Texas Therapist Insurance Rates (2026)

The median rate Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare / Optum, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas have negotiated with Texas 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 $95 (Cigna) to $129 (Aetna).

Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC, LMHC)

Code	Aetna	Cigna	UHC (Optum)	BCBSTX
90837 Therapy, 60 min	$129 $128 to $136 n = 17,475	$95 $68 to $110 n = 11,169	$110 $110 to $124 n = 8,284	$105 $105 to $112 n = 18,341
90834 Therapy, 45 min	$99 $90 to $107 n = 17,386	$69 $63 to $78 n = 11,169	$75 $75 to $85 n = 8,285	$59 $59 to $69 n = 18,335
90791 Intake evaluation	$150 $148 to $153 n = 17,472	$112 $94 to $129 n = 11,169	$131 $131 to $138 n = 8,299	$112 $112 to $113 n = 18,339
90847 Family therapy, with patient	$108 $103 to $113 n = 17,106	$72 $64 to $85 n = 11,169	$92 $92 to $93 n = 8,293	$94 $93 to $94 n = 18,338

Clinical Social Workers (LCSW)

Code	Aetna	Cigna	UHC (Optum)	BCBSTX
90837 Therapy, 60 min	$129 $128 to $136 n = 5,967	$97 $69 to $113 n = 3,689	$110 $110 to $124 n = 2,260	$105 $105 to $133 n = 6,532
90834 Therapy, 45 min	$99 $90 to $107 n = 5,946	$70 $63 to $82 n = 3,689	$75 $75 to $85 n = 2,261	$59 $59 to $76 n = 6,530
90791 Intake evaluation	$150 $148 to $153 n = 5,957	$114 $97 to $131 n = 3,689	$131 $131 to $138 n = 2,264	$112 $112 to $142 n = 6,532
90847 Family therapy, with patient	$108 $103 to $113 n = 5,779	$72 $65 to $88 n = 3,689	$92 $92 to $93 n = 2,263	$94 $94 to $102 n = 6,532

Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT)

Code	Aetna	Cigna	UHC (Optum)	BCBSTX
90837 Therapy, 60 min	$131 $128 to $136 n = 911	$98 $68 to $115 n = 505	$110 $110 to $130 n = 364	$105 one standard rate n = 885
90834 Therapy, 45 min	$99 $90 to $108 n = 904	$70 $63 to $82 n = 505	$75 $75 to $93 n = 364	$59 one standard rate n = 885
90791 Intake evaluation	$150 $148 to $153 n = 907	$113 $98 to $134 n = 505	$131 $131 to $144 n = 365	$112 one standard rate n = 885
90847 Family therapy, with patient	$108 $103 to $113 n = 893	$72 $69 to $88 n = 505	$92 $92 to $93 n = 365	$94 one standard rate n = 885

Psychologists

Code	Aetna	Cigna	UHC (Optum)	BCBSTX
90837 Therapy, 60 min	$128 $127 to $132 n = 1,983	$96 $78 to $123 n = 1,423	$147 one standard rate n = 1,161	$132 $130 to $145 n = 2,741
90834 Therapy, 45 min	$90 $90 to $99 n = 1,982	$78 $70 to $86 n = 1,423	$100 one standard rate n = 1,173	$91 $89 to $100 n = 2,741
90791 Intake evaluation	$153 $148 to $153 n = 2,009	$116 $78 to $143 n = 1,426	$175 one standard rate n = 1,162	$144 $141 to $159 n = 2,741
90847 Family therapy, with patient	$103 $103 to $108 n = 1,894	$83 $71 to $96 n = 1,423	$104 one standard rate n = 1,164	$132 $130 to $145 n = 2,740

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.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas: BCBSTX Blue Choice PPO, file posted September 15, 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 Texas practice location. Each clinician counts once per code and network. Where a payer publishes several networks, the one covering the most Texas 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 Texas for 90837?

For licensed professional counselors (LPC, LMHC) in Texas, the median published rate for 90837 (60 minute psychotherapy) was $129 at Aetna, $110 at UnitedHealthcare / Optum, $105 at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, $95 at Cigna, in payer files posted between September 15, 2026 and October 5, 2026. These are allowed amounts, so they include the patient's share.

Which insurer pays Texas therapists the most?

Among the payers we cover, Aetna had the highest median 90837 rate for licensed professional counselors (LPC, LMHC) in Texas ($129) and Cigna the lowest ($95). 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 Texas 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 Texas 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 Texas rates, free and in two minutes. New to a panel? Start your credentialing with PECS.

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

By the PECS credentialing team. Updated October 2026.