Headway Credentialing: Requirements, Steps and Timeline
Last reviewed: October 30, 2026
Credentialing is the process insurance companies use to verify that a clinician is licensed, insured and qualified before they can be paid as an in-network provider. One of the main reasons therapists join Headway is that Headway runs this paperwork for you. You still need to supply accurate information, though, and knowing what to expect avoids weeks of delays.
How long does Headway credentialing take?
According to Headway’s Help Center, approval takes about 3 weeks to 4 months, depending on your state and the insurance carrier. After approval, insurers may take up to 8 weeks to add you to their systems and begin paying claims.
The good news: Headway says it guarantees payment for your sessions on its regular payout dates (the 15th and the last day of each month) once you are eligible, even while insurers finish their own processing. Your estimated guaranteed-payment date appears on the Insurance Status page in Sigmund.
Step by step
- Talk to Headway and start the intake form. The intake form takes about 20 minutes and you only complete it once, unless you add states later.
- Choose your first state. New providers select one licensed state to start. You can add more states later from the provider portal.
- Headway submits your applications to the insurance carriers in that state.
- Carriers approve you one by one. Insurance Status shows each carrier separately, so you may start seeing clients with one plan before others approve.
- Add more states later using the “Get credentialed” button on the Insurance Status page.
Group practice members need their group admin to review and accept state agreements first.
Documents and information you will need
Have these ready before you begin. Missing items are the most common cause of delays.
Personal and professional details
- Demographics and your NPI number
- Your CAQH ProView login
- Current and past licenses in every jurisdiction where you have held one
- Education, specialties and board certification if applicable
- Five years of work history – any gap of 90 days or more needs a short explanation
Liability (malpractice) insurance
- Your current policy and a 10-year history: policy numbers, dates and coverage amounts
- The policy must meet the highest requirement among the states you are credentialing in and be effective for more than 21 days
- One certificate of insurance can cover several states only if it meets all of their requirements – confirm with your insurer
Claims history and disclosures
- Liability claims from the past five years that ended in a settlement or judgment
- CAQH release forms, disclosure questions and attestations
Practice locations
- Hospital affiliations, if any
- Addresses for every physical location where you see clients
Extra requirements for prescribers
Psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners who prescribe need an unrestricted DEA registration in each state where they are licensed and prescribe. Around 21 states also require a state CDS registration (for example Alabama, Connecticut, Illinois and Massachusetts). Some states require nurse practitioners to have a collaborative practice agreement with a physician.
Special rules to know
- Existing credentialing does not transfer. If you are already in-network with a carrier on your own, you still need to complete Headway’s process.
- PSYPACT is not compatible with Headway’s agreements.
- Residency rules: some Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield plans (Virginia, Missouri and California) require you to live in that state at least 183 days a year.
- Telehealth: clients must have a location on file in a state where you are credentialed before sessions can be confirmed.
- Pausing a carrier: you can temporarily stop accepting new clients from one insurer in Sigmund’s referral settings. Stopping permanently requires de-paneling with that carrier.
Tips to speed things up
- Update your CAQH profile and re-attest before starting.
- Upload a current certificate of insurance with clear dates and limits.
- Explain work gaps upfront rather than waiting to be asked.
- Check your email and the Insurance Status page weekly and answer requests quickly.
After you are credentialed
You will need to recredential about every three years. It takes 20–30 minutes and keeps you in-network without interruption. See our recredentialing guide. Next, learn how to schedule your first session.
FAQ
Does Headway charge for credentialing?
Headway says it does not charge providers fees to join or use the platform.
Can I see clients before I am credentialed?
Headway’s Help Center says you can see private-pay clients, for example clients whose insurance Headway does not accept. Insurance clients can be seen once the relevant carrier approves you. Insurer payment for those sessions depends on being added to the insurer’s roster, so check the estimated guaranteed-payment date on your Insurance Status page.
Can I choose which insurers to join?
Headway credentials you with the carriers it works with in your state. You can pause new referrals from a specific insurer in your settings.
Sources: Credentialing with Headway, Getting paid.
