Ginger is a mobile app that offers confidential mental healthcare through behavioral health coaching via text-based chats, self-guided learning activities and content, and video-based therapy and psychiatry. Support is available anytime anywhere, for a variety of mental health challenges you may be struggling with—all from the privacy of your smartphone.

After downloading the Ginger app, you will need to enter your health plan information to verify your eligibility.

On the "Let's begin" screen, click on the button that says “Enter health insurance info”. You will then need to enter your:

• First Name
• Last Name
• DOB
• Member ID

Your Member ID is always located on the front of your health insurance card, and is sometimes referred to as the Policy Number. It is not the Group Number. When entering your Member ID be sure to include the last 2 digits of your member ID# (usually is 01, 02, 03).

Still having trouble? Please reach out to Member Support through the app, or email help@ginger.com.

Coaching happens through private, in-app text-based chats. Coaches provide personalized, on-demand help to overcome a range of challenges and stressors - from improving sleep or relationships, to managing anxiety and depression, anytime, anywhere. Coaching focuses on the present and what you want to accomplish in the future.

With a behavioral health coach, all Cigna members age 18 and older can get personalized support to help overcome life challenges and reach goals in their moment of need. Coaches can help with any issue you’re struggling with such as stress, anxiety, depression, issues with work, relationships, sleep, and more.

Coaching occurs through text-based chat in the Ginger Emotional Support app. Phone and video chats with coaches are not available. However, if you prefer speaking over typing, you are able to use the voice-to-text functionality on your Android or iPhone. Our in-app texting function is private and secure.

There may be a cost for behavioral health coaching. This is determined by your insurance. Check with your Cigna for more information.

You can chat with your primary coach anytime your coach is online in the app. If your primary coach is not available, you have the option of chatting with a different coach, who will become part of your care team. Our coaches work collaboratively and communicate with each other, so they’ll know what you’ve been working on with another coach and where you left off.

You can request a coach with a specific background or identity, and our Member Support and Coach Management teams will work together to find the best possible fit for you. However, they’re not always able to accommodate specific requests. Our coaches are trained to work with people from a variety of backgrounds, including the LGBTQIA community, as well as racial and ethnic groups traditionally underserved in the mental health field. Your coaches will provide support that is tailored and relevant to you. If you would like to switch coaches, you can request a change in the app, or through the Member Support team.

Nope! They’re not robots or droids. They are real-live human beings with thoughts, feelings, and life experiences. And just like us, they need breaks too — which is why occasionally, you might have a delayed response. All coaches are carefully vetted before they join the Ginger team to ensure we’re providing high-quality care for our members. Each one either has a graduate degree in psychology or a related field and/or a coaching certification.

Ginger coaches are trained to recognize when a member requires therapy or psychiatry support. In addition to training coaches, we use technology to help us assess a member’s clinical needs to ensure they get the right level of care when needed.

If your coach believes you may benefit from therapy or psychiatry sessions, our Member Support team can help you understand your options. If available through your Cigna plan, our Member Support team can connect you with a Ginger therapist or psychiatrist, who will become part of your care team. Your coach will continue to support you while you receive clinical care from a psychiatrist or therapist. Costs for therapy and/or psychiatry are separate from coaching fees, and are determined by your benefit plan.

Absolutely. Coaching is an excellent complement to therapy and psychiatry sessions. Together your coach and therapist or psychiatrist make up your care team. Coaches can serve as an on-demand, anytime check-in between appointments with your therapist or psychiatrist. They can help you with challenges that may arise in between your therapy or psychiatry sessions. They can also help you recall insights and lessons from previous sessions and provide you with the opportunity to practice new skills.

You can still work with a Ginger coach in addition to your non-Ginger therapist or psychiatrist. Most Ginger members who have a therapist or psychiatrist outside of Ginger find it useful to share with their coach the type of support they’re receiving from their therapist or psychiatrist. It also helps your coach ensure the cohesiveness of your overall care.

Therapy consists of sessions with a licensed clinician through video to help you address ongoing psychological symptoms, or patterns of thought, behavior, or emotion that no longer serve you. Therapy allows you to dive deeper into past or present issues to make positive changes in your life, whereas coaching focuses on where you are in the present and your goals for the future. Coaching is done through in-app text-based conversations whereas therapy is done through videoCoaching is done through in-app text-based conversations whereas therapy is done through video. Coaching is done through in-app text-based conversations whereas therapy is done through video.

Ginger psychiatrists are able to prescribe psychotropic drugs, which are medications that reduce mental health symptoms. Examples include certain antidepressants, antipsychotics, and anti-anxiety medication. Ginger psychiatrists are not permitted to prescribe controlled substances, including stimulants, benzodiazepines, or opiates, as they require in-person visits for a prescription. Ginger psychiatrists are able to treat most issues without the use of controlled substances.

If you are undergoing psychiatric treatment, your psychiatrist will meet with you every 4-8 weeks to evaluate how your prescribed medication(s) are affecting you. Depending on their evaluation, they might increase or decrease the dosage, or prescribe a different medication. Between visits with your psychiatrist, you have access to your Ginger coach to check-in and support your mental health needs.

Our therapists and psychiatrists cannot honor requests for letters of recommendation for service or emotional support animals.

Therapists take a broader approach to help you gain an understanding of why patterns develop and identify ways to create change. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who can prescribe medication to manage more severe or enduring symptoms.

Therapy and psychiatry sessions happen via video right from the Ginger app—which means you can have your session anywhere you'd like. You can also access your appointment over a platform called Zoom on your computer. We recommend finding a quiet, private place where you feel comfortable. Sessions can range in number and frequency, depending on your needs.

Ginger therapists are state-licensed healthcare professionals trained in a variety of evidence-based therapeutic approaches and have either a master's or doctoral degree. Ginger psychiatrists are medical doctors with four additional years of psychiatric training. They're state-licensed to prescribe medication and monitor its effects on your health.

Sessions with a therapist are 45-50 minutes, based on your need. With a psychiatrist, the first appointment is 45 minutes and follow-ups are 20 minutes.

Your coach can help determine whether you should start working with a therapist or psychiatrist, and will guide you through scheduling an appointment if appropriate.

In the video tab in the app, reach out to a representative of the Member Support team to find a time that works for both you and your therapist or psychiatrist. You will be asked to fill out an intake form and provide payment information. Once a Member Support specialist schedules your session, you’ll be able to see and access your appointment in the video tab in the app or through the confirmation email sent.

To change your appointment, contact the Member Support team in the app at least 48 hours before your scheduled session.

You can access your appointment from your phone or your computer. To use your phone for your appointment, join the session in the “Video” tab in the Ginger app at the time of your appointment. To use your computer, download Zoom here: https://zoom.us/download. When it’s time for your appointment, go to the confirmation email and click “start session.” 

You will be placed in a virtual waiting room (just like an in-person clinic). Your clinician will admit you into your session as soon as they're ready to meet with you.

If you are using your computer to access your appointment, download Zoom using this link: https://zoom.us/download

If you are having issues accessing your chat or appointment, close the Ginger app completely and reopen it. If that doesn’t work, turn your phone off completely and turn it back on. 

If you have access to a computer, try connecting to the session by using the link sent in your appointment confirmation email.

Reach out to a Member Support specialist for troubleshooting help, or to have them notify your therapist or psychiatrist that you are having trouble accessing your appointment.

Our Member Support team is available to answer any questions you may have. Feel free to reach out to them through the app and someone will get back to you in two minutes or less. If needed, you can email help@ginger.com and a representative of the Member Support team will respond within 12 hours. Ginger’s Member Support hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 5:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Saturday and Sunday from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM (PT).

We accept all major debit and credit cards and HSA cards.

Your card on file within the Ginger app will be charged in an event of a late cancellation or no-show appointment. To update your credit card information in the Ginger app, go to the payment tab, select "Payment Method" and enter your updated credit card information.

Your security is a top priority for us. Ginger doesn’t store credit card information. Instead, Ginger uses a payment processor, Stripe, which secures all credit card information. Visit https://stripe.com/privacy to learn more.

Once you sign up for access to Ginger coaching and content, we’re not able to provide a refund. We’re happy to work with you to connect you with a different coach who may be a better match for your needs. Reach out to Member Support through the app or email help@ginger.com.

If you need to cancel an appointment with a therapist or psychiatrist, we ask that you do so at least 48 hours in advance. This policy helps us ensure all of our patients can receive timely care, as we are not able to frequently fill slots canceled within 48 hours. For appointments canceled with less than 48 hours' notice of your scheduled appointment, you will incur a fee of $125, based on your plan benefits. Please let our Member Support team know as soon as possible if you need to reschedule your session. However, if unique circumstances (medical emergency, court orders, death, etc.) require you to miss your session, please let us know, and we will review on a case-by-case basis to make refund decisions.

Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services. If you do not have insurance or are not using insurance, you have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” (GFE) explaining how much your medical care will cost. 

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• This GFE shows the costs of items and services you can reasonably expect for your health care needs. 
• You have the right to receive a GFE for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. 
• The GFE does not include any unknown or unexpected costs that may arise during treatment. You may experience additional charges if complications or exceptional circumstances occur. 
• Health care providers are required to provide a GFE within the following timeframes: 

• If the service is scheduled at least three business days before the appointment date, no later than one business day after the date of scheduling;
• If the service is scheduled at least ten business days before the appointment date, no later than three business days after the date of schedule; or
• If the uninsured or self-pay client requests a GFE (without scheduling the service), no later than three business days after the date of the request. Healthcare providers must supply a new GFE within the specified timeframes if the patient reschedules the requested item or service.

• If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.

Note: A GFE is for your awareness only and does not require immediate financial commitment or payment. 

For questions or more information about your right to a GFE or the dispute process, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 800-985-3059. Keep a copy of this GFE in a safe place or take pictures of it. You may need it if you receive a bill in a higher amount.

If you have questions or concerns, please  reach out to our Member Support team.

Depending on your insurance coverage plan, you may be responsible for cost shares, such as co-pays, deductibles, or coinsurance. For estimates on how much your cost share would be, please reach out to Cigna directly, since medical benefits may vary.

For your clinical sessions (e.g. therapy, psychiatry), you will receive an email with an itemized statement from our authorized third-party member payment tool, Gentem. Within the same email, you will also receive a payment portal link where you can review details of the charge breakdown (e.g. total charges, how much your insurance paid, how much you still owe), and make a payment.

Yes and yes. Ginger does not and will not share anything about your individual activity, sign-up information, or private data, with your health plan. We only provide summarized reports that are aggregated and anonymized to preserve the privacy of our members. Ginger is a healthcare provider and protects your confidential health and personal information in accordance with state, federal, and international law as described in our Privacy Statement and Terms of Service.

U.S. Members: Privacy Statement and Medical Terms of Service.

International Members: Privacy Statement and Coaching Terms of Service.

Additional questions about our privacy or security practices can be directed to privacy@ginger.com.

As a fundamental pillar to ensuring trust and providing the best possible support and care, Ginger’s information privacy and security governance is aligned with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 27001 and 27002 security standards, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publications 800 Series, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679, and other relevant state and international breach notification and security regulations. Ginger has implemented administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your information.

Ginger stores your Account Data and Personal Information for as long as Ginger needs it to provide services, to serve the purpose(s) for which your personal information was processed, or as necessary to comply with Ginger's contractual and legal obligations, resolve disputes, or enforce our agreements to the extent permitted by law.

If you would like your Account Data or other Personal Information permanently removed from Ginger's database, please contact Ginger at privacy@ginger.com. Ginger will then terminate your account, you will no longer be able to use Ginger services, and you will no longer receive emails from Ginger. Subject to applicable law and necessary record retention requirements, your identifying Personal Information shall be deleted from Ginger records. Please note that Ginger may need to retain certain information for record keeping purposes, to complete any transactions that you began prior to your request, or for other purposes as required or authorized by law.

All data is stored and processed in the United States.

Ginger is available in English and Spanish.