California Therapist Insurance Rates (2026)

The median rate Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare / Optum have negotiated with California therapists for the most common psychotherapy codes, from each payer's own published in-network rate file. Each cell shows the median, the middle half of rates (25th to 75th percentile) and n, the number of individual providers behind it.

For licensed professional counselors (LPC, LMHC), the median for a 60 minute session (90837) runs from $117 (Cigna) to $145 (Aetna).

Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC, LMHC)

Code	Aetna	Cigna	UHC (Optum)
90837 Therapy, 60 min	$145 $133 to $147 n = 9,219	$117 $88 to $141 n = 4,267	$121 $116 to $138 n = 2,126
90834 Therapy, 45 min	$108 $100 to $108 n = 9,205	$81 $70 to $107 n = 4,267	$82 $79 to $103 n = 2,128
90791 Intake evaluation	$149 $146 to $152 n = 9,223	$138 $110 to $167 n = 4,268	$144 $138 to $144 n = 2,126
90847 Family therapy, with patient	$117 $113 to $118 n = 9,061	$86 $75 to $113 n = 4,267	$96 $93 to $108 n = 2,126

Clinical Social Workers (LCSW)

Code	Aetna	Cigna	UHC (Optum)
90837 Therapy, 60 min	$147 $135 to $147 n = 9,602	$116 $82 to $149 n = 4,185	$116 $116 to $129 n = 2,335
90834 Therapy, 45 min	$108 $101 to $108 n = 9,601	$80 $69 to $112 n = 4,185	$79 $79 to $101 n = 2,341
90791 Intake evaluation	$149 $146 to $158 n = 9,613	$135 $109 to $172 n = 4,185	$138 $138 to $144 n = 2,342
90847 Family therapy, with patient	$117 $113 to $123 n = 9,394	$85 $75 to $113 n = 4,185	$96 $93 to $101 n = 2,341

Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT)

Code	Aetna	Cigna	UHC (Optum)
90837 Therapy, 60 min	$143 $130 to $147 n = 15,312	$112 $75 to $136 n = 8,057	$116 $116 to $121 n = 4,936
90834 Therapy, 45 min	$108 $99 to $108 n = 15,351	$78 $68 to $105 n = 8,057	$79 $79 to $85 n = 4,939
90791 Intake evaluation	$149 $144 to $152 n = 15,367	$134 $109 to $156 n = 8,056	$138 $138 to $144 n = 4,939
90847 Family therapy, with patient	$117 $111 to $118 n = 15,099	$83 $75 to $107 n = 8,058	$96 $95 to $101 n = 4,939

Psychologists

Code	Aetna	Cigna	UHC (Optum)
90837 Therapy, 60 min	$133 $128 to $147 n = 4,797	$124 $86 to $194 n = 3,545	$154 $154 to $162 n = 2,407
90834 Therapy, 45 min	$101 $94 to $108 n = 4,771	$88 $79 to $135 n = 3,545	$105 $105 to $115 n = 2,417
90791 Intake evaluation	$146 $140 to $152 n = 4,816	$147 $126 to $201 n = 3,547	$184 $175 to $192 n = 2,410
90847 Family therapy, with patient	$113 $111 to $118 n = 4,640	$100 $86 to $148 n = 3,546	$109 $109 to $121 n = 2,410

Sources

Aetna: Aetna Life Insurance Company (PPO and open access plans), file posted October 5, 2026.
Cigna: Cigna national Open Access Plus network, file posted October 1, 2026.
UnitedHealthcare / Optum: Optum Behavioral Health (UnitedHealthcare behavioral network), file posted October 1, 2026.

Allowed amounts, including the patient's share. Rates with modifiers (such as telehealth) are excluded. Cells with fewer than 10 providers are not shown. UnitedHealthcare's behavioral network (Optum) often pays one standard rate statewide, so its range can be a single figure.

Method

Rates come from each payer's Transparency in Coverage in-network files. Clinicians are individual NPIs in the CMS NPPES registry with the license taxonomy and a California practice location. Each clinician counts once per code and network. Where a payer publishes several networks, the one covering the most California clinicians for that license and code is shown. The median is the middle negotiated rate across those clinicians, not what any one provider is paid. All states.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does insurance pay therapists in California for 90837?

For licensed professional counselors (LPC, LMHC) in California, the median published rate for 90837 (60 minute psychotherapy) was $145 at Aetna, $121 at UnitedHealthcare / Optum, $117 at Cigna, in payer files posted between October 1, 2026 and October 5, 2026. These are allowed amounts, so they include the patient's share.

Which insurer pays California therapists the most?

Among the payers we cover, Aetna had the highest median 90837 rate for licensed professional counselors (LPC, LMHC) in California ($145) and Cigna the lowest ($117). The order can differ by code and license type, so check the grid for yours.

Where does this data come from?

From each payer's Transparency in Coverage in-network rate files, which federal rules require insurers to publish monthly. PECS keeps individual clinicians with a California practice location in the CMS NPPES registry and reports the median and the middle half of negotiated rates. It is not what any one provider is paid.

Can I negotiate a higher rate?

Often, yes. If your fee schedule is below the California median for your license and code, a written, code-specific request that cites the payer's own published rates is a concrete place to start.

See where your own rates sit: compare your fee schedule with these California rates, free and in two minutes. New to a panel? Start your credentialing with PECS.

Other states: Arizona, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin.

By the PECS credentialing team. Updated October 2026.