📱 Your Psychiatrist Can Now Prescribe an App — Here's How It Works (prescription digital therapeutics)

What if your psychiatrist could prescribe an app the same way they prescribe a medication — backed by clinical trials, cleared by the FDA, and covered by your insurance?

That's no longer a hypothetical. It's happening right now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-0qSomqSHQ

For years, "mental health apps" meant meditation timers and mood trackers. Useful? Sometimes. Medical treatments? No. But a new category called prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) has changed the equation entirely. These are FDA-cleared software programs that treat specific conditions — depression, anxiety, ADHD, insomnia, PTSD, and more — using the same evidence-based therapies you'd receive in a clinical setting.

And the best part: major insurers are now covering them. At Refresh Psychiatry, we're already integrating these tools into the treatment plans of patients across Florida, Massachusetts, and Texas through our telehealth psychiatry platform.

What Is a Prescription Digital Therapeutic?

Think of a prescription digital therapeutic as "software-as-medicine."

Unlike the wellness apps you find in the App Store, PDTs are regulated by the FDA as medical devices. They go through rigorous clinical trials — just like a new medication — and they can only be accessed with a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider.

Once prescribed, you download the app on your smartphone or tablet. The program delivers structured, evidence-based therapy (most commonly Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT) through interactive lessons, exercises, and real-time skill-building modules.

Key difference: A wellness app helps you build habits. A prescription digital therapeutic treats a diagnosed medical condition — with clinical evidence to prove it works.

Here's why the timing matters:

• In November 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved three new reimbursement codes specifically for digital therapeutics.

• In September 2025, Cigna Healthcare announced it would begin covering FDA-approved PDTs.

• The bipartisan Access to Prescription Digital Therapeutics Act of 2025 is advancing through Congress to expand Medicare and Medicaid coverage even further.

Every Prescription Digital Therapeutic Available Right Now

As of early 2026, 12 FDA-cleared or authorized prescription digital therapeutics are available in the United States. Here's a detailed look at each one.

For Depression

Rejoyn (rejoyn.com) — FDA cleared April 2024, adults 22+. The first prescription digital therapeutic ever authorized for Major Depressive Disorder. It's a 6-week smartphone program combining CBT-based lessons with the Emotional Faces Memory Task (EFMT), a clinically validated cognitive training exercise that helps retrain how your brain processes emotional information. Used as an add-on to antidepressant medication.

If you're currently receiving depression treatment and feel like medication alone isn't enough, Rejoyn may be worth discussing at your next visit.

For Anxiety

DaylightRx (bighealth.com/daylight-rx) — FDA cleared September 2024, adults 22+. The first PDT cleared for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Delivers a structured 90-day CBT program covering cognitive restructuring, applied relaxation, and stimulus control. Available 24/7 as an adjunct to usual care.

If you're navigating chronic worry, ask about adding DaylightRx to your anxiety treatment plan.

For ADHD

EndeavorRx (endeavorrx.com) — FDA authorized June 2020, ages 8–17. The first video game-based prescription treatment for ADHD. Uses patented SSME technology to improve attention function. Children play 25 minutes/day, 5 days/week for 4+ weeks. In clinical trials with 600+ children, 68% of parents reported improvement in ADHD-related impairments after two months.

LumosityRx (Prismira) (lumosity.com/rx) — FDA cleared December 2025, adults 22–55. Delivers 13 targeted cognitive exercises training attention, working memory, and cognitive control over a 9-week treatment period. In clinical trials, 97% adherence rate with significant improvements in sustained and selective attention. One of the first PDTs designed specifically for adults with ADHD.

Explore your options through our ADHD treatment program.

For Insomnia

SleepioRx (bighealth.com/sleepio-rx) — FDA cleared August 2024, adults 18+. Delivers CBT for Insomnia (CBT-I) — the gold-standard first-line treatment — through video and audio lessons. Backed by 25+ clinical trials; up to 76% of patients achieved healthy sleep. Participants experienced a 54% reduction in time to fall asleep and 62% less time awake at night.

Somryst (somryst.com) — FDA cleared 2020, adults 22+. Another CBT-I-based program delivered through structured education and skill-building modules. Clinical data showed a 45% reduction in insomnia severity, with continued improvement at 6 and 12 months.

For PTSD and Trauma-Related Conditions

NightWare (nightware.com) — FDA cleared November 2020, adults 22+. Runs on an Apple Watch and uses AI combined with heart rate, accelerometer, and gyroscope data to detect nightmares in real time. Delivers gentle haptic vibrations to interrupt nightmares without waking you. Builds a personalized sleep profile over a 10-day learning period. Prescription-only — not available in the App Store.

Freespira (freespira.com) — FDA cleared for adults (2019), expanded to adolescents 13–17 (May 2025). A medication-free treatment targeting the physiological root cause of panic attacks through real-time respiratory biofeedback with a nasal CO₂ sensor, guided breathing training, and 1:1 video coaching. The 28-day protocol involves two 17-minute sessions per day. Over 80% of panic disorder patients reported significant symptom reduction, and 50% of PTSD patients were in remission at 6 months.

For Substance Use Disorders

reSET (reachforreset.com) — FDA authorized 2017. The first-ever FDA-authorized prescription digital therapeutic — a historic milestone. Delivers a 12-week self-guided CBT program for outpatient substance use disorder treatment, with incentives for lesson completion and sobriety.

reSET-O (reachforreset.com) — FDA cleared 2018. Specifically designed for opioid use disorder, used alongside buprenorphine treatment. The 12-week CBT program is clinically proven to help patients stay in treatment longer.

For Chronic Pain

RelieVRx (relievrx.com) — FDA authorized 2021, adults 18+. The first virtual reality-based prescription therapeutic for chronic lower back pain. Uses immersive VR to deliver CBT, relaxation, body awareness, and pain distraction in daily sessions averaging just 6 minutes.

How Does This Help You?

1. Treatment Between Appointments

There are 168 hours in a week. Even with weekly therapy, that leaves 167 hours where you're managing symptoms on your own. PDTs fill that gap with structured, clinically validated exercises you can access any time — at 2 PM or 2 AM.

2. Clinically Proven Results

These aren't feel-good apps with vague promises. Every PDT listed above has been through randomized, controlled clinical trials — the same standard we use to evaluate medications. The results include measurable reductions in depression, anxiety, insomnia severity, migraine frequency, and more.

3. Insurance Coverage Is Here

This is no longer an out-of-pocket luxury. CMS, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UnitedHealthcare have all moved to cover prescription digital therapeutics. At Refresh Psychiatry, we accept Aetna, United, Cigna, Humana, Avmed, UMR, and Oscar — and we'll help you navigate coverage for any prescribed PDT.

4. Doctor-Monitored Progress

When I prescribe a digital therapeutic, I receive a secure clinical dashboard showing your progress — which modules you've completed, how your symptoms are tracking, and where we may need to adjust your care. This gives us real data to work with at every follow-up.

The bottom line: Prescription digital therapeutics don't replace your psychiatrist or your medication. They extend your treatment into the hours between appointments — with proven, doctor-monitored, insurance-covered tools.

How to Get Started at Refresh Psychiatry

If you're a current patient — or ready to become one — here's how the process works.

1. The Consultation. During a telehealth or in-person appointment, we'll discuss whether a PDT is right for your specific diagnosis and treatment goals.

2. The Prescription. If a PDT is appropriate, I'll send a digital "script" to a specialized digital pharmacy or directly through the PDT platform.

3. Activation. You'll receive a link to download the app and a unique access code that unlocks the full clinical version.

4. Monthly Check-Ins. At each follow-up, we'll review your progress data from the clinical dashboard together and adjust your plan as needed.

Because we offer telehealth across Florida the entire process can happen from your home. Book an appointment to get started.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are prescription digital therapeutics the same as mental health apps?

No. PDTs are FDA-cleared medical devices that have been through clinical trials. Unlike wellness apps, they require a prescription, are monitored by your doctor, and are designed to treat specific diagnosed conditions. Think of it this way: a fitness tracker is to a pacemaker what a meditation app is to a prescription digital therapeutic.

Does insurance cover prescription digital therapeutics?

Yes, and coverage is expanding rapidly. Cigna began covering FDA-approved PDTs in late 2025. CMS approved new reimbursement codes in 2024 and expanded them in 2025. The Access to Prescription Digital Therapeutics Act of 2025 is advancing in Congress. Ask us — we'll help you find out what's covered under your specific plan.

Can I use a digital therapeutic instead of medication?

Most PDTs are designed to complement your existing treatment — not replace it. Rejoyn, for example, is specifically indicated as an add-on to antidepressant medication. However, some (like Freespira for panic disorder) offer a medication-free pathway. Your psychiatrist will determine the right combination for you.

Are these apps safe? What about data privacy?

Because PDTs are FDA-cleared medical devices, they must meet rigorous safety and data privacy standards, including HIPAA compliance. Your health data is encrypted and shared only with your prescribing provider through a secure clinical dashboard.

Do I need to come into the office, or can this be done via telehealth?

PDTs pair perfectly with telehealth. At Refresh Psychiatry, your psychiatrist can evaluate, prescribe, and monitor your digital therapeutic progress entirely through virtual appointments — whether you're in Florida.

Ready to Upgrade Your Mental Health Toolkit?

Mention "Digital Therapeutics" at your next visit, and we'll discuss whether one of these FDA-cleared tools is right for your treatment plan.

Call (954) 603-4081 or book an appointment online.

We accept Aetna, United, Cigna, Humana, Avmed, UMR, and Oscar insurance plans.

Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Prescription digital therapeutics are medical devices that require evaluation and a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider. Please consult a qualified mental health professional for personalized guidance.