In an effort to support our providers with keeping their practice in one place, Headway is excited to share that you are now able to see private pay clients through our calendar and billing system! Our hope is that this helps you centralize your admin and create an easy, clear experience for your clients while saving yourself time and stress.
How it works:
- Set your own private pay rate for clients you’re seeing out-of-network. You can use your existing cancellation policy, too.
- Schedule and confirm these sessions directly in your Headway calendar.
- Receive payment with the rest of your bi-weekly Headway payouts.*
Client eligibility
Private pay is available for clients that have insurance Headway is not in-network with, or cannot support, including referrals that you receive through Headway who previously had in-network coverage that has ended, was terminated, or no longer includes mental health benefits.
Clients with Medicare or Medicaid policies are not eligible for private pay through Headway at this time.
Please note: If you are not credentialed with the insurance carrier your client has, but other Headway providers are, you will not be able to see the client via private pay, since Headway can support their insurance. You'll need to refer them to another Headway provider who is credentialed with and able to accept their insurance carrier.
Enabling private pay
To enable private pay on Headway for your practice:
- Visit your Settings in the provider portal
- Click on the Billing tab
- Next to Private pay rate, click Enable private pay
- Check the box to agree to private pay terms and conditions
- Click the Next button to proceed
- Enter your session rate
- Note: You can always change this at a later time
- Click Save
Private pay FAQ
How does private pay work with Headway?
When you add a client to Headway, you’ll see a new option to choose insurance or private pay. If you select private pay, you’ll then set your own session rate for each individual, or use a default setting. You’ll schedule your private pay clients on your Headway calendar as usual.
How can I start using private pay?
Private pay is only available for clients that have insurance Headway is not in-network with, or cannot support, including referrals that you receive through Headway whose coverage has ended, was terminated, or no longer includes mental health benefits.For eligible clients, you will be able to choose the session fee and set a specific cancellation fee for that client (you can also use the default cancellation fee you have already set up in Sigmund).
Can I see any of my clients through private pay?
As always, our mission is to partner with you to provide affordable care. You’re welcome to see any client that does not have a plan that can be accepted on Headway or if they lose their insurance coverage. For example, if a Headway referral previously had in-network coverage on our platform, but their coverage ended, was terminated, or no longer includes mental health benefits, you can see them via private pay. See Client experience below for existing client set-up. Your caseload can be a mix of both private pay and insurance clients.
Where can I find the agreement for private pay?
You can find the private pay agreement by going to “Settings” then “Billing” within Sigmund.
Do I need to submit Dx/CPT codes for private pay sessions?
No, you are not required to submit session details (CPT/Dx codes) for private pay sessions, but you do have the option to. Kindly note, the session details must be submitted for any clients who would like to submit their invoices to insurance for OON benefits.
How will I get paid?
You’ll be paid for your private pay sessions in your bi-weekly Headway payouts, and be able to keep track of everything in your Payments tab. Payouts for private pay sessions will account for the cost of using Stripe, our payment processor, plus a flat rate to cover Headway’s cost of supporting the session (0.8% + $3.30 or 2.3% + $3.30, depending on payment method.)
Can I take both insurance and private pay clients on Headway?
Yes, you will be able to have both insurance clients and private pay clients. In fact, we encourage you to continue to take as many INN clients as possible!
How much can I charge?
You set your own private pay rate.
What if my client's payment is declined?
If your private pay client's payment method fails for any reason, your payout for the session will be delayed until the payment is successful.
What will this be like for my clients?
Clients will be billed when you confirm a session, just like your in-network clients are. They’ll receive invoices and reminders from Headway and be able to keep track of their appointments in their account. You can message and schedule them from Sigmund, and they’ll be held to your Headway cancellation policy.
When do clients get charged?
A client gets charged after you have confirmed the session post-appointment in Sigmund. As always, it is important to confirm sessions in a timely manner, to avoid surprise charges to the client.
If a previously insured client that I have been seeing via Headway loses their insurance, can I continue sessions with them via private pay?
Yes, if a client loses their insurance coverage, you can continue to see them on Headway via private pay. To do so, go to the client view and update the billing details for that client to private pay.
* Headway is not responsible for payments that private pay clients do not complete.