Last updated: 2026-08-12
Honest Taskers, MedVA, and Virtual Nurse Rx lead this year's shortlist of virtual psychiatric medical assistant companies, thirteen healthcare-focused staffing firms ranked on how they keep a psychiatry practice running, handling new-patient intake, scheduling, insurance verification, and medication prior authorizations, all in your time zone and under a signed BAA. Every assistant here handles administrative work only, as remote people rather than AI intake bots, and they don't provide therapy, counseling, or psychiatric advice or make any clinical decision, which stays with your licensed psychiatric clinicians. Below we set out what gets run besides intake, which call must never be missed, how these companies price, whether a provider handles a medication prior authorization, and which queue to take over first.
Disclosure: Honest Taskers publishes this list and appears at position 1. We're judged on the same five published criteria as every other company here.
At a glance
- 1Honest Taskers
- 2MedVA
- 3Virtual Nurse Rx
- 4HelpSquad Health
- 5My Mountain Mover
- 6Hello Rache
- 7Portiva
- 8CareVMA Health
- 9Pearl Talent
- 10Wishup
- 11Carenet Healthcare
- 12VMeDx
- 13Global Medical Virtual Assistants
How we chose the best virtual psychiatric medical assistant companies
We ranked these companies on five facts, each checked at the provider's own website on August 12, 2026. Those facts are healthcare specialization, talent location, published hourly pricing, the psychiatry practice tasks they say they cover, and HIPAA posture. Psychiatry practice support means new-patient intake, appointment scheduling, insurance verification, medication prior authorizations, superbills, patient portal messages, and no-show follow-up, so we weighted firms that name those tasks. These assistants do administrative work only, so we screened out any claim of therapy, counseling, or clinical decision-making, which belongs to licensed psychiatric clinicians. Blank facts read "not publicly listed" instead of a guess, and because behavioral health records are among the most sensitive PHI a practice holds, we flag how each company handles the BAA.
Best virtual psychiatric medical assistant companies compared
The table ranks all 13 on the same columns, Honest Taskers first because we publish the list. Rates were checked August 12, 2026 and change often, so treat them as a starting point, not a quote.
| Company | Healthcare focus | Talent location | Published hourly rate | Psychiatry practice support (as stated) | HIPAA posture (as stated) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honest Taskers | Yes | US clients; recruiting in the Philippines, Latin America, India and Pakistan | $10.00–$12.65/hr | Intake, scheduling, insurance verification, medication prior authorizations, superbills | HIPAA-trained; compliance verified by Accountable; BAA when PHI; SOC 2 audit-ready |
| MedVA | Yes | Philippines | Not publicly listed | Intake, scheduling, patient communication | HIPAA-trained; SOC 2-monitored systems |
| Virtual Nurse Rx | Yes (RN-staffed) | US-served | ~$12–$15/hr | RN-staffed intake and prior authorization support | HIPAA-trained |
| HelpSquad Health | Yes (plus general) | Philippines and India; US-managed | $10–$13/hr patient-facing | Intake, scheduling, prior authorization support | Company-level BAA; HIPAA virtual desktop |
| My Mountain Mover | Yes | Not publicly listed | Not publicly listed | Managed behavioral health admin support | Signed BAA; in-house HIPAA officer |
| Hello Rache | Yes | Philippines | $9.50/hr flat | Intake, scheduling, patient calls | HIPAA-trained |
| Portiva | Yes | Philippines | $10/hr | Scheduling, insurance verification, intake | HIPAA-trained |
| CareVMA Health | Yes | Not publicly listed | From $9/hr | Intake and scheduling support | HIPAA-trained (company-reported) |
| Pearl Talent | Yes (plus general) | Latin America and Philippines | $9.95/hr, or from $3,000/mo | Patient intake and coordination | Compliance managed |
| Wishup | General, with a healthcare option | India-primary; US option | $1,299–$1,999/mo | Intake and scheduling with general admin | HIPAA and PHI-trained |
| Carenet Healthcare | Yes | Not publicly listed | Not publicly listed | Nurse triage with physician e-consults (as stated) | Not publicly listed |
| VMeDx | Yes | Philippines | $10/hr | Scheduling, patient intake, insurance verification | HIPAA-trained |
| Global Medical Virtual Assistants | Yes | Philippines | Not publicly listed (flat weekly rate) | Administrative support, confirm psychiatry tasks in the interview | Company-reported HIPAA training program; BAAs referenced |
A pattern shows up fast. Most staff psychiatric intake and admin from the Philippines at $9 to $13 an hour, a few add Latin America for daytime US coverage, and only a handful put a signed BAA on the record for the staff who handle behavioral health PHI.
1. Honest Taskers
Best for: psychiatry practices that want a full remote back office, from new-patient intake to medication prior authorizations, staffed by healthcare-trained people including licensed nurses.
Pricing: $10.00–$12.65/hrLocation: US clients; PH, LatAm, India and Pakistan recruitingModel: Managed staffingFirst hire: Two-week working trial
Honest Taskers is a healthcare-focused virtual staffing company that runs the back office for US psychiatry and behavioral health practices. Its virtual psychiatric medical assistants handle new-patient intake, appointment scheduling, insurance verification, medication prior authorizations, superbills, patient portal messages, and no-show follow-up in your EHR, from TherapyNotes and SimplePractice to athenahealth. Candidates are trained on HIPAA and data privacy under a dedicated compliance officer, work in your time zone, and sign a Business Associate Agreement when they'll access PHI, with HIPAA compliance verified by Accountable. The talent pool includes licensed nurses and physicians, rates begin around $10 per hour and range up to about $12.65 depending on role, background, schedule, and location, and every client gets a Customer Success Advocate plus a two-week working trial with their first hire. Honest Taskers reports 99.6% average monthly retention, so the person handling your intake and prior authorizations stays consistent. The work stays administrative, so assistants route any clinical, therapy, or medication question to your psychiatric clinicians rather than answering it. See the full Honest Taskers virtual mental health assistant service for role details.
Limitation: not the lowest hourly rate on this list.
2. MedVA
Best for: busy psychiatry groups that want a managed intake team rather than a self-serve hire.
Pricing: Not publicly listedLocation: PhilippinesModel: Managed + account managerTrial: Not publicly listed
MedVA was founded by physicians and places medical virtual assistants across many specialties, including psychiatry and behavioral health, for intake, scheduling, and patient communication. Its assistants are HIPAA-trained and work inside what the company calls SOC 2-monitored systems, with a dedicated account manager on every relationship.
Limitation: no public pricing.
3. Virtual Nurse Rx
Best for: psychiatry practices that want a clinically fluent voice on new-patient intake calls.
Pricing: ~$12–$15/hrLocation: US-servedModel: Managed staffingTrial: Not publicly listed
Virtual Nurse Rx staffs assistants who are registered nurses, which suits psychiatry practices that want someone comfortable with medical terminology on intake and medication prior authorization paperwork. Assistants complete HIPAA training and work directly in the practice's systems in real time.
Limitation: the highest hourly rate here, at roughly $12 to $15.
4. HelpSquad Health
Best for: practices that want a US-held BAA for the staff handling behavioral health PHI.
Pricing: $10–$13/hr patient-facingLocation: PH + India; US-managedModel: Managed staffingTrial: Not publicly listed
HelpSquad Health runs managed virtual assistants with US oversight from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, staffing patient-facing roles from the Philippines. Psychiatry intake, appointment scheduling, and prior authorization support run about $10 to $13 an hour, and every rate includes a company-level BAA held with HelpSquad plus a HIPAA virtual desktop.
Limitation: 20 hours a week minimum on a three-month term.
5. My Mountain Mover
Best for: psychiatry and behavioral health practices that want a signed BAA and a named compliance owner.
Pricing: Not publicly listedLocation: Not publicly listedModel: ManagedTrial: Not publicly listed
My Mountain Mover places managed medical virtual assistants for front-office support across clinics, dental, and behavioral health practices. Its compliance posture stands out, with a signed Business Associate Agreement for every healthcare client and an in-house HIPAA compliance officer, which matters when assistants handle sensitive behavioral health records.
Limitation: neither pricing nor talent location is published.
6. Hello Rache
Best for: solo and small psychiatry practices that want a flat, low-cost intake desk from nurse-background staff.
Pricing: $9.50/hr flatLocation: PhilippinesModel: Dedicated/managedTrial: Not publicly listed
Hello Rache staffs dedicated healthcare virtual assistants from the Philippines, many of them licensed nurses, for administrative work like new-patient intake and appointment scheduling. Pricing is a flat $9.50 an hour with no contracts and cancel-anytime terms, and assistants complete HIPAA training and stay paired with the same practice rather than rotating.
Limitation: the Business Associate Agreement isn't described publicly, so confirm it in writing.
7. Portiva
Best for: practices that want to test an intake hire with a short trial at $10 an hour.
Pricing: $10/hrLocation: PhilippinesModel: Managed/offshoreTrial: 7-day (company-reported)
Portiva places HIPAA-trained remote staff from the Philippines for scheduling, insurance verification, and patient intake at $10 an hour. It's one of the few here to advertise a short trial, a company-reported 7 days with no long-term contract, and its assistants are background-checked with HIPAA training certificates.
Limitation: offshore-only staffing from a single country.
8. CareVMA Health
Best for: practices that want a fast intake match at a low entry rate.
Pricing: From $9/hrLocation: Not publicly listedModel: Fully managedTrial: Not publicly listed
CareVMA Health provides fully managed virtual assistants from $9 an hour for intake and scheduling support, and advertises a match in about 48 hours. Its assistants are described as trained on common EHR platforms, which the company says shortens ramp time.
Limitation: talent location isn't stated publicly.
9. Pearl Talent
Best for: practices that want Latin America time-zone overlap for daytime intake coverage.
Pricing: $9.95/hr or $3,000/moLocation: Latin America + PhilippinesModel: Managed servicesTrial: Not publicly listed
Pearl Talent staffs patient intake specialists and coordinators from Latin America and the Philippines, with strong US time-zone overlap from the Latin America pool for daytime phone coverage. Pricing starts around $9.95 an hour, or from $3,000 a month on a managed model that covers payroll and compliance, and candidates go through medical terminology assessments before placement.
Limitation: it also serves non-healthcare clients, so confirm healthcare depth.
10. Wishup
Best for: small psychiatry practices that need intake and scheduling cover plus general business admin from one assistant.
Pricing: $1,299–$1,999/moLocation: India-primary; US optionModel: ManagedTrial: Not publicly listed
Wishup is a general virtual assistant company with a healthcare option, so its HIPAA and PHI-trained assistants can pick up intake forms, appointment scheduling, and insurance verification alongside the inbox and calendar work a solo practice carries (as stated). Plans run roughly $1,299 a month for 80 hours up to $1,999 for a full 160 hours, with a US-based option at a higher rate and a dedicated VA manager.
Limitation: it's a generalist, not a healthcare-only firm.
11. Carenet Healthcare
Best for: psychiatric practices that need a clinical voice on urgent calls between appointments
Pricing: Not publicly listedLocation: Not publicly listedModel: Enterprise serviceTrial: Not publicly listed
Carenet Healthcare combines patient-engagement staff and registered nurses with physician e-consults for a triaged pathway. Psychiatric practices field calls that need a clinical judgement about urgency, which is not a task an administrative assistant can take.
Limitation: its own outcome figures are company-reported, and no pricing is published
12. VMeDx
Best for: practices that want a published $10 hourly rate on intake, scheduling, and authorization paperwork.
Pricing: $10/hrLocation: PhilippinesModel: Managed/offshoreTrial: Not publicly listed
VMeDx places HIPAA-trained medical virtual assistants from the Philippines at a published $10 an hour for administrative support such as scheduling, patient intake, and insurance verification (as stated). That's the same flat rate Portiva publishes, so the decision between them usually comes down to candidate fit and how each firm covers your phone hours.
Limitation: offshore-only staffing from a single country.
13. Global Medical Virtual Assistants
Best for: practices ready to commit to a full-time intake seat that want a stated HIPAA training program behind it.
Pricing: Not publicly listed (flat weekly rate per specialist)Location: PhilippinesModel: Dedicated full-timeTrial: Not publicly listed
Global Medical Virtual Assistants staffs US healthcare practices with Philippines-based specialists and charges a flat weekly rate for each one, though the figure isn't published, so budgeting starts with a quote. Every professional goes through a company-reported HIPAA training program, and BAAs are referenced in the company's compliance materials, which is worth pinning down in writing before anyone opens a behavioral health chart.
Specialists are placed for administrative support, so confirm in the interview which psychiatry intake, scheduling, and medication prior authorization tasks yours has run. Therapy, diagnosis, and any medication decision stay with your licensed clinicians, and the assistant routes those questions to your staff.
Limitation: full-time only at 40 hours a week, with no part-time option.
What does a virtual psychiatric medical assistant run besides intake?
Scheduling, insurance verification and medication prior authorizations, which is where a psychiatric practice loses its administrative hours. The demand is real, since according to HRSA, about 137 million Americans, roughly 40%, live in a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area, so psychiatry practices are stretched thin. An in-house coordinator carries a full salary plus benefits and desk space, while the offshore-focused firms here run $9 to $15 an hour. A medical billing service only handles claims and superbills, not the phones, intake, or portal, and it won't verify a new patient's benefits before the first appointment. Don't hire a virtual psychiatric medical assistant if you only need claims processing, since a dedicated billing service is a better fit for that narrow job. These assistants do administrative work only. They do not provide therapy, counseling, or psychiatric advice, and they make no clinical decision, which stays with your licensed psychiatric clinicians. The reason practices delegate this work is the same reason they protect clinician time, since the National Council for Mental Wellbeing reported in 2024 that 93% of behavioral health workers experienced burnout, and moving intake and paperwork off your clinical team hands time back.
Which psychiatric call must a virtual medical assistant never miss?
The intake one, because a missed intake call in this specialty is a patient who does not call back, and it sits beside behavioral health PHI exposure and scope creep.
- Behavioral health PHI. Ask for the signed BAA and the device and network controls, since psychiatric records are among the most sensitive PHI a practice holds.
- Scope creep into clinical work. Ask the company to confirm in writing that assistants handle administrative tasks only and never give psychiatric advice or make clinical decisions, which belong to your licensed clinicians.
- Missed intake calls and no-shows. Ask how the company staffs peak hours and handles no-show follow-up, because a missed psychiatric intake can leave a patient waiting weeks for another opening.
- Turnover and continuity. Ask about retention, since a new voice every few months resets patient rapport and your training.
- Prior authorization and payer errors. Ask which candidates have run medication prior authorizations and know your payers, such as commercial plans and Medicaid behavioral health carve-outs.
How do virtual psychiatric medical assistant companies price their services?
Virtual psychiatric medical assistant companies price their services three main ways, by a flat hourly rate, a managed monthly plan, or a custom quote. Hourly staffing on this list runs from Hello Rache at $9.50 and CareVMA from $9, up to Virtual Nurse Rx at roughly $12 to $15 for registered nurses, with managed monthly plans like Wishup's landing near $1,300 to $2,000 for full-time hours (rates checked August 2026). Honest Taskers sits mid-range, beginning around $10 per hour and reaching about $12.65 depending on role, background, schedule, and location. Compared with a salaried psychiatric front-office coordinator plus benefits, a remote assistant is the lower-overhead option, and price tracks talent location, hours of coverage, and the level of managed oversight. For the full breakdown, see how much a virtual medical assistant costs.
Can the virtual psychiatric medical assistant company handle a medication prior authorization?
Ask which medications it has done, then weigh behavioral health specialization, HIPAA posture, intake experience and honest pricing.
- Psychiatry intake experience. A firm that names intake, scheduling, insurance verification, medication prior authorizations, and superbills ramps faster than a general agency. See how virtual assistants support therapy and mental health practices to scope the role.
- HIPAA posture in writing. Look for HIPAA training plus a signed Business Associate Agreement when the assistant handles behavioral health PHI, and ask each company to put its safeguards in writing.
- Administrative-only scope. Confirm the assistant handles administrative work only and routes any clinical or medication question to your psychiatric clinicians, since therapy and clinical decisions are never theirs to make.
- Your EHR stack. Confirm experience with your practice management system, such as TherapyNotes, SimplePractice, or Valant.
- Dated, published pricing. A rate with a date beats a vague promise of savings.
Which psychiatric queue should a virtual medical assistant take over first?
Intake, because response time there decides how many enquiries become patients.
- List the tasks to delegate first, such as new-patient intake, scheduling, insurance verification, and medication prior authorizations.
- Shortlist firms whose psychiatry experience, talent location, and HIPAA posture fit your practice.
- Interview one or two candidates, confirm EHR experience, and set the administrative-only scope in writing.
- Sign a Business Associate Agreement before anyone touches behavioral health data.
- Run a trial, then onboard with clear intake scripts, schedules, and escalation rules for clinical questions.
For a fuller walkthrough, read how to hire a virtual medical assistant.
Methodology and sources
We verified each company at its own website on August 12, 2026, recording healthcare focus, talent location, published pricing, stated psychiatry practice support, and HIPAA posture. Workforce context is from HRSA Mental Health Professional Shortage Area data and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing's 2024 reporting on behavioral health workforce burnout. Hourly rates are volatile and were captured as dated points, not permanent quotes, so re-check before you buy. Where a company didn't publish a fact, we marked it "not publicly listed"; self-stated claims are labeled company-reported.
Related virtual psychiatric medical assistant staffing guides
If you're still mapping the role to your practice, start with the basics. Our guide to what a virtual medical assistant is covers the administrative work a remote hire owns, from intake and scheduling to insurance verification and portal management, so you can decide which psychiatry tasks to hand off first.
Want to see which jobs move off your desk first? Our list of tasks to outsource to a virtual medical assistant walks through the intake, prior authorization, and documentation work a psychiatric practice can delegate, which helps you confirm a candidate can step into your TherapyNotes or SimplePractice setup without a long ramp.
Speak with Honest Taskers about building a remote psychiatry support team.