollment window?

A: Yes. New York requires Medigap insurers to sell policies year-round with community-rated premiums, regardless of age, health, or pre-existing conditions. A waiting period of up to six months may apply without six months of prior continuous coverage.

Q: How do I find a Medicare therapist near me in New York?

A: With Original Medicare, any Medicare-enrolled therapist in the state can treat you by telehealth, so proximity is no longer the constraint. A Medicare-enrolled therapist holds an active NPI and bills Medicare directly. MMHC's Medicare-enrolled therapists serve every part of New York State and are accepting new patients now.

Sources: 2026 CMS Physician Fee Schedule (NYC localities 01, 02, 04); CMS 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles; Telehealth.HHS.gov behavioral telehealth policy; KFF and NYS Department of Financial Services on New York Medigap guaranteed issue.

MEDIA CONTACT

Manhattan Mental Health Counseling

303 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1108, New York, NY 10016

Phone: 212-960-8626

Web: https://manhattanmentalhealthcounseling.com/

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