When I first heard about Headway, I was skeptical. As a licensed therapist, I've always been hesitant about anything involving insurance billing. Let's be honest—it can be complicated, overwhelming, and full of red tape. I almost cancelled my introductory call with Headway because I was expecting a hard sales pitch. I've had some frustrating experiences with other billing providers in the past. But my experience with Headway was refreshingly positive overall.
That's not to say Headway is perfect or will work for everyone. I wrote this article to give you an honest, first-hand look at how it works. I hope to answer some commonly asked questions from other therapists and save you some time and emotional energy.
In this article, I'll cover:
What is Headway?
Headway is essentially a bridge between mental health providers and insurance companies. They handle the entire credentialing process, negotiate rates with insurance companies (sometimes securing better rates than we could get on our own), and manage all the billing for you. Additionally, they serve as the middleman between therapists and insurance companies if you are ever audited.
Therapists do not have to pay to use Headway, and Headway does not take a percentage of what therapists are paid for sessions. Later in the article, I will cover more about how much you are paid and how Headway makes money.
One of the best parts is that they ensure you get paid on a consistent, predictable schedule so that you don't have to wait extended periods of time for payments from insurance companies.
Headway also offers a searchable directory of therapists, similar to Psychology Today. This directory helps potential clients find us based on location, specialty, and insurance type.
Headway describes its mission as increasing access to affordable mental health care by reducing therapists' barriers to accepting insurance. They aim to make therapy more accessible to clients while also lightening the administrative load for providers.
How Does Headway Work for Therapists?
The Sign-Up Process
When I signed up for Headway, it was a process that felt more approachable than I had expected. Here's a clear breakdown of how it works:
1. Submit a Contact Form
The first step is to visit Headway's website and fill out a contact form. This call kicks off the process and allows you to schedule a time for a consultation with someone from their team.
2. Have an Introductory Call
I had an initial Zoom call with a Headway representative. The person I spoke with was very genuine and kind. During the call, they asked about my practice, my preferences, and how I currently handle billing. They provided a brief overview of how Headway works, and most importantly, they were transparent about the rates and contract terms right from the start—something I appreciated since I didn't want any surprises down the road.
3. Ensure you have a CAQH Profile and NPI Number
To proceed with Headway, you'll need a CAQH profile and an NPI number. If this sounds confusing, don't worry—I had no idea what these were either.
The CAQH profile (Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare) is basically an online form that holds your professional details, like your education, licensure, and background, which insurance companies use to verify you as a provider. You can create this profile on CAQH's website.
An NPI number is a 10-digit identification number for healthcare providers required for billing insurance. It's free and fairly easy to apply for through the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES). Essentially, it's a way for insurance companies to track who you are and ensure payments go to the right place.
4. Let Headway Know You're Ready
Once you've received your CAQH profile and NPI number, contact your Headway representative to let them know you're ready to move forward. At this point, you'll also specify which insurance panels (like Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, etc.) you want to accept through Headway. They'll guide you through this process, which can vary depending on your location and client needs.
5. Set Up Your Profile
After confirming everything with Headway, you'll set up your profile on their platform. This profile includes information about your therapy style, specialties, location, and insurance plans you accept. It's similar to setting up a profile on Psychology Today.
6. Credentialing Process
Now comes the part where you'll need a little patience. The credentialing process, which verifies you with the insurance companies, typically takes around 30 days for each insurance company you decide to apply for. Headway handles most of the back-and-forth, so you won't need to do much here other than wait.
7. Start Seeing Clients!
Once credentialed, you're ready to start seeing clients.
Booking Clients
From my experience, booking clients through Headway is straightforward. Clients can book directly via the platform, but if I confirm a session outside of it, I can manually add it in. Headway allows me to link my calendar with other platforms, which keeps my availability synced and avoids double-booking issues. You can also connect Headway's scheduling system to your Psychology Today profile or website for easy integration.
Billing and Payments
All I have to do is schedule the session and document that I've seen the client. If someone cancels within the window I've set, they're automatically charged a cancellation fee that I preset.
Notetaking
Headway offers a sample SOAP note template that I could use, but I like that I can create my own within their system or take notes elsewhere. When I asked the representative about this, they assured me that I would only need to provide notes taken outside of Headway in the rare case of an audit. They told me I'd have three days to submit the documentation in such situations.
Contracts and Informed Consent
One non-negotiable for me is using my own contracts and informed consent forms with clients. I've had issues with other billing platforms in the past because they didn't allow this flexibility. Headway, however, allows me to use my own documents and their required forms. I've read through Headway's contracts, and they're clear and straightforward and don't interfere with the policies I've put in place for my own practice.
How Much Do Therapists Get Paid?
Headway offers different rates depending on your license type, location, and the insurance companies you work with. For example, as a licensed mental health counselor in Florida, Headway offered me a rate impressively close to my private pay rate of $140 per session. The rate Headway offered me was significantly more than what I was offered directly from insurance companies. Headway doesn't charge me any fees or take a cut from the rate they offered me.
How Does Headway Make Money?
During my introductory call, it was explained that Headway earns its profit by negotiating more money from insurance companies than what they pay therapists. Headway collects the total amount from the insurance provider, and the therapist is then paid the rate agreed upon during the onboarding process. With that being said, the rate I was offered was still notably higher than the rates I would have been able to negotiate for myself from insurance companies.
Is Headway Legitimate?
In my experience as a therapist using Headway, yes—Headway is a legitimate resource for managing insurance billing, along with a variety of features that support your practice. I can only speak from my personal experience and what Headway has communicated to me, but I've had no issues with the platform. If you're curious to dive deeper into their structure or financial health, there are plenty of resources available online to explore Headway's background and business standing in more detail. It's always worth doing extra research if you're on the fence!
Pros and Cons of Headway for Therapists
In a nutshell, here are the pros and cons of using Headway from my perspective as a therapist actively using the platform.
Pros:
No Fees for Therapists: You don't pay any fees to use Headway, and they don't take a portion of your session rates.
Streamlined Billing and Payments: All billing is handled for you, and payments come on time without hassle.
Increased Visibility: Headway's directory helps clients find you based on location, insurance, and specialty.
Flexibility with Documentation: You can use their SOAP note template, create your own, or document elsewhere.
Use of Your Own Contracts: You can use your own informed consent forms and contracts, which can be crucial to protect yourself and your practice.
Competitive Pay: The rates I was offered were higher than what I could have negotiated on my own.
Consistent Pay Schedule: You'll get paid on a reliable, predictable schedule, which reduces stress.
Support System: There's a solid support team to help you navigate any issues or questions.
Cons:
Insurance-Only Clientele: Since Headway focuses on in-network clients, private pay opportunities are limited within the platform.
Involving a Third Party: Anytime you involve a third party in your practice, especially with insurance, it's essential to be cautious and understand the implications.
Less Autonomy in Billing: Since Headway handles billing, you're not in direct control of this process, which could be a drawback for therapists who prefer to manage this themselves.
Headway's Comparison to Other Insurance Billing Platforms
When comparing insurance billing platforms, it's important to weigh the pros and cons of each. From my own research, the two top Headway competitors I came across were Alma and Grow Therapy From my understanding, Alma offers competitive rates similar to Headway, but it requires a monthly subscription fee. For therapists who want more control over marketing and are willing to invest in the service, Alma might be a good fit.
In my experience, Grow Therapy has lower payment rates than Headway, but they provide advertising and marketing to help bring in more clients. This trade-off might work for therapists who want a higher client volume, even if the rates are lower.
I ultimately chose Headway because it struck a good balance for me. It offers fair rates without the monthly fees or the lower rates seen on other platforms. This middle ground felt suitable for my practice, as I didn't want to compromise on my pay or take on unnecessary expenses.
Frequently Asked Questions From Therapists
Can I select which insurance panels I'm on?
Yes, you have control over which insurance panels you want to accept. During the onboarding process, you can specify which insurers you want to work with, allowing you to tailor your client base to your practice needs.
Can I use my own contracts and informed consent forms?
Yes, Headway allows therapists to use their own contracts and consent forms, which was a key factor for me. This flexibility allows me to maintain my practice's policies while still utilizing Headway's platform.
Can I keep my private pay clients while using Headway?
Yes, you can continue seeing private pay clients while using Headway for insurance-based clients. This provides flexibility without interfering with your existing practice.
How does Headway handle cancellations and no-shows?
Headway lets you set your own cancellation policies, including any fees. If a client cancels within the set window, they'll automatically be charged the fee, saving you the hassle of managing it manually.
Does Headway provide marketing or advertising for my practice?
While Headway doesn't directly market your practice, their directory makes it easy for potential clients to find you based on location, specialty, and insurance coverage.
What if I've never done insurance billing before? Does Headway provide support?
Yes! Headway takes care of everything related to insurance billing, so you don't need prior experience. They have an easy-to-use tool that instantly shows you a client's benefits, which both you and the client can see. This eliminates the need to go back and forth with insurance companies, making the process simple and transparent.
In my experience, Headway provides a strong support system for therapists, from initial onboarding to help with billing or credentialing. Plus, they offer free CEUs (Continuing Education Units), which is an excellent bonus for professional development.
Want to Try Headway?
Writing this article was important to me because I understand therapists' hesitation about diving into insurance billing—I had all the same concerns. Headway was something I never thought I'd pursue, but it has genuinely worked well for me, and I hope this answers the questions you might have had, too.
If you're interested in trying it out, you can sign up here or click any of the buttons throughout the article. Headway has an awesome referral program where you'll get a $100 credit after you confirm your first session, and I'll receive a small commission for telling you about the platform. If you'd rather go directly through Headway, that's great too! This referral is just a nice bonus for both of us if you found this article helpful. Either way, I hope this helped provide some clarity as you make this decision for your own practice.