Therapist writing in a notebook while sitting across from a client in armchairs

For counselors, MFTs & rehab therapists · Licensed in 20 U.S. states

Health insurance
for therapists.

Coverage for you and your family when you see clients in your own practice, contract with a group on a 1099, or leave an agency job that came with benefits.

Private & Secure
Fast Response
No Spam Calls

Photo: Pexels photo 7176317 by SHVETS production, used under the Pexels License. Cropped, resized, and converted to WebP. Modified from the original.

In session and between them

You care for clients.
Plan for your own care.

Opening a caseload of your own usually means no agency benefits. Three questions counselors and rehab therapists raise:

Insurers pay me weeks after a session.

When you bill insurance for client sessions, payments can arrive well after the work. For your tax credit estimate, count income in the year you expect to receive it, after practice expenses.

Is this about joining insurance panels?

No. Getting credentialed so clients can use their benefits is a separate topic. This page is about your own personal and family health plan.

I want solid mental health coverage myself.

All Marketplace plans cover mental health and substance use disorder services as essential health benefits. Networks still vary by plan, so check that your own providers are in network.

Therapist in a checked blazer listening to a client during a session — Photo: Pexels photo 7176320 by SHVETS production, used under the Pexels License. Cropped, resized, and converted to WebP. Modified from the original.

How practice income works

Sessions, contracts, and sliding scales.

The Marketplace bases tax credits on your household income for the year you are covered.

Private-pay and insurance-billed sessions both count. Use what you expect to receive this year, after practice expenses.
If you contract with group practices on a 1099, add your net pay from each one.
A sliding-scale caseload or a slow first year can lower income. If the year changes, update your Marketplace application.

Therapists in numbers

Thousands of therapists
work for themselves.

28,800

Self-employed mental health and substance use counselors, U.S., 2025.

About 11%

of marriage and family therapists were self-employed (8,300 in 2025).

11,900

Self-employed physical therapists, U.S., 2025.

Source: BLS Employment Projections, self-employed workers by occupation (2025 and projected 2035). U.S. group figures only.

Paul DanielsLicensed health advisor · NPN 20986580

Working with Paul

Coverage help for
people who help others.

Daniels Health Advisors, owned by Paul Daniels, is an independent brokerage licensed in 20 U.S. states. We help counselors, family therapists, and rehab therapists who are opening their own practice. First we check what the Marketplace may cost after any tax credit. When income runs high, we also lay out private PPO options. Some private plans ask health questions, and approval is not guaranteed. Some may not cover care for health problems you had before you enrolled.

Many therapists start private practice part time while keeping an agency or hospital job. If that job offers you a plan, it can affect whether you get a tax credit on the Marketplace. See Marketplace insurance if your job offers coverage.

Calls that fit between client hours
Licensed in 20 U.S. states · Paul Daniels, NPN 20986580 · FL license G065122
You do not pay us for our help. We are paid by the insurance companies when you enroll. Your price for a plan is the same whether you use us or sign up on your own. Commissions can differ by company.

Your first call

Therapist coverage in three steps.

Describe your caseload

Private-pay, insurance-billed, or 1099 group work, plus any job you are keeping.

We map out the year

Session fees minus practice costs become the income figure your application needs.

Compare networks

See which plans include the doctors, counselors, and pharmacies your household already uses.

Book a 15-minute call

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What people say
about working with us.

“I’ve know Paul for years and definitely trust him in the health advisor dept! Working with small business owners he has been a great partner with explain options and provide solutions!”

Sandra D.
Facebook recommendation

“Paul was very helpful in my search for business group insurance. He was able to explain my options and answer all the questions I had before signing up. Highly recommend working with him!”

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Facebook recommendation

Before your first full caseload

Coverage as steady
as your schedule.

Caseloads grow. If yours fills faster than planned, the credit you took during the year may be more than you qualify for, and the difference is settled on your tax return. Under current law, starting with 2026 taxes, there is no cap on that payback. We also confirm your own providers take the plan. What you get from us:

A realistic income figure from sessions, contracts, and any job pay
A short list of costs to review with your tax preparer
Network results for your own doctors, counselors, and medications
A start date that avoids a gap after an agency plan ends

A checklist for

Therapists leaving an agency or group plan.

Ask HR or the practice for the exact date your coverage ends.
Keep a monthly record of payments received, not only sessions billed.
Hiring a front-desk person or a clinician? Revisit group options before they start.
Need life coverage for your family? See our life insurance guides too.

Therapist questions

Therapist health insurance FAQ.

I am a pre-licensed associate paid on a 1099. Can I get my own plan?

Yes. When the group practice gives you no benefits, an individual or family plan fills the gap. For the income question, start with your 1099 totals and subtract the costs of doing the work.

I am a physical therapist with my own clinic. Is this page for me?

Yes. We help physical, occupational, and speech therapists too, not only counselors. The plan choices are the same: personal and family plans for you, and possibly small-group options once you have employees.

Do Marketplace plans cover therapy for me and my family?

Yes. All Marketplace plans cover mental health and substance use disorder services as essential health benefits. Costs and networks vary by plan, so check your providers before you enroll.

What happens to my coverage when I leave my agency job?

Losing job-based coverage can open a special enrollment period for a Marketplace plan. You may be able to apply up to 60 days before your plan ends and up to 60 days after. See our lost job health insurance guide.

Can I write off my health insurance?

Maybe. If you are self-employed and your business makes a profit, your premiums may be deductible on IRS Form 7206. You can't take it for any month you could get a subsidized job plan, including through a spouse. Ask your tax pro.

Do I have to wait for open enrollment?

For a private plan (not from the Marketplace), you can often apply any time of year. Some private plans ask health questions, and approval is not guaranteed. Some may not cover care for health problems you had before you enrolled. Marketplace plans, and other plans that follow ACA rules, work differently. As of October 21, 2026, under current law, open enrollment for 2027 plans runs from November 1, 2026, to January 15, 2027. As of October 21, 2026, a federal appeal about these dates is pending (City of Columbus v. Kennedy, 4th Cir. No. 26-1938), with oral argument set for October 30, 2026. Confirm the dates before you enroll. To start coverage January 1, pick a plan by December 15 (the deadline under current law). Outside those dates, you may need a special enrollment period. Losing job-based coverage is one example.

Your clients count on you.
Count on your coverage.

Grab a free 15-minute slot on our calendar, or request a quote online.

Book a 15-minute call Get a quote online

By Paul Daniels, licensed insurance agent (NPN 20986580).

Disclaimer

Daniels Health Advisors LLC is an independent brokerage, not a carrier, HealthCare.gov, or CMS. Agent: Paul Daniels, NPN 20986580, Florida license G065122. This page is about personal and family health insurance. It is not malpractice, disability, or business insurance. It is not about joining insurance panels. We do not represent any professional association. Job numbers are from public government data and describe groups of workers, not you. Tax credits, plans, networks, and prices depend on your state, zip code, income, and household. We never guarantee approval, a doctor, or a price. Not medical, legal, or tax advice.

Health insurancefor therapists.

You care for clients.Plan for your own care.