At Nivati, we believe mental health support should be accessible; not only for employees but for the employers trying to make it happen. If you're a budget-conscious HR leader or benefits manager looking to offer more than just the standard EAP, you're not alone. Many organizations want to deliver high-impact mental health services but need to get creative with how those services are funded, especially live support like therapy, coaching, and meditation sessions.
Here are several ways to make Nivati’s powerful mental health platform more affordable for your team, without cutting corners or sacrificing engagement.
1. Set Smart Utilization Controls
One of the most effective ways to reduce costs while maximizing impact is by setting custom utilization controls. Nivati allows you to fine-tune how credits are distributed and used across your team. For example:
- Offer a limited number of credits per employee each quarter
- Focus access on specific employee groups (e.g., managers, caregivers, or high-risk teams)
- Allocate credits during peak seasons like open enrollment or major transitions
These targeted strategies help ensure high-value support without unnecessary spend—and they’re easy for your HR team to manage.
2. Use Wellness Stipends from Your Health Insurance Provider
Many health insurance plans offer wellness stipends or reimbursement programs that can be applied to mental health services. These funds are often flexible and can significantly reduce the out-of-pocket cost for live services.
For example, Cigna offers a generous wellness benefit that can be used to cover most, if not all, of Nivati’s live support services. Other carriers offer similar programs—you just need to ask. Talk to your broker or carrier rep to find out if you have unused wellness dollars that could go toward mental health.
3. Cost-Sharing Through Subsidies
A subsidy model is a great way to stretch your budget while making care accessible. In this approach:
- The employer pays the platform fee and subsidizes a portion of live service credits
- Employees pay the remaining balance—often far less than traditional therapy would cost
You can also offer tiered options, where employees pay more for additional sessions beyond what’s subsidized.
4. Start with a Small Credit Bundle
Not sure how many employees will use live services? Start with a small credit bundle and scale based on real engagement.
This lets you:
- Avoid overspending
- Monitor real-time usage trends
- Adjust your program based on employee needs
Many companies start with 5–10% of their employee population’s anticipated usage, then expand once they see the impact.
5. Out-of-Pocket Employee Access
Some employers choose to simply enable employee self-pay for live sessions. This option allows you to cover the platform fee and give employees direct access to affordable, high-quality care through Nivati—without needing to pre-purchase credits.
It’s low-lift for HR and removes barriers for employees who are ready to invest in their own well-being.
6. Employee-Paid Sessions via HSA or FSA
When employees use Health Savings Accounts (HSA) or Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) to pay for their sessions, they’re using pre-tax dollars to reduce their cost.
These accounts can be applied to therapy, coaching, and other eligible services on the platform. If your program is self-pay, educating employees about this option can make their care significantly more affordable—even without employer subsidies.
7. Mental Health Grants and Public Funding
There are state and federal grants available that support workplace mental health, especially for healthcare organizations, education, and public employers.
Look into programs through:
- SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Department of Labor
- Local and regional workforce wellness initiatives
These funds can often be used to pilot or expand mental health services like Nivati.
8. Maximize Value with Platform-Only Access
Even without live sessions, Nivati delivers meaningful results. The platform includes:
- On-demand learning modules, exercises, meditations, and guided courses
- AI-powered self-care tools, escalations and emotional check-ins
- Manager training and leadership support tools
These resources drive real outcomes—and they’re all included in the standard platform fee, with no per-session cost.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need a massive benefits budget to provide mental health support that works. With strategies like cost-sharing, wellness stipends, smart utilization controls, and employee-paid options, you can keep your investment low while offering high-impact care.
Ready to explore the best model for your team?
Book a quick demo and we’ll walk you through real cost scenarios, platform features, and how to make Nivati work within your budget.
