Seeing a client with Employee Assistance Program (EAP) benefits on Headway

An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a confidential workplace benefit that provides short-term mental health support, amongst other services, to employees and their families at no cost. EAPs are designed for brief interventions (typically 3-12 sessions) to help with specific issues like:

• Stress and anxiety
• Relationship problems
• Work-life balance
• Grief and loss
• Substance use concerns

EAPs have session limits and are intended to provide focused, solution-oriented care before transitioning to insurance-based therapy if longer-term treatment is needed.

EAPs accepted on Headway

Headway currently accepts EAP benefits from:

Note: We cannot accept EAPs from other carriers like ComPsych or Resources for Living (Aetna).

How to identify your client's EAP carrier

Before scheduling EAP sessions, help your client identify their EAP benefits. 

Clients can access their EAP workplace benefits by visiting their HR/benefits platform or contacting a member of their HR department. Clients will need to request and obtain an authorization/reference number or letter from their EAP carrier before they can start using EAP benefits on Headway. 

Provider eligibility by EAP carrier

Optum EAP

• Eligible: Master's level clinicians (LCSW, LPC, LMHC, master's level Psychologists)
• NOT eligible: Doctoral Psychologists (PhD, PsyD), Nurse Practitioners, Psychiatrists

Cigna EAP

• Eligible: Master's level clinicians + Doctoral Psychologists (PhD, PsyD)
• NOT eligible: Nurse Practitioners, Psychiatrists

Anthem EAP

• Eligible: Master's level clinicians + Clinical Psychologists
• NOT eligible: Nurse Practitioners, Psychiatrists

Important: You must be credentialed with the respective carrier through Headway to accept their EAP clients.

Billing and CPT codes for EAP sessions

Allowed CPT codes by carrier

Optum EAP 

• 90832
• 90834
• 90846
• 90847
• 90853

Cigna EAP 

• 99404 ONLY (Preventive medicine counseling)

Anthem EAP 

• 99404 ONLY (Preventive medicine counseling)

Payment and rates 

You can view EAP rates on your Rates & Agreement page. All EAP session payouts are are included in bi-weekly Headway payments. 

For Anthem EAP clients, cancellation and no-show fees are NOT allowed (on or off platform). 

Adding EAP benefits to client accounts

Cigna and Optum EAPs

Clients can add EAP information directly from the Benefits page in their account. For more information on how they can do that, we recommend sending your client our Help Center article: How to use EAP benefits on Headway. 

You can also reach out to Headway support and provide the following information to Headway:

• EAP Authorization letter from carrier OR full screenshot from carrier portal showing:
  • Authorization number
  • Effective date
  • Expiration date
  • Valid sessions
  • EAP sponsor name
  • Member ID (if different from primary)
  • Sessions already used (if any)
     

Anthem EAPs

With Anthem’s EAP, clients can schedule appointments directly through Headway by first obtaining their Member Reference Number (MRN) from Anthem's EAP website, then accessing Headway through the Anthem EAP portal.

Transitioning clients after EAP benefits end

Planning for Continuity of Care

Before the final EAP session, discuss transition options with your client. If you’re credentialed with their primary insurance plan, you can continue seeing them through their non-EAP insurance benefits. 

If you are not credentialed with their primary insurance, and it is a plan that we can’t accept on Headway, you’re welcome to discuss private pay options if you want to. 

 

Transition options

• Same insurance carrier: Automatic transition (e.g., Optum EAP → Optum insurance)
• Different carriers: Client must update insurance info manually
• No insurance: Discuss self-pay rates
• Need continued EAP: Some clients may qualify for additional sessions through their employer

Opting Out of EAP Programs

Optum and Cigna EAPs

If you’re credentialed with Optum or Cigna, you must accept EAP clients if they ask to use their EAP benefits. You cannot opt out if you are credentialed with these carriers. 

Anthem EAP

You are automatically eligible to join the Anthem EAP network if you are credentialed with Carelon or Anthem.

If you don’t wish to accept Anthem EAP clients, you can choose to opt out. Just contact our support team to let us know.