Teladoc Health is a global leader in virtual health care. They provide a wide range of services designed to address various medical needs, ranging from general health issues to specialized mental health assistance.
In this review, I focused on their mental health services which their large pool of licensed therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists provide. You can book consultations, access your medical history, and get prescriptions from either their website or mobile app.
By reading this Teladoc Therapy review, you can find all the information you need to decide if you should use their services. I’ll cover the company’s background, pros and cons, available treatments, price, and how they compare to their main competitors.
Teladoc Therapy consists of mental health professionals and medical practitioners who specialize in psychiatry. As mentioned, they offer both therapy and psychiatric services to those who seek such.
The company behind Teladoc Therapy is Teladoc Health – more widely known as just Teladoc, which is a leading online health services provider. On their website, they boast about their innovations as well as the diversity of their team. Teladoc states they dedicate themselves to improving the well-being of millions of people by demonstrating the integration of technology and personalized care.
They are also partnered with reputable hospitals all over the US if in any case you would want to do an in-person consultation. Nonetheless, their main focus is to provide affordable, accessible, and quality health care.
Some of their subsidiaries include BetterHelp, Livongo, HealthiestYou, and MyStrength. As of writing, the most recent headline about Teladoc is about their CEO stepping down from his position presumably due to the drastic drop in share prices. Despite this, the executives of the company remain optimistic about Teladoc Health and generally, for the future of virtual health care.
| Year Founded | 2002 |
|---|---|
| U.S Based Company | Yes |
| Number of Licensed Therapists | More than a thousand therapists and psychiatrists |
| Accepts Insurance? | Yes |
| HIPAA Compliant | Yes |
| Therapy Modes | Video, Phone, Email, and Digital Tools |
| Available Treatments | Individual Therapeutic and Psychiatric Services |
| Average Price | Therapy: $0-$99 per session | Psychiatry: $0-$299 per consult |
| Sign Up Time | 30 Minutes |
| Response Time | Immediate |
| Mobile App | Yes |
| Website | https://www.teladochealth.com |
| Customer Reviews | 90% Positive for Mental Health Services |
| Our Editorial Rating | 3 Stars |
| Current Promotion | None |
Choosing Teladoc Therapy’s online mental health services involves a straightforward registration process. You will need to create an account and provide necessary health insurance details. If you do not have these details to input, you simply move towards the next step which is gaining access to their pool of care providers.
Whether through the Teladoc application or their website (if you do not have internet access, you can also reach out by phone) you can submit your request and swiftly connect with your chosen licensed or board-certified therapist or psychiatrist.
Despite being able to immediately see their providers after registration, you need to register and choose your online therapist or psychiatrist 3 days before the date you intend to have your session or consultation.
After making your appointment, you will be given a questionnaire which serves as your intake form. You can cancel your appointment easily if needed since you will only be charged after seeing the practitioner. However, if you cancel 24 hours before seeing your provider, you will be charged. Do note that for the first time, if for whatever reason you are not able to make it to your appointed schedule, it will not incur the cancellation fees – any succeeding no-shows will be charged.
The length of therapy sessions usually ranges from 45 minutes to an hour, depending on your provider and your reason for seeing them. The number of sessions will then depend on your needs and what your therapist suggests. As for the psychiatric consultation, it usually takes less than an hour much like when you go to consultations regarding your physical health.
Some therapists give “homework” depending on the type of therapy or your primary concern. Along with the digital tools they have on their application, these self-paced activities help you stay grounded in between sessions or are meant to be part of your routine so that you can improve your wellbeing.
You are given the option to choose a new provider or stick with the one you talked to on your first appointment. You can also opt to not use Teladoc anymore if ever you do not need online mental health services anymore as you are not under a subscription plan.
Signing up for Teladoc is simple and efficient. The process ensures that you can quickly connect with their licensed and board-certified healthcare professionals. Here is a quick rundown of how you may be able to use Teladoc’s services:
1. Set up your account.
2. Reach out to a provider: therapist or psychiatrist.
3. Make sure that you are setting the appointment 72 hours before your intended date.
4. Answer the health questionnaire.
5. Attend the session or consultation.
6. If applicable, accomplish activities in between your sessions or make use of Teladoc’s digital tools.
7. Decide whether you will continue using Teladoc’s services – choose to see your therapist or psychiatrist again or choose another professional to see for your next appointment.
You might be confused if you go to their website because their prices are not upfront. However, they do emphasize that if you have insurance, you can use their online mental health services for as low as $0. It is stated in their FAQs that a handful of health care plans and employers that are affiliated with them can cover the costs of their services.
Included in that list of healthcare plans are Medicare Advantage and Medicaid. If you wish to check if the insurance you have can cover the costs of their services, Teladoc recommends that you inquire about it to your benefits manager or see upon account creation.
I used the search function at first to see if they had clearer information about their prices, but upon clicking on the FAQ, “How much does a Mental Health visit cost?” it showed the price of their general medicine services instead. Here is the actual price range for their therapy and psychiatry services:
Therapy
Psychiatry
Having a large pool of online providers, Teladoc Therapy claims to extend their help to treat a wide range of mental health problems. On their website, they listed the following as the psychological issues their online practitioners commonly handle:
Besides therapy, their psychiatrists may also prescribe you medications if you opt to consult them as well. However, as with other online psychiatric service providers, they cannot prescribe controlled medication (i.e., opioids, narcotics) since those require in-person prescriptions. If you already have existing medications, their psychiatrists can also help you with medication management.
They have a number of psychiatrists who allow in-person visits wherein they can refill your medication or dispense the medication. However, the most common way they assist with your medication management is by sending the prescription to your selected pharmacy.
Their licensed online therapists are mainly trained in common therapeutic techniques like CBT, SFBT, and psychotherapy – so, if your concern is more nuanced or if you are seeking other types of online therapy because what I have mentioned does not fully cater to your needs, then it is better for you to seek for an online therapy platform that is solely dedicated to mental health care.
If you are trying to figure out whether Teladoc Therapy would be your best choice for online mental health services, here is how they compare to our top-rated services. For additional options on top of those listed below, I recommend reading our guides for affordable therapy and therapy sites that take insurance.
When considering online therapy platforms, Teladoc Therapy and Talkspace stand out as reputable options with distinct features. Both platforms accept insurance, making mental health services more accessible. However, their focus and pricing structures differ significantly. Teladoc Therapy is part of the broader Teladoc Health ecosystem, which offers a wide range of virtual healthcare services beyond mental health. In contrast, Talkspace is dedicated solely to providing high-quality therapy, making it a go-to platform if you are seeking focused therapeutic support.
Much like Teladoc Therapy, Talkspace also offers psychiatry services, but at a higher cost—$299 for an initial evaluation and $175 for follow-up sessions. Nonetheless, Talkspace provides a cheaper text-based therapy plan at $69 per week and its standard therapy costs $99 per week, with an $80 promo available for the first month. Additionally, in comparison to Teladoc’s session-based pricing structure which can cost up to $99 per session, Talkspace’s session-based pricing only costs $25 per session under copay.
Ultimately, I consider Talkspace the better choice for therapy due to its focused approach and positive reviews, but it tends to be more expensive for psychiatry. Teladoc Therapy’s comprehensive healthcare offerings and integrated psychiatry services provide a compelling alternative if you prefer a unified platform for all their healthcare needs. Both platforms have their strengths, and your choice will depend on your specific requirements and budget.
In terms of Teladoc Therapy’s online psychiatry services, an alternative you can consider is Brightside. They also accept insurance like Teladoc. I have dubbed them in a previous article as one of the more affordable choices for online psychiatric consultations. Much like Teladoc, they also offer therapy but mostly for common mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
Nonetheless, being an online platform dedicated to mental health alone, you may find them more reliable and efficient in terms of offering virtual psychological help. Both are dedicated to providing affordable and quality health care, that is for sure. For their pricing, Brightside offers three options: therapy only, medication only, and both therapy and medication. They charge per month – $90 for medication, $299 for therapy, and $349 for both.
I view Brightside as the better option for those seeking a specialized mental health platform with predictable monthly costs. Its focused approach on common mental health conditions ensures targeted care while maintaining its reputation to cater to a wide range of individuals with more nuanced mental health problems as compared to Teladoc Therapy.
However, Teladoc Therapy’s integrated healthcare services and session-based pricing might appeal to you if you are someone who prefers flexibility and the convenience of managing multiple health needs within one platform.
Teladoc Therapy and Talkiatry’s sign-up processes are quite similar to each other, allowing you to be matched with their service providers. With Teladoc Therapy, you are able to connect with your chosen licensed or board-certified therapist or psychiatrist. As for Talkiatry, you will be matched with three potential psychiatrists. If you like your potential match, you complete the sign-up and schedule your first appointment.
When it comes to costs, Talkiatry does not publish specific details, making it challenging to estimate expenses in advance. However, they are recognized by most major insurers, excluding Medicaid, and operate on a pay-per-meeting basis. Teladoc, on the other hand, provides more transparent pricing: $99 per therapy session without insurance and $299 for the initial psychiatry consultation, with subsequent consultations at $119 as previously mentioned.
Unlike other platforms, switching to a new provider with Talkiatry can be a hassle, requiring multiple calls and potentially taking up to 10 business days. With Teladoc Therapy however, you have the ability to cancel appointments easily without charges (except during the last 24 hours of your scheduled appointment) and their provision of both therapy and psychiatry services under one platform make them a versatile choice.
In summary, Talkiatry may offer advantages if you need specific prescriptions, especially for ADHD. Talkiatry’s online psychiatrists are able to prescribe controlled substances unlike with Teladoc Therapy wherein you need to do an in-person visit before receiving the prescription.
In this Teladoc Therapy review, we’ve discussed their reputable standing and efficient matching process. Their ability to quickly connect you with a licensed provider, along with the option to choose your own therapist or psychiatrist, personalizes the treatment experience to some extent.
While there are unique considerations for online mental health consultations compared to physical health, Teladoc’s model offers a convenient and effective solution for many.
However, for those primarily seeking therapy, I would suggest going directly to BetterHelp, which is part of the same family of services and offers a more robust and tailored therapy experience. You can read my full BetterHelp review first to see how it compares with its parent company.
The main advantage of Teladoc is the option for a single session without a long-term commitment. For psychiatry and medical prescriptions, I suggest you consider the alternatives I have presented above, as other platforms may offer better services in specific areas. Visit our list of best online psychiatric services for additional options.
All in all, choosing the right platform depends on your personal needs and preferences. So, I recommend checking out Teladoc Therapy’s online mental health services if you find them aligned with your needs.
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