Sesame Mental Health

Sesame is a New York-based healthcare marketplace founded to address one of the most persistent frustrations in American healthcare: the inability to know what care costs before receiving it. The platform operates as a transparent, cash-pay marketplace where individual healthcare providers — physicians, psychiatrists, therapists, nurse practitioners, and specialists — list their services and prices directly, allowing patients to browse, compare, and book care without insurance intermediaries. In mental health, Sesame connects patients with psychiatrists and therapists across all 50 states for telehealth appointments at prices that are typically a fraction of what private-pay psychiatric care costs in traditional clinical settings. A telehealth psychiatric visit on Sesame might cost $25–$100 depending on the provider, compared to $300–$500 at a private outpatient psychiatry practice. This price compression is possible because providers on Sesame often set their rates for time-efficient telehealth visits — shorter, focused appointments rather than the extended sessions typical of in-person psychiatric evaluations. The platform's Mental Health Rx subscription, priced at $79/month, adds a structured layer on top of the base marketplace: subscribers get same-day video visit access, unlimited messaging with their prescribing provider, and ongoing prescription management including refills. This subscription is particularly valuable for patients managing chronic conditions like ADHD, anxiety, or depression who need regular touchpoints with a prescriber but do not require the full architecture of a psychiatry practice. Sesame's business model benefits patients and providers simultaneously. Patients pay substantially less than retail cash-pay rates; providers receive direct payment without insurance billing overhead. The marketplace is positioned explicitly against the friction of insurance — Sesame does not bill payers and does not participate in networks — which simplifies operations at the cost of limiting access for patients who can only afford care through insurance coverage. The platform includes a Sesame Plus membership tier ($10.99/month or $99/year) that provides additional discounts across all care categories and includes one free annual lab test — a useful benefit for patients using the platform for primary care as well as mental health. list their services and prices directly, allowing patients to browse, compare, and book care without insurance intermediaries. In mental health, Sesame connects patients with psychiatrists and therapists across all 50 states for telehealth appointments at prices that are typically a fraction of what private-pay psychiatric care costs in traditional clinical settings. A telehealth psychiatric visit on Sesame might cost $25–$100 depending on the provider, compared to $300–$500 at a private outpatient psychiatry practice. This price compression is possible because providers on Sesame often set their rates for time-efficient telehealth visits — shorter, focused appointments rather than the extended sessions typical of in-person psychiatric evaluations. The platform's Mental Health Rx subscription, priced at $79/month, adds a structured layer on top of the base marketplace: subscribers get same-day video visit access, unlimited messaging with their prescribing provider, and ongoing prescription management including refills. This subscription is particularly valuable for patients managing chronic conditions like ADHD, anxiety, or depression who need regular touchpoints with a prescriber but do not require the full architecture of a psychiatry practice. Sesame's business model benefits patients and providers simultaneously. Patients pay substantially less than retail cash-pay rates; providers receive direct payment without insurance billing overhead. The marketplace is positioned explicitly against the friction of insurance — Sesame does not bill payers and does not participate in networks — which simplifies operations at the cost of limiting access for patients who can only afford care through insurance coverage. The platform includes a Sesame Plus membership tier ($10.99/month or $99/year) that provides additional discounts across all care categories and includes one free annual lab test — a useful benefit for patients using the platform for primary care as well as mental health.

Who it suits

Uninsured or underinsured patients who want affordable access to a psychiatrist or therapist, patients who want to see prices before booking and pay only for individual visits without subscription commitment, and those who need fast or same-day mental health access. The $79/month Mental Health Rx subscription is particularly well suited to patients who need ongoing psychiatric medication management (ADHD, anxiety, depression) and want same-day access and messaging without the overhead of a private practice. Not a fit for patients with complex psychiatric needs requiring a structured longitudinal care relationship, or those who want guaranteed continuity with the same provider across visits.

How Sesame Mental Health compares

Sesame is fundamentally a healthcare marketplace rather than a single practice — patients browse individual providers, see their prices upfront, and book directly. This distinguishes it from structured telehealth platforms like Talkiatry (in-network, assigned providers) and BetterHelp (subscription, matched therapists). Sesame's price transparency and per-visit model appeal to patients who want to comparison-shop mental health care and pay only for what they use, with no subscription commitment. Psychiatric consultation prices on Sesame start around $25–$100 for telehealth visits, with a $79/month Mental Health Rx subscription offering same-day access and unlimited messaging with a prescriber. This pricing is dramatically lower than private-pay psychiatry ($300–$500/initial eval) and competitive with or below insurance copays for in-network psychiatry. The trade-off is the marketplace model itself: patients do not have a guaranteed longitudinal relationship with a specific provider, and the variation in quality across the marketplace requires patients to do more vetting themselves. Compared to Headway (also a therapist marketplace), Sesame skews more toward asynchronous, lower-cost psychiatric medication visits rather than structured therapy.

Care offered

• Mental Health & Psychiatry

Included

• Therapy / Counseling
• Initial Evaluation & Diagnosis
• Medication Management
• Lab Orders
• Prescription Refills

Convenience

• Pharmacy / Medication Delivery
• Same-Week Appointments

Cost

Pricing not confirmed. Check Sesame Mental Health's website for current prices.

Sesame operates on a cash-pay marketplace model — no insurance, no hidden fees. Individual provider rates vary: telehealth mental health consultations start around $25–$100 per visit depending on the provider and appointment type. The Mental Health Rx subscription is $79/month and includes same-day video visits, unlimited messaging with a prescriber, and ongoing prescription access and refills. Sesame Plus membership at $10.99/month (or $99/year) provides access to cash discounts across all telehealth and in-person care, plus one free annual lab test. HSA/FSA payments are accepted.

Insurance

Self-pay accepted (insurance not confirmed)

States served by telehealth

10 states

• TX
• CA
• FL
• NY
• IL
• WA
• OH
• GA
• AZ
• CO

Telehealth providers must be licensed in the state where you are during the visit.

How to start

Visit sesamecare.com/category/mental-health, filter by appointment type (psychiatry or therapy), desired date, and price range, then select your provider and book directly. Payment is collected at booking. For Mental Health Rx, sign up for the monthly subscription through the Sesame website and you will be connected with a prescribing provider.