Does Medicaid Cover Online Therapy in Colorado? (Yes, Even by Phone)

Yes. Health First Colorado, Colorado’s Medicaid program, covers therapy delivered by telehealth (online) the same way it covers in-person visits. If a licensed Colorado therapist is in the network, you can meet with them by secure video from home, and covered sessions cost you $0.

Telehealth just means care given over a distance, usually a private video call. Colorado law treats it as real, covered care, not a lesser option. You can live in Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, or a small mountain town, and still see the same therapist week to week.

Often, yes. Health First Colorado covers audio-only (phone) therapy for many services, meaning you can talk with your therapist by phone when video isn’t possible. This is one of the most useful facts almost nobody spells out: you don’t always need a camera or strong internet to get real care.

Phone sessions can be a good fit if your internet is slow, you’re on the road, you share a small space, or a video screen feels like too much on a hard day. Your therapist will help you decide what works best, and video is still the default for most people because it adds face-to-face connection.

Whether phone-only is right for a given session can depend on the service and your plan, so we’ll sort that out with you. The point is simple: a lack of a smartphone or good Wi-Fi does not have to keep you from starting therapy.

For covered sessions, your cost is $0. Health First Colorado pays the full cost of medically necessary outpatient therapy, so there’s no copay and no bill to you when you’re eligible and the service is covered. Online sessions are billed just like in-person ones.

A quick, honest note: if you’re on Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) rather than full Medicaid, small copays can apply. And $0 is what your coverage does, it isn’t a discount we hand out. We’ll confirm your exact plan and what (if anything) you’d owe before you ever sit down for a session.

Yes, for most common concerns, research finds online therapy works about as well as meeting in person. Studies on video-delivered therapy for anxiety, depression, trauma, and stress show similar results to in-office care, and many people find it easier to stay consistent when there’s no commute.

Being honest about the limits matters too. Telehealth is a strong fit for talk therapy, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship struggles, life transitions. It’s less suited to active safety emergencies, which need in-person or crisis care. If your needs change, your therapist will talk with you about the right setting.

What makes therapy work is the relationship and the work you do together, and that travels well through a screen. You can learn more about how we do this on our online therapy page.

Because most national therapy apps and networks, like BetterHelp and several large platforms, don’t accept Colorado Medicaid at all. They’re built around self-pay subscriptions or commercial insurance, so people with Health First Colorado often get turned away or hit a paywall after signing up.

That’s frustrating when the ads make online therapy sound universal. It isn’t. To use your Medicaid benefit online, you need a Colorado-licensed provider who is actually in the Health First Colorado network, a local practice, not a national subscription app.

That’s exactly what we are: a Colorado group therapy practice that takes Health First Colorado across our whole team and sees clients by secure video statewide. No subscription, no surprise paywall.

Very little. For a video session you need a phone, tablet, or computer with a camera and an internet connection, and a reasonably private spot for 55 to 60 minutes. We send you a secure link before the session; you tap it to join. No app to master, no special equipment.

A few things that help:

• A private space, a bedroom, a parked car, or a quiet corner all work.
• Headphones, if you want extra privacy.
• Your Health First Colorado ID handy for the first check-in (we do the coverage part for you).
• A backup plan, if video drops, many sessions can continue by phone.

If a camera isn’t an option, tell us and we’ll talk through a phone-based start. The goal is to remove barriers, not add them.

Therapy is covered as medically necessary, we handle any plan requirements for you. In practice, most people focus on getting started rather than counting sessions, and your therapist works with you on a pace that fits your goals.

Have questions about your specific benefits? The Health First Colorado member line or your RAE (your Regional Accountable Entity, such as Colorado Access or Colorado Community Health Alliance) can confirm the details for your plan. When you start with us, we take care of verifying coverage and any paperwork so you don’t have to chase it.

Two easy ways: fill out our short online intake form, or call (720) 442-0946. A real person answers Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm, checks your Health First Colorado coverage, and helps match you with a therapist, so you don’t have to pick the right person alone.

From there we find a recurring video (or phone) time that fits your life, and send your secure link before each session. You can be anywhere in Colorado. Prefer in person sometimes? We also have offices in Boulder (100 Arapahoe Ave, Ste 10 & 14) and Denver (5335 W 48th Ave, Berkeley), and many clients mix video and in-person visits.

We also have Spanish-speaking therapists, you can call and ask to be seen in Spanish.