Medicare covers FDA approved mental health digital therapeutics

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved several new prescription digital therapeutics for mental health disorders in 2024, including generalized anxiety disorder and depression. Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, Medicare began covering such FDA approved digital apps if the prescription was a medical necessity and fell into a defined benefit category.
Digital therapeutic treatments can be effective as an adjunct to therapy and/or medication and can provide between-session support and skills-based exercises, said Alice Connors-Kellgren, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and director of psychology training at Tufts Medical Center. But, mental health professionals need to keep in mind that these therapeutics are really meant to be a supplement to othe...