Talkiatry Review 2024: Cost, Process, Comparisons

Talkiatry is an online psychiatry platform that provides mental health medication management and therapy for adults and children age 5 and older. Like other online psychiatry services, the platform offers psychiatric treatment, like diagnosis, prescription medication, information on different treatment options, and ongoing care. The focus is primarily on virtual psychiatry rather than psychotherapy, though referrals to Talkiatry therapists are also available.

What sets Talkiatry apart from other online psychiatry platforms is the comprehensive nature of the initial one-hour appointment and the ease of communication with your provider via email on the Healow app. Talkiatry also offers online prescriptions for certain controlled substances, like medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which may not be available through other providers like Brightside and Talkspace.

There are some downsides to consider, such as negative customer reviews citing issues with insurance coverage and billing disputes. While these complaints are common for online mental health care platforms, it’s worth being aware of potential issues.

To determine if Talkiatry is right for you, we break down key details, including which health insurance plans are accepted, a list of conditions that psychiatrists can and cannot treat, insight from customer reviews, and a comparison chart that puts Talkiatry head-to-head with competitors.

Pros

• Fast intake process
• Accepts many health insurance plans
• Specialists available for adults and children
• Unlimited email messaging with providers

Cons

• No same-day appointments
• Does not accept patients on Medicaid or without health insurance
• Automatically pairs patients with a psychiatrist and requires a call to switch providers
• Does not treat some mental health conditions and substance use disorders

* Controlled substances include benzodiazepines for anxiety, such as alprazolam (Xanax) and clonazepam (Klonopin), as well as stimulants for ADHD, such as methylphenidate hydrochloride (Ritalin) and dextroamphetamine-amphetamine (Adderall), among others, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.

We independently investigate and recommend products and services that we believe will enrich the lives of our readers and meet their specific needs. We’ve spent hundreds of hours carrying out in-depth research on the online psychiatry market. You can trust our review because we did the legwork for you in these specific ways:

• Engaged in ongoing independent research
• Spent over 245 hours testing eight brands, deployed surveys that included over 200 participants each, and interviewed focus groups
• Went behind the paywall for two months with eight brands to mystery shop our best online therapy choices
• Contacted the brands’ customer service teams to ask questions and gauge responsiveness
• Consulted six leading psychologists and psychiatrists
• Became customers of online mental health care providers ourselves
• Reviewed academic research about the efficacy of online mental health care versus in-person mental health care
• Read hundreds of verified customer reviews from trusted third parties such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot

Talkiatry is an online mental health platform that offers in-network psychiatric care for adults, children, and adolescents. The platform requires insurance and accepts most major providers.

Founded in April 2020, Talkiatry aims to simplify the psychiatry process for clients and clinicians alike. Its co-founders are Robert Krayn, a patient who sought treatment after a home invasion, and Georgia Gaveras, DO, who is board-certified in adult psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, and addiction medicine.

As of this writing, Talkiatry offers online psychiatry in most states, excluding:

• Alaska
• Delaware
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• New Mexico
• North Dakota
• Wyoming

Although Talkiatry psychiatrists aren’t available in these states, the platform's practice is licensed in all 50 states, and services may be extended into new areas in the future. You can check for updates on this map.

At Talkiatry, the sign-up process is simple. You are given a brief questionnaire, then paired with potential psychiatrists and free to schedule an initial Talkiatry appointment. You can email your psychiatrist anytime between appointments and expect a response within three business days.

Adults start with an initial 60-minute appointment, with 30-minute follow-ups. Talkiatry could be a good choice for you if you want more time with your psychiatrist. Other online psychiatry platforms have shorter meeting times. Brightside, for example, only allows you to meet with a psychiatric care provider for about 15 minutes.

For children and adolescents on Talkiatry, appointment times are even longer. The initial appointment is 75 minutes, and a parent or guardian must be present. Follow-ups are 45 minutes long and are optional for the parent or guardian. If you and your child are in different locations, Talkiatry provides a three-way calling feature for attending sessions separately.

While Talkiatry psychiatrists primarily focus on medication management, they can also refer you to Talkiatry therapy providers if you want to combine therapy with medication.

Getting started with Talkiatry takes only about 5 to 10 minutes. Sign-up begins with an initial assessment. After verifying your email, a link takes you to an intake form. You’ll provide your location and contact information, and answer a few questions about why you’re seeking psychiatric care.

You’ll also have the opportunity to check off whether you want to address specialized needs, such as perinatal mental health care, support for LGBTQ+ issues, or an approval letter for gender-affirming surgery.

From there, you will provide information about your insurance provider, preferred pharmacy, and emergency contact.

After signing up with Talkiatry, you’re immediately paired with potential psychiatrists. You can click through their profile to learn more about their specialties, read their biography, and schedule your first appointment.

Talkiatry hours vary by provider. According to the company's website, the average wait time from the initial assessment to your first appointment is about five days. It’s worth noting that the two psychiatrists whom our tester matched with were unavailable for almost two weeks.

Switching Providers

Talkiatry recommends trying a few sessions first, but if you’re looking for specific features in a provider that you’re not seeing — or if your initial match isn’t a good fit — you can ask for a new match immediately. To switch Talkiatry providers, call 833-351-TALK (8255) or email hello@talkiatry.com. The process can take up to 10 days.

Preparing for Your Appointment

Even if you prefer to log in to virtual visits on your browser, you should download the Healow app from the Apple App Store or Google Play as soon as possible. The Healow app is where you’ll receive notifications about virtual visits and communicate via email with your psychiatrist. To get into the app, enter the practice code FGCACD.

Starting Treatment With Talkiatry

Before your appointment, set aside 5 to 10 minutes to ensure that you have a strong internet connection and enter your payment information for a potential copay. You can attend appointments on your browser or the Healow app, and there’s a helpful troubleshooting page if you have any issues.

After your initial appointment, you can choose to schedule a follow-up. If you have any issues with insurance coverage, pharmacy communications, side effects, or other concerns, email your psychiatrist anytime via the Healow app.

Stopping Treatment With Talkiatry

If at any point you decide you want to finish treatment, take a break, or leave Talkiatry for another provider, you can cancel services by contacting the Talkiatry support team at 833-351-TALK (8255) or hello@talkiatry.com.

Talkiatry offers virtual outpatient psychiatric services for adults and children age 5 and older.

Talkiatry psychiatrists specialize in treating the following conditions:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Insomnia
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• ADHD

According to a review published in February 2023 in Smart Homecare Technology and TeleHealth, online psychiatry like Talkiatry shows promise for conditions like depression, anxiety, panic disorder, PTSD, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and substance use disorder. While more studies are needed, according to a systematic review published in June 2021 in the Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, research suggests that telepsychiatry is comparable to in-person care regarding diagnosis, symptom tracking, and patient satisfaction.

Talkiatry psychiatrists cannot provide the following services:

• Psychiatric treatment for patients on Medicaid or without insurance
• Talk therapy without medication
• An evaluation for disability benefits without treatment
• Same-day psychiatry appointments
• Treatment for eating disorders, personality disorders, schizophrenia, or self-harm
• Treatment for some cases of substance use disorder, such as medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder
• Crisis care

Do not wait for an online psychiatry appointment if you or someone you care about is in crisis. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911 and let them know you are dealing with a mental health emergency. If you are having suicidal thoughts or want to talk to someone, a crisis counselor can help. Call 988 to connect with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or text 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.

Talkiatry only accepts patients with insurance, and the platform bills by the session.

Insurance Providers That Work With Talkiatry

Talkiatry is an in-network service for many major insurance providers:

• Aetna
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Cigna
• Humana
• Medicare
• Oscar
• United Healthcare
• Optum
• Compsych

You can see if Talkiatry is covered by your insurance here.

Talkiatry does not accept Medicaid. If you have Medicaid, consider an alternative platform that does accept your insurance, like mental health providers on Zocdoc.

Talkiatry Price and Fees

Unlike Brightside, which offers monthly subscription plans, Talkiatry charges per session. According to the Talkiatry website, the copay for most appointments is $30 or less, but some customer reviews mention much higher charges. You’ll also need to consider the cost of prescription medication in the overall price.

Talkiatry pricing varies depending on your insurance coverage, copay, and deductible (meaning the amount you pay out of pocket for healthcare before your insurance begins covering the cost). You can get the details of what your plan covers by contacting your insurance provider using the number on your insurance card.

One potential hidden fee is the cancellation fee, which isn’t covered by insurance. Also be sure to set a calendar reminder for your appointments, as you can be charged $100 if you cancel without at least 48 hours notice.

Talkiatry Billing Process and Payment Plans

Talkiatry bills your insurer directly, but receiving your first bill may take a few weeks. The time can vary depending on your insurer. Don’t hesitate to ask your insurance provider about coverage or pending charges.

If you have a balance of over $250, you can sign up for a payment plan. You can make payments monthly or biweekly, with a minimum payment of $50 and a maximum repayment period of six months.

Talkiatry has an F rating from the BBB due to a failure to respond to 25 complaints, among other issues. The platform has 1 out of 5 stars based on only five customer reviews. Talkiatry is not accredited by the BBB. On Trustpilot, Talkiatry has 1.3 out of 5 stars based on 105 customer reviews.

Many negative reviews highlight issues with Talkiatry customer service, appointment scheduling, cancellation fees, lack of insurance coverage, and billing disputes. Positive reviews mention how easy the app is to use, the high-quality psychiatrists, the ability to get the medications needed, and the communicativeness of the providers.

Our reviews team extensively scrutinizes online psychiatry platforms and apps to make sure we only recommend those we believe will make a difference to our readers. Together, we’ve researched prominent brands by mystery shopping online therapy to understand the experiences of real customers and consulting with independent psychiatrists to better understand why people seek out online psychiatry. Our method includes going past the paywall to test online platforms for ourselves, conducting in-depth interviews with focus groups, and deploying surveys to gain real customer insights.

We created a scorecard to evaluate the platforms we tested ourselves. Read more about how we researched and tested online mental health platforms in our online therapy review methodology.

Talkiatry could be a good option if you’re seeking a simple online medication management platform. Sign-up is fast, and it’s easy to communicate with your psychiatrist via email if complications arise. If you’re seeking a same-day appointment or treatment for a complex mental health condition, Talkiatry may not be suitable. Overall, Talkiatry does one thing well: It links you with a virtual psychiatrist who can diagnose you, educate you on your symptoms, and provide support as you try different medications.

If you are in crisis, waiting for an online therapy appointment may not be safe. In case of an emergency, call 911. That includes plans to harm yourself or others. If you’re having suicidal thoughts, you can call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. Help is available 24/7. You can also send a text message to the Crisis Text Line at 741741. A crisis counselor will respond via text to help you stay calm and make sure you’re safe.

You can also reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357). The SAMHSA line is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-days-a-year treatment referral and information service for individuals facing mental or substance use disorders.