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What therapists in California report being paid

Therapists in California reported 111 rates, more than any other state. The median 90837 was $115 across 79 reports. That matches the national median of $115 across 568 reports. Most California reports come from clinicians holding the LMFT.

Reported 90837: median $115, range $74–$210, middle half $97–$130, about 92% of the 2026 national Medicare reference for a master's-level clinician (79 reports · 111 across all CPTs · updated 2026-10-06)

California 90837 by payer

PayerMedianRangeReports
Aetna$124$108–$15717
Optum / UHC$120$88–$12211
BCBS$103$86–$1488
Medicaid$133$100–$1957
Cigna$95$74–$1417
All payers (flat)$90$90–$906
Carelon$126$95–$2104
Kaiser$101$90–$1084
EAP$100$95–$1103
CHAMPVA$134single report1
Spring Health$120single report1
Carelon through Kaiser$115single report1
Carelon Commercial$115single report1
Anthem Blue Cross$106single report1
Anthem$85single report1

California 90837 by license

LicenseMedianRangeReports
LMFT$113$74–$21040
LCSW$116$88–$19525
LCPC/LPCC/LCMHC$126$95–$1304
PhD/PsyD$119$90–$1574

California 90837 by route

RouteMedianRangeReports
Direct contract$116$74–$21041
Headway$120$86–$13019
Rula$90$90–$906
Spring Health$112$95–$1204
Lyra Health$138$125–$1502
Grow Therapy$101$101–$1012
Tava Health$87$86–$882
Collective Counseling Solutions$120single report1
Alma$112single report1
Cyti Psychological$90single report1

California by payer, in detail

All 111 California reports

RoutePayerLicenseCPTRateEffectiveNote / source
RulaAll payers (flat)PhD/PsyD90837 (60 min)$90October 2026submitted
Spring HealthEAPLCSW90837 (60 min)$110October 2026Same rate in all 4 of my states. submitted
Spring HealthEAPLCPC/LPCC/LCMHC90837 (60 min)$95October 2026They initially offered 95 and we went back and forth and settled at $105. Down from the $120 clinicians were getting previously. submitted
HeadwayBCBSLMFT90834 (45 min)$106.40October 2026submitted
HeadwayCignaLMFT90834 (45 min)$76October 2026submitted
Direct contractOptum / UHCLMFT90837 (60 min)$121.33September 2026Not updated or adjusted in at least 3 years submitted
Direct contractCarelon CommercialLMFT90837 (60 min)$115September 2026submitted
Collective Counseling SolutionsOptum / UHCLCSW90837 (60 min)$120September 2026submitted
Direct contractCHAMPVALCSW90837 (60 min)$133.75September 2026CHAMPVA pays 75% of Medicare rate. Does not require clinician to be credentialed. Exact rate varies based on specific zip code, 90837 is usually around $130-135 in CA submitted
Direct contractKaiserLCSW90837 (60 min)$108September 2026submitted
AlmaAetnaLCSW90837 (60 min)$112August 2026Cut from $129 in July submitted
Direct contractAetnaLCSW90791 (intake)$123.75August 2026submitted
Direct contractAetnaLCSW90837 (60 min)$112.96August 2026submitted
Direct contractAetnaLCSW90834 (45 min)$82.50August 2026submitted
Direct contractOptum / UHCLCSW90791 (intake)$137.10August 2026submitted
Direct contractOptum / UHCLCSW90837 (60 min)$115.82August 2026submitted
Direct contractOptum / UHCLCSW90834 (45 min)$78.73August 2026submitted
Direct contractCignaLCSW90791 (intake)$140August 2026submitted
Direct contractCignaLCSW90837 (60 min)$88August 2026submitted
Direct contractCignaLCSW90834 (45 min)$80August 2026submitted
Direct contractMedicaidLMFT90837 (60 min)$131.97August 2026submitted
Direct contractMedicaidLMFT90834 (45 min)$89.64August 2026submitted
Direct contractEAPLMFT90837 (60 min)$100August 2026The pay is the same whether 90834 or 90837. I just received a raise from $90 to $100 by asking for it. They also pay for client no-shows. Very easy, hands-off EAP, with no paperwork really. submitted
Lyra HealthEAPLCSW90834 (45 min)$170August 2026I was grandfathered into a higher rate- they deny rate increases, and repeatedly dont show me on the Lyra provider page submitted
Direct contractCignaLMFT90837 (60 min)$74July 2026submitted
Direct contractAetnaLMFT90837 (60 min)$123.88June 2026Increased from 121.00 submitted
Direct contractAnthemLMFT90837 (60 min)$85June 2026They cut their rated this year submitted
HeadwayAetnaLCSW90837 (60 min)$130June 2026submitted
HeadwayProvidence Health PlanLCSW90834 (45 min)$91.69May 2026submitted
Cyti Psychological—LMFT90837 (60 min)$90April 2026W-2 employee, also get $20/hour for no-shows, admin time, and education, plus $20/month toward wifi cost submitted
Direct contractCarelonLMFT90837 (60 min)$210March 2026Took significant negotiation and advocacy submitted
Direct contractAetnaLMFT90837 (60 min)$112.96January 2026submitted
Tava HealthCignaLMFT90837 (60 min)$86January 2026submitted
Tava HealthCignaLMFT90791 (intake)$101January 2026submitted
Tava HealthCignaLMFT90834 (45 min)$58January 2026submitted
Tava HealthOptum / UHCLMFT90791 (intake)$105January 2026submitted
Tava HealthOptum / UHCLMFT90834 (45 min)$60January 2026submitted
Tava HealthOptum / UHCLMFT90837 (60 min)$88January 2026submitted
RulaAll payers (flat)PhD/PsyD90837 (60 min)$90December 2025Rula pays a flat per-session rate regardless of payer. source
HeadwayCignaLMFT90837 (60 min)$95December 2025submitted
HeadwayCarelon through KaiserLMFT90837 (60 min)$115December 2025submitted
HeadwayBCBSLMFT90837 (60 min)$106December 2025submitted
Direct contractMedicaid—90837 (60 min)$175November 2025Alameda County Medi-Cal, 53-minute session source
Direct contractMedicaid——$65November 2025Santa Cruz County Medi-Cal, secondhand report source
Direct contractMedicaid—90837 (60 min)$131.97October 2025Medi-Cal, most payors source
Direct contractMedicaid—90834 (45 min)$90October 2025Medi-Cal source
Direct contractMedicaid—90837 (60 min)$171October 2025one CA county's Medi-Cal rate source
Direct contractMedicaid—90837 (60 min)$99.98October 2025Medi-Cal via Health Net source
Grow TherapyKaiser—90837 (60 min)$101.20September 2025Kaiser NorCal paid Grow $213.07 for the same session; the clinician received $101.20. source
Direct contractAetnaLMFT90837 (60 min)$112.96August 2025Southern CA, direct credentialing; Cigna offered $80, declined source
Direct contractAetnaPhD/PsyD90837 (60 min)$157.04August 2025submitted
Direct contractAetnaPhD/PsyD90834 (45 min)$120August 2025submitted
Direct contractAetnaPhD/PsyD90791 (intake)$165August 2025submitted
Direct contractBCBSLCSW90837 (60 min)$133August 2025submitted
Grow TherapyKaiserLCSW90837 (60 min)$101.20July 2025submitted
Direct contractMedicaidLCSW90837 (60 min)$195May 2025submitted
Octave—LMFT90834 (45 min)$130April 2025submitted
Direct contractAetnaLMFT90837 (60 min)$110.57March 2025submitted
Direct contractAetnaLMFT90837 (60 min)$109.62January 2025submitted
RulaAll payers (flat)LCSW90837 (60 min)$90January 2025submitted
Direct contractCarelonLCSW90837 (60 min)$133January 2025(Medi-cal) submitted
Direct contractMedicaidLCSW90837 (60 min)$133January 2025Add-on code for Telehealth t1014 ($0.24 per minute) submitted
RulaAll payers (flat)LMFT90837 (60 min)$90January 2025submitted
RulaAll payers (flat)LCSW90837 (60 min)$90December 2024submitted
RulaAll payers (flat)LCSW90834 (45 min)$65December 2024submitted
Spring Health—LMFT90837 (60 min)$115December 2024submitted
HeadwayBCBS—90837 (60 min)$86November 2024San Francisco. The commenter reports the directly credentialed rate is about the same and that BCBS refused to negotiate. source
Direct contractCarelonLMFT90837 (60 min)$120October 2024submitted
Direct contractCarelonLMFT90834 (45 min)$95October 2024submitted
HeadwayAetnaLMFT90837 (60 min)$130October 2024No cuts submitted
HeadwayOptum / UHCLMFT90837 (60 min)$122October 2024submitted
HeadwayAnthem Blue CrossLMFT90837 (60 min)$106October 2024submitted
Direct contractCignaLMFT90837 (60 min)$113August 2024Increased from $76 in 2023 or 2024 submitted
Direct contractBCBSLCSW90837 (60 min)$100August 2024submitted
HeadwayBCBSLMFT90837 (60 min)$86August 2024submitted
HeadwayAetnaLMFT90837 (60 min)$130August 2024submitted
HeadwayOptum / UHCLMFT90837 (60 min)$117.73August 2024submitted
HeadwayCignaLMFT90837 (60 min)$95August 2024submitted
HeadwayAetnaLMFT90837 (60 min)$130July 2024submitted
HeadwayMagellanLCSW90834 (45 min)$70.50July 2024submitted
RulaAll payers (flat)PhD/PsyD90834 (45 min)$80July 2024submitted
Direct contractAetnaLMFT90837 (60 min)$112April 2024They pay very quickly submitted
Lyra Health—LMFT90837 (60 min)$125March 2024submitted
Direct contractBCBSPhD/PsyD90837 (60 min)$148.46January 2024submitted
HeadwayAnthem Blue CrossLCSW90834 (45 min)$100January 2024submitted
HeadwayAetnaLCSW90837 (60 min)$129August 2023submitted
Direct contractOptum / UHCLCSW90837 (60 min)$115.82August 2023submitted
HeadwayOptum / UHCLCSW90837 (60 min)$120August 2023submitted
HeadwayBCBSLCSW90837 (60 min)$107August 2023submitted
HeadwayAetnaLCPC/LPCC/LCMHC90837 (60 min)$130August 2023submitted
Direct contractKaiserLCSW90837 (60 min)$90August 2023submitted
Direct contractCignaLMFT90837 (60 min)$141August 2023submitted
Direct contractEAPLMFTOther$94August 2023submitted
HeadwayBlue Shield of CaliforniaLCSW90834 (45 min)$81July 2023submitted
HeadwayAetnaLCPC/LPCC/LCMHC90837 (60 min)$130March 2023submitted
HeadwayOptum / UHCLCPC/LPCC/LCMHC90837 (60 min)$122March 2023submitted
Spring HealthSpring HealthLCSW90837 (60 min)$120January 2023submitted
HeadwayAetnaLCSW90834 (45 min)$99January 2023submitted
HeadwayCignaLCSW90834 (45 min)$76January 2023submitted
HeadwayOptum / UHCLCSW90834 (45 min)$73January 2023submitted
Direct contractOptum / UHCLMFT90837 (60 min)$115.82June 2022submitted
Lyra Health—LCSW90837 (60 min)$150January 2022submitted
Lyra HealthEAPLMFT90834 (45 min)$120January 2022submitted
Lyra Health—LMFT90834 (45 min)$120January 2022submitted
Direct contractAetnaLCSW90837 (60 min)$108August 2021submitted
Direct contractOptum / UHCLMFT90837 (60 min)$121.36August 2020submitted
Direct contract—LMFT90837 (60 min)$121.33August 2020submitted
RulaAll payers (flat)LMFT90837 (60 min)$90May 2020submitted
Direct contract—LMFT90837 (60 min)$121.33April 2020I requested a raise this year and they shut me down and said they would evaluate again in Feb 2026 submitted
Direct contractCarelonLMFT90837 (60 min)$95June 2016submitted
Direct contractBCBSLMFT90837 (60 min)$94.50July 2014submitted

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One report a month, one more if a payer cuts in California. Never displayed, sold, or shared.

Limitations

These figures have three limitations. First, every rate is self-reported and unverified. Second, the sample is self-selected: 14% of all reports come from California. Third, license is missing on 66 of 789 rows. These per-state reports describe this sample; additional reports can change the median and widen the range. How this data is collected and checked.

Add your California rate See these rows in the full table