Takeaway: Having a convenient, confidential way to communicate with your therapy clients is essential. But which HIPAA-compliant email platform should you choose? Here, we give you the information you need to make an informed decision. Whether you're just starting your therapy practice or want to reevaluate your options when it comes to email security, our guide can help.

At Mentaya, we’re intimately familiar with the challenges that private practice therapists face. As a mental health company, it’s our mission to support therapists in putting their own needs (including their financial and technology needs) first so they can provide sustainable, high-quality care. 

Since we handle sensitive information when helping our therapists with out-of-network billing, we deeply understand HIPAA compliance and why it’s important. With our knowledge of the security measures that therapists need, we set out to find some of the best HIPAA compliant email platforms for therapists. Here’s what we discovered

How we chose which HIPAA complaint email platforms to feature

There are tons of different HIPAA compliant email services out there, but not all of them made the cut. Here’s how we decided which ones to include.

• HIPAA compliance: Any HIPAA complaint email for therapists should offer encrypted email services to ensure that no one but the sender and receiver can access messages. HIPAA compliant email providers must also provide a Business Associate Agreement to covered entities (i.e. therapists and other healthcare providers), meaning they're committed to safeguarding users' protected health information. Each HIPAA compliant email service we featured will sign a BAA for users who need it.
• Features: Each therapist and practice has their own unique needs and preferences. However, we looked for platforms that also offer more than just HIPAA compliant email tools.
• Customer support: Most therapists aren't tech wizards, so having someone in your corner to help you sort through any problems with your email is essential. We made sure that our picks provide therapists with customer support.
• Pricing: We know that most private practice therapists want a balance between quality and affordability, so kept cost in mind when choosing which HIPAA compliant email providers to feature. Plus, not all secure email services are upfront about pricing, so we looked for companies that provided clear information about what they charge.

We’ll break down these elements for each platform we’re featuring. 

5 best HIPAA compliant email services for therapists

Here, we’ve rounded up five of our favorite secure email providers. Hushmail is our top choice since it’s made specifically for the healthcare industry, offers affordable plans for HIPAA compliant email and secure forms.

At the same time, you may need additional features, more robust customer service options, or an even more budget-friendly option. In that case, our other four picks are great options as well. We’ll give more insight into each platform below.

1. Hushmail

Secure email platform with the most features

• HIPAA compliance: Hushmail provides encrypted email services and has a Business Associate Agreement to comply with HIPAA.
• Features: In addition to email encryption, Hushmail also offers secure web forms, electronic signatures, and secure messaging. Therapists can also get a custom domain address, integrate Hushmail with platforms like Outlook, and access their email through desktop and mobile apps.
• Customer support: Support is available through Hushmail's Contact Us page, email, chat, or scheduled calls
• Pricing: Healthcare provider-specific plans start at $11.99/month. Users can also play for one- and two-year plans at a discounted rate. Hushmail also offers a 60-day money-back guarantee.

2. MailHippo

Our all-around top pick

• HIPAA compliance: MailHippo provides encrypted emails and Business Associate Agreements are included with their plans.
• Features: MailHippo allows users to send HIPAA compliant emails using their existing email service, such as Microsoft Outlook and Gmail. They also offer additional plans that include access to secure forms.
• Customer support: Support is available through a contact form on MailHippo's website.
• Pricing: Basic plans start at $4.95/month after a 30-day free trial.

3. Proton Mail

Best choice for robust customer support 

• HIPAA compliance: Proton offers end-to-end encrypted email and has a Business Associate Agreement.
• Features: Business plans allow therapists to create custom domain email addresses for their businesses. Plus, you can integrate Proton into your existing email provider, like Outlook Mail or Apple Mail, to make them HIPAA compliant. Proton also offers features like a calendar, drive, and a mobile app.
• Customer support: Users can access support through Proton's FAQ page, through a support form on their website, and directly via email.
• Pricing: Basic business plans start at $6.99/month for 12 months. Proton also offers 1-month and 24-month plans at different rates.

4. NeoCertified

Best HIPAA compliant email service to try risk-free

• HIPAA compliance: NeoCertified provides end-to-end encrypted email services and offers a Business Associate Agreement.
• Features: NeoCertified offers email integration with popular platforms like Gmail and Outlook. It also offers integration with Office 365 applications like Microsoft Word and Excel. Access to a mobile app is included with all plans, and some plans offer extra features like secure forms.
• Customer support: Users can access customer support through phone or email. Their website also features some video tutorials to help users with basic functions.
• Pricing: NeoCertified's "business-lite" plan starts at $69.99/year. They also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if you're not satisfied.

5. MD OfficeMail

Most affordable HIPAA-compliant email service

• HIPAA compliance: MD OfficeMail offers end-to-end encryption on emails and will sign a Business Associate Agreement in order to comply with HIPAA.
• Features: MD OfficeMail can be integrated into your existing email service, including Gmail. Users can also opt to create a new email address hosted by the company itself. Additionally, MD OfficeMail offers secure forms that users can send to clients.
• Customer support: Users can access support by email 24/7 as well as by phone during normal business hours.
• Pricing: There are several different plans available depending on a user's specific needs. A hosted account starts at $2.10/month and account integration starts at $3.00/month.

Choosing a HIPAA compliant email provider

Ultimately, choosing A HIPAA complaint email platform is up to each individual clinician or practice. Your needs may differ from your colleagues', so take a moment to reflect on what you're looking for before making the final decision.

Better yet: try one of the platforms that offers a free trial period or money-back guarantee. You can find that information (along with a summary of other features) at a glance in our comparison chart below.

Still not sure which HIPAA compliant platform is right for you? Check out our top picks in these categories.

• Most affordable HIPAA-compliant email service: MD OfficeMail
• Secure email with the most features: Hushmail
• Best HIPAA complaint email service to try risk-free: NeoCertified

Hopefully, our insights can help you manage your practice with both privacy and ease.

FAQs about HIPAA compliant email for therapists

Do therapists need HIPAA compliant email?

While HIPAA might not technically apply in the same way to private-pay therapists, it is generally considered good practice for all mental health professionals to adhere to similar standards to protect the privacy and security of client information. Using HIPAA-compliant email or secure communication methods is often recommended to ensure the confidentiality of client communications, regardless of the specific legal requirements."

In other words, for private pay therapists it is a good idea but not legally required to use a HIPAA compliant email. Ethically a therapist must take measures to protect their clients' identity by email but it is not prescriptive on how.

How do I make my email HIPAA compliant?

It's important that your email provider offers encryption and will sign a Business Associate Agreement to comply with HIPAA. All of the platforms in our guide check both of these boxes.

Each company will give you explicit instructions on how to set up your email account in a HIPAA compliant way.

How much does a HIPAA compliant email cost?

The cost varies. Some companies offer discounts when you pay annually, and some offer free trials or money-back guarantees. Check out our comparison guide above for a quick look at the potential cost.

HIPAA-compliant email isn't the only service you need to run your practice.

At Mentaya, we're passionate about helping therapists run their practice with ease. Using our HIPAA-compliant billing platform, we help therapists get paid their full cash rate and help clients get reimbursed up to 80% on their therapy sessions.

Plus (unlike secure email platforms) our service is free for therapists.

Interested in learning more about how we can support your practice? Check out our page for therapists and book a free call to learn even more.

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