The best credentialing services for mental health providers

Before determining which credentialing service type is best for your practice, take some time to think about factors like your practice needs and your budget. Some credentialing service models may be better than others, depending on your unique situation. 

Full-service credentialing platforms

Some credentialing platforms, including Headway, manage all the details of credentialing so you can see clients and bill insurance ASAP, without the extra headache of submitting all your own information to various insurance panels. For any therapist who wants to bill insurance, join several insurance panels, or get credentialed in multiple states, Headway is a great time-saving option. 

At Headway, we directly integrate CAQH into our onboarding process, using CAQH to pre-populate our intake form, so you can get started seeing clients through Headway as quickly as possible. Our form also immediately flags any required information that might be missing from your CAQH account. Rather than being delayed by weeks, you can quickly adjust your intake form and move forward seeing clients. 

Once you join insurance panels and start seeing clients, you can document sessions, file claims, and track payments directly in the Headway portal — streamlining all the administrative parts of your business so you can invest more time and energy into your clients. 

Standalone credentialing services 

Some credentialing services simply offer credentialing support, without all the extra bells and whistles that make it easier to manage your practice. These services have dedicated credentialing specialists focused on getting you started with insurance panels, from submitting necessary information to tracking the status of your applications.

These services often require a financial investment up-front, which may be worth it to providers who are simply trying to save time and reduce errors in the credentialing process. But if you’re on a budget or looking for ongoing support with billing or growing your practice, then a standalone credentialing service may not be the best option for you.

Credentialing management software tools 

Credentialing management software is like a step down from standalone credentialing services. Rather than relying on a professional to manage the application process, you’ll still be responsible for submitting all your information into the software. With these types of software, you can easily keep track of your submissions and even the status of each one.   

Like standalone services, most software tools come with a financial investment. Keep in mind, too, without dedicated support, you could end up dealing with frustrating and time-consuming errors. But if you want a little extra help with credentialing without breaking the bank, a management software could be a viable choice. 

DIY credentialing 

You can also manage credentialing on your own, compiling and submitting your own information. While DIY credentialing offers you more control and flexibility of how and when you join insurance panels, it can be a complex and often stressful process. On top of creating your own applications, you’ll be tasked with tracking application status and dealing with any additional requests from insurance panels in the process. 

This might be a good option if you’re only applying for one insurance payer. But if you’re hoping to join multiple insurance panels — and you’re time-conscious and want to get set up to see clients ASAP — DIY may be a lot to manage.