Networks change. We verify your specific Freedom Health and Optimum HealthCare plan before your first visit; call with your member ID and we will confirm benefits, copay and any referral or authorization requirements.
Also appears on cards as: Freedom Health, Optimum HealthCare, Freedom Medicare, Optimum Healthcare Medicare, Freedom Health (Elevance). Offered in Florida.
Freedom Health and Optimum HealthCare are sister Medicare Advantage HMOs based in Tampa and owned by Elevance Health, the parent of Anthem. Together they serve members across most of Florida, including Palm Beach, Broward, Martin, St. Lucie, Brevard and Duval counties, with a mix of standard HMO plans, chronic condition special needs plans and dual-eligible plans for people with both Medicare and Medicaid. Behavioral health for both brands is administered by Carelon Behavioral Health, Elevance's behavioral health company, which maintains the psychiatry network and handles authorizations. Most Freedom and Optimum plans cover outpatient psychiatry, medication management and psychotherapy for a fixed mental health copay with no deductible. Members must stay in network, and most plans allow direct access to behavioral health without a primary care referral.
Telehealth mental health visits from home are typically covered at the same copay as office visits for members located in Florida during the appointment. For Deep TMS, Freedom and Optimum must cover what Original Medicare covers and apply Medicare's criteria for severe major depressive disorder after failure of at least two antidepressants and a psychotherapy trial, with prior authorization through Carelon required and a standard course typically approved when documentation is complete. Spravato is covered as a Part B drug with prior authorization, with documentation of treatment-resistant depression, a concurrent oral antidepressant and REMS-certified administration. Special needs plan members often have reduced cost sharing, but per-session TMS copays and the Spravato cost share vary by plan, so our staff verify your benefits before treatment begins.
What we check before your visit
- Whether your plan is in network at the office you chose and for telehealth
- Your copay or coinsurance for an evaluation and for follow-ups
- Whether a primary-care referral is required (common with HMO plans)
- Prior-authorization criteria for Deep TMS and Spravato, if those are being considered
Frequently asked questions
Does Stedfast Psychiatry accept Freedom Health and Optimum HealthCare?
Stedfast Psychiatry accepts Freedom Health and Optimum HealthCare Medicare Advantage plans at our Florida offices where contracted through Carelon Behavioral Health, which administers mental health for both brands. Networks differ by plan and county, so confirm your plan by calling the behavioral health number on your card or asking our front desk to verify before scheduling.
Are Freedom Health and Optimum HealthCare the same company?
They are sister companies under Elevance Health, operated from the same Tampa headquarters with shared networks and administration. Your benefits come from whichever plan issued your card. For psychiatry, both use Carelon Behavioral Health, so the verification and authorization process is the same. Tell our front desk which brand you hold and we will check eligibility.
What will I pay for a psychiatry visit on Freedom or Optimum?
Most Freedom and Optimum plans charge a fixed copay for outpatient mental health visits with no deductible, and dual-eligible or chronic condition special needs plan members typically pay little or nothing. Telehealth visits usually carry the same copay. Your evidence of coverage lists the amount, and our staff can confirm it before your appointment.
Will Freedom or Optimum cover Deep TMS or Spravato?
Both treatments are covered under Medicare's criteria with prior authorization through Carelon Behavioral Health. TMS requires documented failure of at least two antidepressants and a psychotherapy trial; Spravato requires treatment-resistant depression and a concurrent oral antidepressant. Our team submits the request through Carelon's portal and confirms your cost share before scheduling at Palm Beach Gardens.