Running a Group Practice on Headway: A Complete Guide
Last reviewed: October 30, 2026
Headway is not only for solo clinicians. Group practices can bring their whole team onto the platform so Headway handles insurance credentialing, claims and payouts for every clinician. This guide summarises how it works, based on Headway’s group practice FAQ.
How credentialing works for groups
- Each clinician is credentialed individually under their own Type 1 NPI. Headway bills insurers under its own Type 2 NPI.
- Every clinician needs a completed and re-attested CAQH ProView profile, which Headway uses as its credentialing source.
- Multi-state credentialing is supported.
- Existing contracts are not affected. Credentialing through Headway does not change contracts a clinician or the group holds directly with carriers.
- Timelines vary. Headway’s FAQ says panels where a clinician is already in-network can take roughly 15–30 days, while other carriers can take 90–120 days depending on state and carrier. Headway does not guarantee a timeline.
- Liability insurance: staff clinicians can be credentialed under the group’s malpractice policy if their name appears on the certificate of insurance’s employee list.
What Headway does not support for groups
- Incident-to billing and billing for supervised or provisionally licensed clinicians. Practices can keep billing these sessions outside Headway.
- Several psychological and neuropsychological testing codes: 96116, 96121, 96130–96133 and 96136–96139.
Team roles and access
The group decides whether admins manage clinician accounts or clinicians manage their own. There are two access levels:
| Access level | Typical user |
|---|---|
| Full admin access | Practice owner, practice manager, biller |
| Sigmund Lite access | Clinicians who only need their own schedule and sessions |
Owners and admins add providers through Manage team in the admin portal. An existing individual Headway account cannot be merged into a group: the clinician needs a new account. Headway says existing credentialing statuses carry over within about 7 days.
Sessions and payouts
- Sessions must be entered before they happen.
- They must be confirmed within 30 days by the owner, an admin or the clinician. Headway recommends confirming within 48 hours.
- Payouts follow the standard schedule: the 15th and the last day of the month. Sessions confirmed on the 1st–15th are paid at month end; those confirmed on the 16th–end are paid on the 15th of the next month. See Headway’s payment schedule.
- Every insurance client needs a Headway account for benefits verification and payment collection.
Group payment details are covered in Headway’s group practice payments article.
Can we keep our own EHR?
Yes. Headway’s EHR is free, but groups can keep using another system for scheduling, telehealth and documentation. Many groups still confirm sessions in Sigmund so claims and payouts run through Headway.
Onboarding support
- A dedicated Practice Consultant helps set up clinician accounts and credentialing until your first confirmed session.
- Headway Academy has onboarding modules such as platform navigation and insurance billing best practices.
- A weekly group practice webinar includes live Q&A.
- Headway’s FAQ also mentions a referral reward for the practice’s main contact when a new clinician completes the credentialing form.
Checklist before you start
- Make sure every clinician’s CAQH profile is complete and re-attested.
- Collect each clinician’s Type 1 NPI, licenses and work history.
- Confirm your malpractice certificate lists each staff clinician.
- Decide who will be admins and who gets Sigmund Lite access.
- Agree an internal rule for confirming sessions within 48 hours.
FAQ
Do clinicians in a group need their own Headway account?
Yes. Each clinician has their own account under the group, added through Manage team.
Can pre-licensed associates bill through Headway?
No. Billing for supervised or provisionally licensed clinicians is not supported on Headway.
How long do group members have to confirm sessions?
Up to 30 days, but Headway recommends 48 hours.
Source: Headway – Group practice FAQs.
