Payer rate page
What Aetna pays therapists
Therapists reported 54 Aetna rates between May 2023 and August 2026. The median for a 90837 was $121 across 33 reports, with a range of $95 to $185. Reports came through Headway, Alma, and Grow Therapy, and from clinicians holding their own Aetna contract, which allows the same code to be compared across routes.
Reported 90837: median $121, range $95–$185 (33 reports · 54 across all CPTs · updated 2026-08-23)
Aetna 90837 by license
| License | Median | Range | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| LCSW | $121 | $101–$130 | 13 |
| LPC/LMHC | $121 | $95–$143 | 9 |
| LMFT | $113 | $110–$121 | 4 |
| PhD/PsyD | $157 | $138–$185 | 3 |
Aetna 90837 by route
While Headway reports for a 90837 put the median at $122, direct-contract reports for the same code sit about $9 lower at $113. Direct-contract reports come from a different mix of states, so part of the difference likely reflects geography.
| Route | Median | Range | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct contract | $113 | $99–$157 | 14 |
| Headway | $122 | $121–$185 | 13 |
| Alma | $121 | $110–$130 | 5 |
| Grow Therapy | $95 | single report | 1 |
Aetna 90837 by state
| State | Median | Range | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $113 | $110–$157 | 7 |
| Georgia | $116 | $95–$121 | 4 |
| New York | $153 | $121–$185 | 2 |
| Oregon | $147 | $143–$152 | 2 |
| Texas | $130 | $130–$130 | 2 |
| Arizona | $121 | $103–$138 | 2 |
| Kansas | $117 | $112–$122 | 2 |
| Tennessee | $110 | $99–$121 | 2 |
| Wisconsin | $130 | single report | 1 |
| North Carolina | $130 | single report | 1 |
| New Jersey | $130 | single report | 1 |
| Connecticut | $122 | single report | 1 |
| Colorado | $122 | single report | 1 |
| Maryland | $122 | single report | 1 |
| Ohio | $121 | single report | 1 |
| Florida | $121 | single report | 1 |
| Virginia | $101 | single report | 1 |
Other codes: 90791 (intake) median $124 (6 reports); 90834 (45 min) median $101 (8 reports); 90847 (family, with client) median $82 (3 reports); 90846 (family, no client) median $74 (2 reports).
Aetna by state, in detail
All 54 Aetna reports
| Route | St | License | CPT | Rate | Effective | Note / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alma | CA | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $112 | August 2026 | Cut from $129 in July submitted |
| Headway | KS | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $122 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Direct contract | KS | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $112 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Headway | MD | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $121.74 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Grow Therapy | GA | LPC/LMHC | 90791 (intake) | $96.61 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Grow Therapy | GA | LPC/LMHC | 90834 (45 min) | $61.43 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Grow Therapy | GA | LPC/LMHC | 90837 (60 min) | $95.41 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Grow Therapy | GA | LPC/LMHC | 90846 (family, no client) | $65.05 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Grow Therapy | GA | LPC/LMHC | 90847 (family, with client) | $67.61 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Alma | MN | LCSW | 90834 (45 min) | $101 | August 2026 | Cut from 116.80 submitted |
| Headway | GA | LPC/LMHC | 90791 (intake) | $110 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Alma | GA | LPC/LMHC | 90834 (45 min) | $101 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Alma | GA | LPC/LMHC | 90837 (60 min) | $110 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Alma | GA | LPC/LMHC | 90847 (family, with client) | $82.47 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Direct contract | CA | LCSW | 90791 (intake) | $123.75 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Direct contract | CA | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $112.96 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Direct contract | CA | LCSW | 90834 (45 min) | $82.50 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Alma | — | PhD/PsyD | 90837 (60 min) | cut | July 2026 | RATE CUT, amount varies by contract: effective July 15, 2026, Alma pays 90837 at 90834 rates and doctoral-level clinicians at master's level. Community estimates put the reduction at 30-40%. Directly-paneled Aetna therapists report no change. source |
| Alma | — | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $130 | May 2026 | therapist payout ~$130 including $25 copay; EOB showed Aetna paid Alma $122.19 source |
| Headway | CO | — | 90837 (60 min) | $121.74 | May 2026 | most other plans pay $95-98 for 90837 via Headway in CO per poster source |
| Headway | CO | — | 90834 (45 min) | $95 | May 2026 | source |
| Direct contract | OR | LPC/LMHC | 90837 (60 min) | $142.67 | May 2026 | submitted |
| Headway | NY | PhD/PsyD | 90837 (60 min) | $185 | January 2026 | NYC, virtual only source |
| Direct contract | CA | LMFT | 90837 (60 min) | $112.96 | January 2026 | submitted |
| Headway | GA | LPC/LMHC | 90791 (intake) | $124 | January 2026 | submitted |
| Headway | GA | LPC/LMHC | 90837 (60 min) | $121 | January 2026 | submitted |
| Headway | GA | LPC/LMHC | 90846 (family, no client) | $82.99 | January 2026 | submitted |
| Headway | GA | LPC/LMHC | 90847 (family, with client) | $101.77 | January 2026 | submitted |
| Direct contract | — | LCSW | — | $101.35 | November 2025 | solo practice, DC/MD/VA source |
| Direct contract | AZ | PhD/PsyD | 90837 (60 min) | $137.75 | October 2025 | decreased $2 on 2025-10-15; BCBS AZ $122.03 source |
| Direct contract | VA | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $101.35 | October 2025 | submitted |
| Headway | TX | LPC/LMHC | 90837 (60 min) | $129.74 | October 2025 | submitted |
| Headway | TX | LPC/LMHC | 90834 (45 min) | $103 | October 2025 | submitted |
| Alma | NC | — | 90837 (60 min) | $129.74 | September 2025 | masters level; 90834 $103, 90791 $132.28 source |
| Alma | TN | LMFT | 90837 (60 min) | $121 | September 2025 | source |
| Headway | TX | — | 90837 (60 min) | $129.74 | August 2025 | masters level source |
| Headway | GA | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $121 | August 2025 | source |
| Direct contract | OR | — | 90837 (60 min) | $151.74 | August 2025 | group contract, masters level; 90791 $164.15 source |
| Direct contract | CA | LMFT | 90837 (60 min) | $112.96 | August 2025 | Southern CA, direct credentialing; Cigna offered $80, declined source |
| Direct contract | AZ | LPC/LMHC | 90837 (60 min) | $103.31 | August 2025 | submitted |
| Headway | FL | LPC/LMHC | 90837 (60 min) | $121 | August 2025 | submitted |
| Direct contract | CA | PhD/PsyD | 90837 (60 min) | $157.04 | August 2025 | submitted |
| Direct contract | CA | PhD/PsyD | 90834 (45 min) | $120 | August 2025 | submitted |
| Direct contract | CA | PhD/PsyD | 90791 (intake) | $165 | August 2025 | submitted |
| Direct contract | CA | LMFT | 90837 (60 min) | $109.62 | January 2025 | submitted |
| Direct contract | NY | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $120.95 | August 2024 | submitted |
| Direct contract | TN | LPC/LMHC | 90837 (60 min) | $99 | July 2024 | submitted |
| Headway | WI | LPC/LMHC | 90837 (60 min) | $130 | June 2024 | submitted |
| Headway | OH | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $121 | February 2024 | submitted |
| Headway | CA | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $129 | August 2023 | submitted |
| Headway | NJ | LCSW | 90791 (intake) | $132.28 | August 2023 | submitted |
| Headway | NJ | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $129.74 | August 2023 | submitted |
| Headway | NJ | LCSW | 90834 (45 min) | $103 | August 2023 | submitted |
| Direct contract | CT | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $122 | May 2023 | submitted |
Limitations
These figures have three limitations. First, every rate is self-reported and unverified. Second, the sample is self-selected: 26% of all reports come from Georgia, where the launch discussion reached furthest. Third, license is missing on 53 of 301 rows. Nevertheless, they are the only public per-payer figures available to a therapist weighing an offer, and every added report narrows the ranges above.