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Cash prices California Outpatient

Therapy session cost in California without insurance

In California, the median cash price for Therapy session, 60 min is $367.20 across 121 hospitals, from $70.40 to $2,069.10. The lowest is at UCI Health-Orange (Orange). The US median is $250.90.

California law (Health and Safety Code §127405): if you are uninsured or have high medical costs and your family income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, a hospital may not expect you to pay more than it would expect from Medicare or Medi-Cal, whichever is greater. That can be less than the cash prices below; ask the hospital for its discount payment policy. A separate physician fee may still apply. Other states' laws.

Therapy sessions are priced by type and length: an intake evaluation (90791), individual sessions of about 30, 45 or 60 minutes (90832, 90834, 90837), family and group sessions, and psychological testing. The biggest price factors are session length and setting, since a hospital-based clinic may add a facility fee. In a mental health crisis, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day.

Collected Nov 8, 2026 One price per hospital: its lowest outpatient cash price for the code

Therapy session prices in California by type

Individual codes are based on time with the clinician: 90832 is 16 to 37 minutes, 90834 is 38 to 52 and 90837 is 53 or more, so check how long your sessions actually run. The state table uses 90837, the 60-minute session, and group therapy (90853) is priced per person per session.

ProcedureHospitalsRangeMedianUS median
Psychiatric evaluation Mental health diagnostic evaluation (intake), without medical services · code 90791 111 $62.22–$2,546.00 $383.35 $257.70
Therapy session, 30 min Psychotherapy session, 30 minutes · code 90832 117 $36.40–$1,292.24 $318.24 $168.90
Therapy session, 45 min Psychotherapy session, 45 minutes · code 90834 121 $24.00–$1,736.00 $318.24 $212.55
Therapy session, 60 min Psychotherapy session, 60 minutes · code 90837 121 $70.40–$2,069.10 $367.20 $250.90
Family therapy, no patient Family therapy without the patient, 50 minutes · code 90846 86 $49.20–$2,546.00 $343.58 $210.44
Family therapy session Family therapy with the patient, 50 minutes · code 90847 97 $50.00–$2,546.00 $342.16 $225.80
Group therapy session Group psychotherapy session · code 90853 105 $37.76–$1,774.94 $286.00 $149.40
Psychological testing, 1st hour Psychological testing evaluation by a psychologist or physician, first hour · code 96130 57 $61.50–$2,580.01 $673.40 $310.95
Psychiatric evaluation Psychiatric evaluation with medical services · code 90792 68 $92.40–$2,178.40 $318.24 $274.30
Crisis therapy Psychotherapy for crisis, first 60 minutes · code 90839 71 $81.00–$687.00 $342.16 $254.84
Procedure The service and its billing code (CPT or HCPCS). Opens the comparison of every hospital that prices it. More
Hospitals How many hospitals publish a cash price for this code here. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest outpatient cash price.
Middle 80% Cash prices of most hospitals: a tenth of hospitals charge less than the first number (P10), a tenth charge more than the second (P90). More
Median The middle cash price: half of the hospitals charge less, half charge more. One price per hospital. More
US median The median cash price across all US hospitals that publish one for this code.

Outpatient cash prices in California. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest cash price for the code; prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Pick a procedure to compare every hospital in the state.

Lowest Therapy session, 60 min prices in California

Therapy session cost by metro area in California

Therapy session cost in other states

Paying cash: what to do

  • Ask for a Good Faith Estimate: under the No Surprises Act self-pay clients are entitled to one, and it can cover a planned series of sessions for up to 12 months.
  • Ask about sliding-scale fees; community mental health centers, community health centers and university training clinics often set fees by income.
  • Confirm the intake fee (90791) before the first visit, and ask whether a hospital-based clinic adds a facility fee to each session.