Published 2026-10-14. Vendor facts last checked 2026-10-14. Five sections, every claim sourced and labeled. See the methodology.
The Big Finding
AI scribes are growing past the note. In the past two weeks, three vendors announced features that reach into work around the visit. Heidi launched Heidi II on October 1, with agents that carry out tasks such as pre-charting and referral forms. Upheal made insurance billing live for all users on October 9. Abridge said on October 13 that its Assistant is available to every clinician at every Abridge health system, whether or not they use Abridge for notes. For behavioral health practices, the buying question is shifting from "which scribe writes the note" to "which outputs and tasks do we allow it to touch." Documentation reviewed
Sources: Heidi II announcement, Upheal billing launch, Abridge Assistant, checked 2026-10-14.
Product Watch
- Upheal: Insurance billing is live for everyone as of October 9: eligibility checks, claims, ERAs, and denial appeals in the same place as notes. You must already be credentialed with your payers or bill out of network. Managed Billing is in closed beta. Source, checked 2026-10-14. Documentation reviewed
- JotPsych: The pricing page lists JotBill, priced apart from all plans: done-for-you billing at 6% of insurance collections with a $299/month minimum, or self-serve at $179 per clinician per month with clearinghouse and claim submission included. Source, checked 2026-10-14. Documentation reviewed
- Abridge: Announced an enterprise-wide agreement on October 8 that lets University of Texas System health institutions access its platform through UT REAL Health AI. Source, checked 2026-10-14. Documentation reviewed
- Tali (US): No change since last issue. Starter US$68/mo or US$60/mo annual; Pro US$100/mo. Source, checked 2026-10-14. Documentation reviewed
- Nabla: Public pricing page still returns 404. Source, checked 2026-10-14. Ask vendor
Clinical Reality Check
Patients say less when mental health is on the table, so consent matters more for us. In a quality improvement study of an ambient documentation pilot at a large urban academic health center (18 clinicians, 103 patients), 35.0% of patients said they would censor what they said when discussing mental health with the tool in use, compared with routine physical exams, where 63.1% reported no change. The authors suggest a partial opt-in, where patients can agree to ambient AI for routine visits but not for mental health assessments. Public behavioral health programs are already writing this down: San Luis Obispo County Behavioral Health uses a separate AI scribe consent form for therapy sessions that lets clients withdraw at any time, including during a session, and opt out of any session. In the UK, an NHS trust reported this week that it is using an AI scribe in its older people's mental health service, with clinicians checking and signing off every draft before it enters the record.
Sources: JAMA Network Open, 2025, San Luis Obispo County consent form, HTN, October 13, 2026.
Head-to-Head
Mentalyc vs Upheal for therapists. Mentalyc has low published prices (Mini $19.99/mo, or $14.99/mo billed annually), a BAA created at signup, and a browser extension that moves notes into the EHR you already use. Upheal has a permanent free plan, AI Notes at $39/mo, a BAA agreed at signup, and now insurance billing, but it works best if you run your practice inside Upheal's own EHR. Deciding difference: keep your current EHR (Mentalyc) versus move scheduling, notes, and billing into one system (Upheal). Read the Mentalyc review and the Upheal review.
One Action This Week
Give your scribe its own consent, separate from intake paperwork, with a plain right to opt out of any session or stop mid-session. Then ask your vendor in writing how to pause recording during a visit and what happens to audio already captured. Our HIPAA and consent guide and the buyer's checklist cover what to ask.