Therapy with Ambetter in Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama

Ambetter’s names in our four states

Ambetter is the Marketplace brand of Centene. Each state has its own company name:

Ambetter says it’s adding 55 counties across its states for 2027. Check your ZIP code during open enrollment to see what’s offered where you live.

Does Ambetter cover therapy?

Yes. Marketplace plans have to cover mental and behavioral health care as one of the essential health benefits. That includes outpatient therapy for a diagnosed condition, psychiatric visits and medication management.

What therapy costs: Ambetter of Tennessee 2027 plans

Ambetter of Tennessee has posted Summaries of Benefits and Coverage for its 2027 Marketplace plans. Here’s what ten of them charge for an outpatient mental health office visit with an in-network provider, at standard cost sharing:

The surprise is the deductible. On every one of these plans, the therapy office copay doesn’t wait for the deductible. Even on Everyday Bronze, with a $9,350 deductible, a therapy office visit costs $40 from the first session. The deductible matters more for hospital care: inpatient mental health care on these plans is coinsurance, such as 40% on Signature Silver.

That makes the cheapest plan for weekly therapy less obvious than it looks. Streamlined Silver has the lowest therapy copay at $20. Over 52 weekly sessions, that’s $1,040, compared with $2,080 at $40 or $2,860 at $55. Add the yearly premium for each plan you’re comparing before you choose. If your income qualifies you for cost-sharing reductions on a silver plan, your copays can be lower than these.

Other states’ Ambetter plans charge different amounts. Look for the row “If you need mental health, behavioral health, or substance abuse services” in your plan’s summary.

Telehealth: Virtual 24/7 Care

Ambetter’s telehealth service is called Virtual 24/7 Care. It used to be called Ambetter Telehealth. Ambetter says members can schedule a virtual mental health visit with an in-network provider or a Teladoc provider.

In Ambetter of Tennessee’s 2027 summaries, 7 of the 10 plans above list unlimited Virtual 24/7 Care visits with Ambetter’s designated telehealth provider at no charge, with no deductible. The three Signature plans don’t list that benefit.

The summaries put this benefit next to primary care visits, so ask whether the $0 applies to mental health visits on your plan. If you’d rather keep seeing your own therapist by telehealth, ask whether that costs the same as an office visit.

Condition-specific plans

Ambetter sells some plans designed around specific conditions. Its 2027 national announcement says these include plans with $0 select medications for conditions including mental health conditions in some states.

Ambetter of Tennessee’s 2027 list includes Enhanced Diabetes Care Silver $0 Rx Options. I didn’t see a Tennessee plan built around mental health in the 2027 list. If you take medication for depression, anxiety or another condition, compare each plan’s drug list against your prescriptions.

Do you need approval before therapy?

Ambetter of Tennessee’s 2027 summaries say office visits with primary care providers and other practitioners don’t require prior authorization. Other outpatient mental health services may need it, and inpatient care may too. If your therapy is in an office or by telehealth with an in-network practitioner, you shouldn’t need approval first, but ask if you’re unsure.

Choosing an Ambetter plan for 2027 while you’re in therapy

Open enrollment for 2027 started November 1, 2026. Pick a plan by December 15 for coverage from January 1. The window closes January 15, 2027.

1. Ask your therapist whether they’re in network with Ambetter for 2027, and with which Ambetter plan. Some practices take one insurer’s employer plans and not its Marketplace plans.
2. Search the Ambetter provider directory for your therapist by name, with the exact plan selected.
3. Compare the outpatient mental health line and whether the deductible applies.
4. Add up a year of sessions under each plan, along with the premium.
5. Check the drug list if you take medication.

If you’re moving from a Cigna Marketplace plan, our Cigna guide covers what happens to your current plan.

If your therapist isn’t in network

All ten Ambetter of Tennessee 2027 plans above are EPO plans, and their summaries list out-of-network outpatient mental health care as not covered. If your therapist isn’t in network, you’d pay them yourself. Many therapists offer lower fees for people paying themselves; see How to find a therapist with a sliding scale.

How to find a therapist in Ambetter’s network

1. Use Ambetter’s Find a Provider at ambetterhealth.com, choose your state and plan, and search for behavioral health providers.
2. Then search LunahUP by city. No Tennessee or Georgia profile lists Ambetter yet, so ask each practice which Ambetter plans it takes for 2027.
3. Confirm with the practice that the therapist takes your specific Ambetter plan and is taking new clients.

Questions to ask Ambetter

Along with the standard questions, ask Ambetter:

• “Does the deductible apply to therapy on this plan?”
• “What does a Virtual 24/7 Care mental health visit cost on this plan?”
• “Is [therapist’s name] in network for this exact plan?”

The short version

• Ambetter is Centene’s Marketplace plan, sold in all four states under local names.
• Ambetter plans cover outpatient therapy as an essential health benefit.
• In Ambetter of Tennessee’s 2027 plans, a therapy office visit costs $20 to $55, and the deductible doesn’t apply first.
• Streamlined Silver has the lowest therapy copay at $20.
• Seven of the ten Tennessee plans list unlimited $0 Virtual 24/7 Care visits with Ambetter’s telehealth provider.
• Office visits with practitioners don’t need prior authorization.
• The Tennessee plans are EPO plans and don’t cover out-of-network therapists.
• Pick a 2027 plan by December 15 for coverage from January 1.