Equip Health provides evidence-based online treatment for eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), and binge eating disorder. During our independent review of Equip Health, they earned 4.5 out of 5 stars overall. The company serves anyone aged 5 years and older throughout the United States via live video sessions. Treatment costs will range based on your insurance coverage, and they accept most commercial insurance plans, including Medicaid in some states.
Equip Health at a Glance
Cost: Varies based on insurance coverage
Insurance Accepted? Yes
Available nationwide? Yes
Pros & Cons of Equip Health
Pros - Almost all major insurance plans accepted
- Accepts patients 5 years and older
- Providers can treat anorexia, bulimia, ARFID, and binge eating disorder
- Treats co-occurring conditions, like anxiety, depression, and OCD
- Matched with a multidisciplinary treatment team consisting of five providers and mentors
- Therapy and peer support also available for family members
Cons - Admissions process can take up to two weeks
- Customer service response times can be slow
- The out-of-pocket costs for treatment are high without insurance
- The company does not assist with out-of-network reimbursement
Preview Equip Health
Equip Health offers online treatment for anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), and other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED). They are available throughout the US and can serve anyone 5 years and older. Your treatment team will generally consist of therapists, physicians, dieticians, and mentors. Treatment costs with Equip Health range from $2,500 – $4,000 monthly. Equip Health does offer a cash pay option, but almost all major health insurance plans are accepted.
Equip Health’s providers tailor their treatments to each patient and utilize a variety of evidence-based modalities. Equip Health specializes in virtual outpatient eating disorder treatment. Anyone aged 5 years or older is eligible for online eating disorder treatment with Equip Health. When you start treatment with Equip Health, you will be matched with a five-person treatment team consisting of a medical provider, therapist, dietician, peer mentor, and family mentor.
While Equip Health does not have an app, the company’s website offers helpful educational material for patients and family members. Equip can even manage co-occurring mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and OCD. However, as a virtual eating disorder treatment provider, Equip Health is not right for everyone, especially for those requiring hospitalization. Equip Health earned 4.5 out of 5 stars from our independent review.
Detailed Review of Equip Health
Equip Health offers online treatment for anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, ARFID, and other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED). They are available nationwide and can serve anyone 5 years and older. Your treatment team will generally consist of therapists, physicians, dietitians, and mentors. Equip Health does offer a cash pay option, but almost all major health insurance plans are accepted.
Equip Health’s online eating disorder treatment plans include:
- Five-person, multidisciplinary team of therapists, physicians, dietitians, and mentors
- One-on-one meetings with each team member weekly
- Five appointments in total for each week
- Free family toolkit, articles, and resources on the Equip Health website
Review our scoring criteria for online eating disorder treatment here.
Review our complete editorial policies here.
Equip Health specializes in virtual outpatient eating disorder treatment. The company provides care for anyone 5 years and older diagnosed with (or suspecting) anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, avoidant and restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), binge eating disorder, and other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED).
For patients that present with a co-occurring condition, such as anxiety, depression, or OCD, Equip’s medical providers are well-versed in psychiatric medications. While there is no age limit for who is eligible for medications, those under 18 will need to weigh the risks to benefits of the medication. Generally, most patients with Equip that require medication will start with SSRIs, but some patients may qualify for medications like Abilify or Seroquel.
Family members can access the free family toolkit, which discusses the signs and symptoms of an eating disorder, how to talk to a loved one about their eating disorder, and questions to consider before getting treatment. Depending on the patient’s specific treatment plan and age, this involvement may include attending some appointments with the patient. Additionally, all supports have the option of meeting with their family mentor and attending group classes throughout treatment to receive education and skills-based support.
Signing Up
There are two ways to start the admissions process with Equip Health. The first way is you complete the secure, HIPAA-compliant Equip Health callback form on their website. You can expect a callback within three business days or schedule a 20-minute consultation. Unfortunately, when I attempted to schedule a consultation, the soonest appointment I could get was a week later. Secondly, you can call Equip Health directly at 855-387-4378. You will select the menu option to speak with the admissions department from there. They can assist with answering any questions and setting up services.
You will first discuss the billing arrangements, and depending on your insurance type, you may need a referral from a primary care physician. The admissions team explained to us that certain insurance companies require a referral while others do not.
The admissions process can feel lengthy, with everything taking around one to two weeks to get started. However, at the end of the process, you will be matched with a multidisciplinary team of treatment providers. These providers will be medical doctors, therapists, dietitians, and mentors. If, for whatever reason, you are ever unhappy with one of your providers, you can request a change at any time. Patients with Equip can select their own appointment times and their length of time, like a short check-in.
Eating Disorder Treatment
Equip Health’s treatment team will tailor their plans to each patient and utilize a variety of evidence-based modalities, such as Family Based Treatment, Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy-Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake, Dialectic Behavioral Therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention therapy, and more.
Patients in Equip’s program can generally expect to have an appointment or session at least five days a week. This is very typical for a virtual intensive outpatient therapy (IOP) program. IOP’s are a higher level of care than traditional therapy, therefore how many hours a week you attend your therapies depends on your personal needs. This is the same for virtual IOP programs. Your treatment team with Equip will do what they can to accommodate your regular schedule and plan your appointments accordingly. Regardless of the schedule, family members are encouraged to participate actively throughout your treatment and as needed.
Equip holds family as an integral part of their treatment plans, and they invite all patients to bring in their family and chosen family of all configurations into treatment. This can mean your parents and siblings, your spouse, a friend, coaches, or even coworkers can help support you. Depending on your specific treatment plan and age, this support may include attending some appointments with you and your treatment team. Additionally, all supporters can meet with the family mentor and attend group classes throughout treatment to receive education and skills-based support.
Family members can also attend free weekly family support groups via Zoom. You do not need to have a family member in treatment with Equip Health to participate in the weekly family support groups. There is a great blog page and resource page on Equip Health that provides valuable information for families. All articles are informative about a wide range of topics and questions related to eating disorders and their treatment.
How Much Does Equip Health Cost?
Equip Health’s out-of-pocket costs are unclear, though it says its admissions team will work with you to figure out a payment method if you don’t have insurance or if it’s not in-network. It currently accepts several major insurance plans, along with Medicaid in some states.
Insurance plans accepted include:
- UnitedHealthcare
- Aetna
- Cigna
- Optum
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Anthem
- Carelon
- Centene
Equip Health User Reviews
There are few user reviews online for Equip Health, but many are positive.
Reviews from Reviews.io | 4.4 out of 5 stars | 62 reviews
Positive reviews mention how helpful the staff and clinicians are in the healing process. Many mention that involving the whole family and seeing multiple providers several times a week really made a difference in their or their family member’s recovery.
Negative reviews center around billing and insurance issues, as well as a couple of reviewers mentioning issues with specific providers. One commented saying that their providers switched constantly and they were hoping for more stability.
Alternatives to Equip Health
With Equip Health, you get access to five hours of virtual outpatient treatment per week from a team of providers. However, some people may prefer in-person treatment or require a higher level of care. Anyone seeking more intensive eating disorder care would benefit from an alternative, such as Within Health or the Center for Discovery.
Within Health
Cost: $950 per day for PHP and $600 per day for IOP
Insurance Accepted? No
Available Nationwide? No (40 states + D.C.)
Within Health is an alternative eating disorder treatment program that offers virtual partial hospitalization (PHP) and intensive outpatient programs (IOP). Like Equip Health, Within Health provides treatment for anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, ARFID, and OSFED. Within Health is currently available in most, but not all states, but has plans to expand its reach. It serves teens and adults ages 13 to 70.
Within Health is a more intensive program format than Equip Health and the costs reflect this. However, Within does accept some insurance plans which could lower the costs. Within’s PHP treatment option offers six hours of treatment, five to seven days per week and costs $950 daily. Their IOP option offers three hours of treatment, three to five days per week and costs $600 daily. The cost includes healthy, fresh meals delivered to you each week, which your treatment team will incorporate into your treatment.
Overall, Within Health is a better fit for teens and adults who require a higher level of care than Equip Health is able to offer.
Learn more in our Within Health review.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Serves teens and adults ages 13 to 70
- A multidisciplinary treatment team of psychiatric providers (PHP only), therapists, dietitians, nurses, and care partners
- Provides meals shipped directly to you
- Support during mealtimes from your treatment team
- iOS app features access to your care team, calendar, meal check-ins, therapy sessions, groups, chat, and other resources
Cons - Cost can be high if without insurance benefits
- The admissions process can take one to two weeks
- Psychiatry is only available to clients in the PHP program
Center for Discovery
Cost: Depends on insurance and individual situation
Insurance Accepted? Yes
Available Nationwide? No (11 states)
The Center for Discovery has been offering mental health treatment for over 25 years. The Center for Discovery’s eating disorder program is an alternative option for those wanting in-person treatment or anyone who requires a higher of care. There are several locations throughout the United States offering residential, partial hospitalization (PHP), and intensive outpatient (IOP) for eating disorders. Like Equip Health, treatment for co-occurring disorders is also offered.
Costs with them are significantly more than Equip Health. This is because it offers more intensive treatment in-person treatment and also includes all meals. The cost of residential treatment is approximately $3,000 daily. PHP costs around $1700 daily and IOP costs $1000 daily. The Center for Discovery accepts most major health insurance plans.
Overall, the Center for Discovery is a better option for anyone who requires a higher level of care or prefers in-person treatment.
Learn more in our Center for Discovery review.
Pros & Cons
Pros - In-person and online eating disorder treatment
- Wide range of eating disorders and co-occurring disorders treated
- In-network with most major insurance companies
- Alumni Program to help support recovery post-treatment
Cons - Virtual treatment only available in seven states
- Virtual treatment is mainly IOP care
- Out-of-pocket costs for uninsured patients may be too costly
Why You Can Trust My Review
“Overall, Equip Health is a great choice for anyone 5 years and older struggling with mild to moderate anorexia, bulimia, ARFID binge eating disorders, and OSFED. Equip Health offers a unique approach to eating disorder treatment and makes treatment more accessible through a virtual multidisciplinary team of specialists. Equip can even manage co-occurring mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and OCD.
While we did not have a chance to use Equip Health as patients, we connected with several employees at the company. Everyone we talked to at Equip exudes compassion and empathy for the patients entering their program. Their large team of therapists, medical providers, dietitians, and peer mentors makes Equip one of the best virtual online eating disorder treatment programs in the US.”
History of Equip Health
Equip Health was founded in 2019 by Dr. Erin Parks and Kristina Saffran. Both co-founders dedicated their careers to eating disorder awareness and treatment after having experienced eating disorders themselves.2 In 2022, Equip Health participated in a study on virtual family-based treatment (FBT) for eating disorders. The study, which was published in Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment & Prevention, found that virtual FBT helps reduce eating disorder symptoms in children, teens, and young adults.3
That same year, Equip Health raised $58 million in funding, which allowed the company to expand its reach. Katie Couric Media is one of many investors who support the company’s mission of making evidence-based eating disorder treatment more accessible.4 Since its founding, Equip Health has grown to serve all 50 states and has an extensive multi-disciplinary staff consisting of therapists, medical providers, dieticians, and family and peer mentors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What Credentials Do Equip Health Providers Hold?
Equip Health’s mental health providers are licensed and hold doctorate or master’s degrees in psychology, social work, marriage and family therapy, or a related field. Their medical team includes licensed physicians, physician’s assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, medical assistants, and registered dietitians. All of the providers that work with Equip Health are trained in treating eating disorders and receive regular weekly supervision.
How Am I Connected With the Providers on Equip Health?
Equip Health’s team will match you with a multidisciplinary treatment team. During the intake process, you will have a chance to share any preferences, which will be used to match you with the right providers.
Can I Request Treatment Team Changes?
Yes, you can request new treatment team members at any time. You will have to contact Equip Health by phone at 855-387-4378 to discuss a switch.
How Do I Stop Treatment with Equip Health?
We highly discourage you from stopping your eating disorder treatment early. However, if you do need to stop treatment early, you must call 855-387-4378 to talk with someone.
Does Equip Health Offer Refunds?
According to Equip Health, if you stop treatment after paying for the month, you will be refunded for your unused services. To request a refund or to learn more, contact Equip Health directly at 855-387-4378.
Is Equip Health HIPAA Compliant?
Yes, Equip Health adheres to the guidelines of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). For more information, please read the Equip Health Privacy Policy and Equip Health Terms of Use.
| Cost of Online Eating Disorder Therapy | $4,000 first four months* $2,500 future months* *Insurance is accepted |
| Age Limitations | Ages 5+ |
| Eating Disorders Treated | Anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, ARFID, and OSFED |
| Geographic Coverage | All of the US |
| Insurance Plans Accepted | Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Horizon, Magellan Health, Moda Health, Optum, Pacific Source, Partnership, United Healthcare, Carelon, Regence* *With More to Come |
| Provider Choices | Matched |
| Request New Treatment Members? | Yes |
| Length of Admissions Process | Approximately 1-2 weeks |
| Frequency of Appointments | 5 appointments per week |
| Messaging with Team Between Appointments | Yes |
ChoosingTherapy.com strives to provide our readers with mental health content that is accurate and actionable. We have high standards for what can be cited within our articles. Acceptable sources include government agencies, universities and colleges, scholarly journals, industry and professional associations, and other high-integrity sources of mental health journalism. Learn more by reviewing our full editorial policy.
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Johns, G., Taylor, B., John, A., & Tan, J. (2019). Current eating disorder healthcare services – The perspectives and experiences of individuals with eating disorders, their families and health professionals: Systematic review and thematic synthesis. BJPsych Open, 5(4), e59.
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Equip Health. (2023). About us. Retrieved from: https://equip.health/aboutus/
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Equip Health. (2022, June 22). Equip publishes study showing virtual treatment is highly effective for eating disorders as company expands to 50 states. Retrieved from: https://equip.health/articles/news/virtual-treatment-50-states/
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Equip Health. (2022, February 16). How Equip’s $58M series B will revolutionize the eating disorder field. Retrieved from: https://equip.health/articles/news/equips-series-b/
We regularly update the articles on ChoosingTherapy.com to ensure we continue to reflect scientific consensus on the topics we cover, to incorporate new research into our articles, and to better answer our audience’s questions. When our content undergoes a significant revision, we summarize the changes that were made and the date on which they occurred. We also record the authors and medical reviewers who contributed to previous versions of the article. Read more about our editorial policies here.
Author: Emily Guarnotta, PsyD (No change)
Medical Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, MD (No change)
Primary Changes: Updated pricing and insurance information. Updated images. Updated formatting to match current style. Fact-checked and edited.
Author: Emily Guarnotta, PsyD (No change)
Medical Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, MD (No change)
Primary Changes: Added summary block and star rating breakdown using new eating disorder treatment criteria
Author: Emily Guarnotta, PsyD (No change)
Medical Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, MD (No change)
Primary Changes: Full reassessment of Equip Health; Renamed Sections, Added Information from Company; Updated all Screenshots.
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