Headway can typically get you credentialed in record time. While the credentialing process usually takes months, Headway's credentialing team works directly with insurers to get your application approved as quickly as possible.
Getting credentialed through Headway
Once you've completed our intake form, we'll start getting you credentialed with all of our insurance partners in your region. For your intake, we'll need:
- Your professional and educational background
- Experience
- Some other details (requirements may differ based on state and carrier)
Our intake form takes around 20 minutes to complete, and you'll only need to do it one time, unless you opt to add more states in the future.
Multi-state credentialing
Providers that are licensed in multiple states can apply to be credentialed with every available plan in all states they are licensed in.
Please note: If you’re currently going through the credentialing or re-credentialing process with Headway, you’ll need to complete this process first before you can apply for multiple states. Once complete, you’ll be able to access the intake form for multi-state credentialing from the Insurance Status page.
If you're an existing provider adding new state(s)
You'll need to visit your Insurance status page and click Get credentialed at the top of the page to access our new intake form and add additional states. When you open the form, it should already include some of the details you've provided us in the past. Please be sure to review and update any necessary information.
On the form, you'll be able to select the additional states that you'd like to expand your practice into. Feel free to select as many as you're licensed to practice in! For example, if you're licensed in Georgia, New York, and California, and are already practicing on Headway in Georgia, you can add New York, California, or both.
Once you've submitted your information for the new states via the intake form, our team will work on verifying your credentials for the new states; we'll reach out to you directly if we need any additional information. As a note, submitting this updated form will also re-credential you with your initial state.
If you're a new provider
When you're filling out our intake form for the first time, you'll need to select one state that you're licensed in and would like to practice on Headway in. That way, we can start the credentialing process in one state first.
Then, if you'd like to expand to other states, you can return to our intake form in the provider portal and add additional states at any time.
If you're part of a group
Group admins will be required to review and accept state agreements before providers in the group can get credentialed.
For answers to commonly asked questions about multi-state credentialing, check out our section on frequently asked questions.
Submitting your application
We'll handle all of the insurance applications for any insurance panels we work with or will work with in the future — you only need to fill out our intake form once.
To complete this form, you'll need:
- License info
- Liability insurance info
- NPI number
- CAQH login
- Education history
- Specialties
- Practice locations
- Employment history
- Disclosures
- If applicable:
- Board certification info
- DEA info
- Hospital affiliations
More about some of these requirements
Insurers rely on CAQH as a source of truth for your license, certifications, and other key details. To ensure that we collect your information accurately and completely, you’ll be required to link your CAQH account. You'll also need to update any missing information required by insurance companies. If you need to make updates, you will need to make these updates on the CAQH website, re-attest on the CAQH site, and then refresh the intake form page.
If you intend to prescribe medication in any of the states you’re licensed in, including your primary state, a DEA is required. You'll need to upload your DEA Registration Certificate and, in select states, your CDS Registration Certificate*.
* CDS Registration Certificate is required in addition to DEA Registration Certificate in the following states: AL, CT, DE, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, LA, MD, MA, MO, NV, NJ, NM, OK, RI, SC, SD, UT, WY.
When you get to the Malpractice information page, you'll have the opportunity to choose which malpractice insurance you'll use on Headway; this information is pulled from your CAQH account.
The policy that you choose will need to meet insurer requirements for the state with the highest requirements, and must be effective for greater than 21 days. If the policy you choose does not meet those requirements, you'll see an error message.
The practice locations that we pull from your CAQH will be listed on the Practice information page. You can select the address you'd like to use for each state you’re being credentialed with Headway in.
Anthem/BCBS requirements
Anthem BCBS plans in Virginia, Missouri, and California require providers to live in the same state.
A provider must live in their state of residence for a minimum of 183 days in order to be considered a resident. Holding an office in the state does not qualify providers for credentialing.
Prescriber requirements
DEA license
If you intend to prescribe medication in any of the states you’re licensed in, including your primary state, a DEA is required. You'll need to upload your DEA Registration Certificate and, in select states, your CDS Registration Certificate*.
* CDS Registration Certificate is required in addition to DEA Registration Certificate in the following states: AL, CT, DE, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, LA, MD, MA, MO, NV, NJ, NM, OK, RI, SC, SD, UT, WY.
Collaborative Practice Agreement with a collaborating physician
Legally, some states require Nurse Practitioners (NPs) to have a Collaborative Practice Agreement with a collaborating physician in order to prescribe. For more information on how this works, visit: Collaborating physicians on Headway.
Credentialing process timeline
Seeing clients on Headway requires that you are credentialed with our insurance carriers, and our goal is to get you credentialed as quickly as possible while maintaining the highest quality standards.
Regulatory guidelines vary by state and carrier, which causes timelines to vary—it can take anywhere from 3 weeks to 4 months to be approved.
What to expect after submitting your application
We'll keep you posted on the progress of your applications and let you know we need anything else.
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We'll handle the insurance paperwork
Once you submit the credentialing form, we’ll handle the rest of the paperwork and administrative tasks so you can focus on your practice.
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Start seeing clients
Once your application is approved, you’ll be able to start seeing clients on Headway. The timeline can vary by state and carrier—it can take anywhere from 3 weeks to 4 months to be approved.
To get started seeing clients, add any of your existing clients and/or set up your profile and calendar openings so clients can book with you.
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Get paid
The last step of the process is for our insurance partners to add you into their systems, so we can submit claims for your sessions and get you paid. It generally takes up to 8 weeks for insurers to add you to their systems, and to start getting paid.
This means you can confirm any sessions you hold, and we'll take care of the rest. We guarantee payment for your sessions on the 15th and last days of every month.
Choosing the insurance plans you accept on Headway
You have the option to temporarily stop accepting new clients with specific insurance carriers at any time. You'll still be able to see any existing clients with the insurer, but won't be shown to prospective clients looking for a provider who accepts that specific insurer.
To do this, visit your Referral settings in Sigmund and select the insurance carriers that you'd like to accept new clients, under Insurer preference.
As a note, this toggle should only be used if you are looking to temporarily stop accepting clients with a specific carrier. If you want to stop accepting the insurance altogether, and do not intend to ever see clients with that insurer again, we ask that you fully de-panel with the insurance carrier, instead. To start this process, reach out to us.
If you'd like to de-panel with all insurance carriers, you'll need to terminate your provider contract with Headway.
Seeing private pay clients
You will be able to continue seeing clients privately once you’re credentialed with Headway, as long as they do not have an insurance we can accept on Headway.
Any invoices that you provide to your clients will have your NPI and tax ID number, which allows providers to maintain their out-of-network status.
If you are seeing a client via private/self-pay and they hold an insurance that you accept via Headway, their insurance may inform them that you are currently in-network on Headway.
Re-credentialing with Headway
You typically need to re-credential by completing our intake form about every 3 years to remain on Headway. During re-credentialing, we'll ask you to confirm details you’ve previously provided, as well as update information that may have changed in the last three years. It should take 20-30 minutes to complete. When you're notified that it's time to re-credential, make sure to complete the form as soon as possible to avoid any interruption to providing in-network care. As a note, if completed in a timely manner, the re-credentialing process will not interrupt your ability to provide care to the patients you are already seeing on Headway.
Frequently asked questions
Our agreements are not compatible with PSYPACT because we can't attest to a provider's credentialing status in other states. Based on Headway's payer agreements, providers are required to be fully licensed and credentialed in the state that they're seeing patients in. Our payer partners currently do not allow us to credential providers in a state where the provider can practice via PSYPACT but is not fully licensed.
On your Rates & Agreement page, you'll see the rates that Headway offers per state and per CPT code. You'll have the chance to review these, and will need to sign Headway’s agreement, as well as each state’s addendums.
If you’re a new provider who hasn’t completed intake yet, your Practice Consultant will share rate information with you during the intake process.
Note, if you set your timezone to your home state, but see clients in another state, the session time on their appointment reminders will be shown in your home state timezone. Be sure to communicate this with your clients to avoid confusion or missed appointments.
Your client must be located in a state where you are licensed and credentialed in on Headway, if you are seeing them via telehealth; we'll need their address on file for insurance and safety purposes.
To update your client’s address, visit your Clients list. From there, scroll down to the client, and click Add location. Alternatively, your client can also add their location in their account directly.
As a note, you won’t be able to confirm telehealth sessions until we have the client’s address on file.
Your Payments page will include upcoming payments from all states that you're credentialed with on Headway. Each payment date will list out the client's name, as well as the state where the claim will be submitted to.
At this time, you won't be able to organize your payments by state. If this changes in the future, we'll be sure to let you know.
At this time, we're unable to support providers seeking to obtain an additional license in another state. However, this is something we're looking into offering in the future.
We expect that you'll be able to use one certificate of insurance (COI) for all the states you practice with on Headway, but suggest that you confirm this with your professional liability insurer. Please note that if you're using one COI, you should ensure that it meets the minimum requirements for all states.