Understanding Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Benefits

In this article, we will take a deep dive into what EAPs are, how you can use these benefits at Rula, important information about these benefits, and more. We want to make sure you feel confident and supported throughout the process of using your EAP benefits and transitioning care once your EAP benefits have ended. 

What are Employee Assistance Programs?

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are different from regular health insurance because they are typically offered by employers to provide short-term support for mental health and other personal challenges. Unlike traditional insurance, which may cover a wide range of ongoing treatment options, EAPs often focus on a limited number of sessions or services to help employees quickly access care during difficult times.

EAP appointments are 45 minutes long, and your session limit will vary depending on your specific EAP program coverage. 

How to use your EAP benefits

Getting Started with BHS, Lucet, KGA, or Sentara

To utilize your EAP benefits, you will need to contact your EAP provider directly to get started. Their care coordinators will help you register and schedule your first appointment with a Rula therapist who best fits your needs. 

Below you will find the contact details for each of our EAP partners. 

Getting Started with Cigna or Optum

To utilize your EAP benefits, you can update your insurance coverage through the Rula patient portal.

Below you will find the contact details for each of our EAP partners. 

After Sign-Up

Once you are registered and start working with your therapist at Rula, they will schedule your follow-up appointments with you, keep you updated on your EAP session count, and assist you with transitioning your care once your benefits have expired. 

Important Note

You can only submit one authorization number at a time. Please refrain from sending multiple, as this overrides your current EAP benefits and may lead to billing issues on your Rula account. You can submit a new authorization number once the visits in your current authorization have been used or expire. 

EAP in the Rula patient portal

You can keep track of your EAP benefits through the Rula patient portal. Here you can see your session count, track the expiration date of your benefits (if applicable), and transition to new coverage when your benefits end. You will even receive emails warning you when your benefits are close to completion. 

To view your EAP session count, navigate to the Appointments tab and locate it on the right side of the screen. On each appointment, you will also find a session count to help you keep track of your EAP-covered appointments.

When your EAP sessions are almost completed, you will see a red banner in your Rula patient portal to indicate adding additional insurance to cover your continued care. If you already have additional coverage added, you can edit this information as needed. You also have the option to continue with self-pay. 

Billing and payments

Billing and payment policies differ depending on the EAP program you have. It's essential to be aware of your program's policies and Rula's policies to avoid any surprises throughout your care. 

Credit Card Information

While your specific EAP partner may not charge no-show or late cancellation fees, Rula still requires a credit card on file to cover any non-EAP-covered costs that may occur. You can learn more about why Rula requires a card on file in this help center article. 

Adding Insurance Information

We recommend adding your insurance information to the Rula patient portal. This will be beneficial once your EAP sessions conclude, allowing you to continue care. You can read more about continuing care in the next section. 

Continuing care after EAP benefits expire

Because EAP programs have session limits and sometimes even expiration dates for using your allotted sessions, it's important to communicate with your therapist about what you would like to do once your EAP benefits come to an end. There are a few options you can explore:

1. Continuing care with your therapist through your primary insurance, if Rula accepts your plan. Sessions can be as low as $15 per session using your insurance, but we will confirm the estimated costs with you. 
2. Transitioning to self-pay to continue working with your therapist if insurance is not an option.
3. Connect with another Rula therapist, if a specialist or someone with different methods would better meet your needs.

Updated May 11, 2026 12:00