State rate page
What therapists in California report being paid
Therapists in California reported 35 rates. The median 90837 was $113 across 24 reports. Among states with more than ten reports, medians run from $95 in Georgia to $153 in Oregon.
Reported 90837: median $113, range $88–$175 (24 reports · 35 across all CPTs · updated 2026-08-23)
California 90837 by payer
| Payer | Median | Range | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aetna | $113 | $110–$157 | 7 |
| Medicaid | $151 | $100–$175 | 4 |
| Optum / UHC | $116 | $116–$120 | 4 |
| All payers (flat) | $90 | $90–$90 | 3 |
| Kaiser | $101 | $101–$101 | 2 |
| Cigna | $100 | $88–$113 | 2 |
| BCBS | $107 | single report | 1 |
California 90837 by license
| License | Median | Range | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| LCSW | $113 | $88–$129 | 11 |
| LMFT | $113 | $90–$116 | 6 |
| PhD/PsyD | $124 | $90–$157 | 2 |
California 90837 by route
| Route | Median | Range | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct contract | $114 | $88–$175 | 14 |
| Headway | $120 | $107–$129 | 3 |
| Rula | $90 | $90–$90 | 3 |
| Grow Therapy | $101 | $101–$101 | 2 |
| Spring Health | $120 | single report | 1 |
| Alma | $112 | single report | 1 |
California by payer, in detail
All 35 California reports
| Route | Payer | License | CPT | Rate | Effective | Note / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alma | Aetna | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $112 | August 2026 | Cut from $129 in July submitted |
| Direct contract | Aetna | LCSW | 90791 (intake) | $123.75 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Direct contract | Aetna | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $112.96 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Direct contract | Aetna | LCSW | 90834 (45 min) | $82.50 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Direct contract | Optum / UHC | LCSW | 90791 (intake) | $137.10 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Direct contract | Optum / UHC | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $115.82 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Direct contract | Optum / UHC | LCSW | 90834 (45 min) | $78.73 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Direct contract | Cigna | LCSW | 90791 (intake) | $140 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Direct contract | Cigna | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $88 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Direct contract | Cigna | LCSW | 90834 (45 min) | $80 | August 2026 | submitted |
| Direct contract | Aetna | LMFT | 90837 (60 min) | $112.96 | January 2026 | submitted |
| Rula | All payers (flat) | PhD/PsyD | 90837 (60 min) | $90 | December 2025 | Rula pays a flat per-session rate regardless of payer. source |
| Direct contract | Medicaid | — | 90837 (60 min) | $175 | November 2025 | Alameda County Medi-Cal, 53-minute session source |
| Direct contract | Medicaid | — | — | $65 | November 2025 | Santa Cruz County Medi-Cal, secondhand report source |
| Direct contract | Medicaid | — | 90837 (60 min) | $131.97 | October 2025 | Medi-Cal, most payors source |
| Direct contract | Medicaid | — | 90834 (45 min) | $90 | October 2025 | Medi-Cal source |
| Direct contract | Medicaid | — | 90837 (60 min) | $171 | October 2025 | one CA county's Medi-Cal rate source |
| Direct contract | Medicaid | — | 90837 (60 min) | $99.98 | October 2025 | Medi-Cal via Health Net source |
| Grow Therapy | Kaiser | — | 90837 (60 min) | $101.20 | September 2025 | Kaiser NorCal paid Grow $213.07 for the same session; the clinician received $101.20. source |
| Direct contract | Aetna | LMFT | 90837 (60 min) | $112.96 | August 2025 | Southern CA, direct credentialing; Cigna offered $80, declined source |
| Direct contract | Aetna | PhD/PsyD | 90837 (60 min) | $157.04 | August 2025 | submitted |
| Direct contract | Aetna | PhD/PsyD | 90834 (45 min) | $120 | August 2025 | submitted |
| Direct contract | Aetna | PhD/PsyD | 90791 (intake) | $165 | August 2025 | submitted |
| Grow Therapy | Kaiser | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $101.20 | July 2025 | submitted |
| Octave | — | LMFT | 90834 (45 min) | $130 | April 2025 | submitted |
| Direct contract | Aetna | LMFT | 90837 (60 min) | $109.62 | January 2025 | submitted |
| Rula | All payers (flat) | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $90 | January 2025 | submitted |
| Direct contract | Cigna | LMFT | 90837 (60 min) | $113 | August 2024 | Increased from $76 in 2023 or 2024 submitted |
| Headway | Aetna | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $129 | August 2023 | submitted |
| Direct contract | Optum / UHC | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $115.82 | August 2023 | submitted |
| Headway | Optum / UHC | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $120 | August 2023 | submitted |
| Headway | BCBS | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $107 | August 2023 | submitted |
| Spring Health | — | LCSW | 90837 (60 min) | $120 | January 2023 | submitted |
| Direct contract | Optum / UHC | LMFT | 90837 (60 min) | $115.82 | June 2022 | submitted |
| Rula | All payers (flat) | LMFT | 90837 (60 min) | $90 | May 2020 | 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-state figures available to a therapist weighing an offer, and every added report narrows the ranges above.