What Anthem BCBS pays for therapy sessions
What Anthem BCBS pays depends heavily on your state. For a 60-minute session (CPT 90837), typical rates run from $101 in Kentucky to $127 in Virginia, from published payer contracts. Nationally, contracts typically start around $116. Pick your state below for local figures. Updated July 2026.
Anthem BCBS is the hardest to generalize: each state's Blue plan negotiates its own fee schedules, so Anthem can be the highest payer in one state and mid-pack in the next. Check your state's page before drawing conclusions.
- Reimbursement rates retrieved from CMS transparency data
- Updated July 2026
What Anthem BCBS pays per session type
Nationally, Anthem BCBS's contracts for a standard 60-minute session (90837) typically start around $116 and commonly run to $139. A 45-minute session (90834) pays $84–$98, and the intake evaluation (90791) $133–$156. These are conservative national figures, the low end of published contracts, and your own state can sit well above or below them.
| Session type | Typical rate | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| 60-min therapy (90837) | $116 | $116–$139 |
| 45-min therapy (90834) | $84 | $84–$98 |
| Initial evaluation (90791) | $133 | $133–$156 |
| Family therapy (90847) | $92 | $92–$112 |
Where Anthem BCBS pays the most
The same Anthem BCBS panel is worth a different amount depending on where you practice. Among states with enough published data, its typical 60-minute rate runs from $101 in Kentucky to $127 in Virginia, a spread of about 26%. The five highest-paying states:
| State | Typical 90837 rate |
|---|---|
| Virginia | $127 |
| Wisconsin | $124 |
| Nevada | $122 |
| California | $120 |
| Missouri | $119 |
Every state’s full figures, across all session types and every network, are on its own rate guide, linked below. For numbers specific to your license and ZIP code, use the calculator above.
Getting in network
Every figure on this page is an in-network rate. Your own contract with Anthem BCBS sets your exact numbers, and that contract starts with getting credentialed: a review that typically takes 60 to 120 days from the day a clean application is filed, which is the part we handle, from $99 one-time. How Anthem BCBS credentialing works for therapists.
Explore more rates
About this data
From CMS Transparency in Coverage files, which insurers must publish. This page reflects Anthem BCBS's published contracted rates for licensed behavioral health providers nationwide. Each figure is the typical contracted rate for master's-level clinicians (LCSW, LMHC, LMFT): a guide, not a quote, and credentialing never guarantees panel acceptance. Last synced July 2026.
Common questions
- How much does Anthem BCBS pay for a 60-minute therapy session (90837)?
- Anthem BCBS typically reimburses $116 or more for CPT 90837, with typical contracts ranging up to $139.
- Does Anthem BCBS pay therapists the same in every state?
- No. Contracted rates vary meaningfully by state: among states with published data, Anthem BCBS's typical 90837 rate ranges from $101 to $127. Pick your state page for local figures.
- How do I get credentialed with Anthem BCBS?
- You apply to join Anthem BCBS's network, and these in-network rates apply once you're approved. Anthem BCBS usually reviews in 60 to 120 days, and that review only begins once a clean application is filed, so the sooner it's in, the sooner you're billing in network. We prepare and file the whole application for a one-time $99, then handle every follow-up until Anthem BCBS decides. Start with paneled.ai.
Rates like these start with getting on the panels.
We handle the applications and follow-ups, start to finish, from $99 one-time. No subscriptions.