What UnitedHealthcare pays for therapy sessions
What UnitedHealthcare pays depends heavily on your state. For a 60-minute session (CPT 90837), typical rates run from $105 in South Carolina to $134 in Wyoming, from published payer contracts. Nationally, contracts typically start around $116. Pick your state below for local figures. Updated July 2026.
UnitedHealthcare, which runs behavioral health through Optum, tends to sit mid-pack. Its fee schedules are more standardized across states than the regional Blues, so its rates are more predictable from one market to the next.
- Reimbursement rates retrieved from CMS transparency data
- Updated July 2026
What UnitedHealthcare pays per session type
Nationally, UnitedHealthcare's contracts for a standard 60-minute session (90837) typically start around $116 and commonly run to $125. A 45-minute session (90834) pays $79–$85, and the intake evaluation (90791) $131–$149. 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–$125 |
| 45-min therapy (90834) | $79 | $79–$85 |
| Initial evaluation (90791) | $131 | $131–$149 |
| Family therapy (90847) | $92 | $92–$104 |
Where UnitedHealthcare pays the most
The same UnitedHealthcare panel is worth a different amount depending on where you practice. Among states with enough published data, its typical 60-minute rate runs from $105 in South Carolina to $134 in Wyoming, a spread of about 28%. The five highest-paying states:
| State | Typical 90837 rate |
|---|---|
| Wyoming | $134 |
| North Dakota | $133 |
| Connecticut | $132 |
| Massachusetts | $132 |
| Nebraska | $131 |
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 UnitedHealthcare 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 UnitedHealthcare credentialing works for therapists.
Explore more rates
UnitedHealthcare rates by state
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
About this data
From CMS Transparency in Coverage files, which insurers must publish. This page reflects UnitedHealthcare'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 UnitedHealthcare pay for a 60-minute therapy session (90837)?
- UnitedHealthcare typically reimburses $116 or more for CPT 90837, with typical contracts ranging up to $125.
- Does UnitedHealthcare pay therapists the same in every state?
- No. Contracted rates vary meaningfully by state: among states with published data, UnitedHealthcare's typical 90837 rate ranges from $105 to $134. Pick your state page for local figures.
- How do I get credentialed with UnitedHealthcare?
- You apply to join UnitedHealthcare's network, and these in-network rates apply once you're approved. UnitedHealthcare 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 UnitedHealthcare 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.