Headway, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid: What Providers Need to Know
Last reviewed: October 30, 2026
Headway built its network on commercial insurance, but it now also supports select Medicare Advantage plans and select Medicaid managed care plans. These plans come with stricter rules, especially around documentation. This guide summarises what Headway’s Help Center says providers need to know.
Does Headway accept Medicare?
- Original Medicare (Part B): no.
- Medicare Advantage: select plans only, and new plans are added regularly.
- Medicaid managed care: select plans in some states.
To see the current list, search “Medicare” or “Medicaid” in the insurance carrier dropdown on Headway.
Examples Headway’s Help Center has listed include Providence Health Plan Medicare Advantage (for providers licensed in Oregon and Washington), Blue Shield of California Medicare Advantage (for California-based providers) and Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Some plans have short, one-time opt-in windows, and Headway emails eligible providers when a plan becomes available to them.
How to join a Medicare Advantage network on Headway
- Watch for an email from Headway with opt-in details when a plan opens in your state.
- Opt in. Your application then goes through credentialing review.
- Keep your license, NPI, malpractice insurance and requested documents current under Settings → Profile.
- Complete the required training (below). Delays in training can delay credentialing.
Required annual training
Headway lists these annual courses for Medicare and Medicaid plans:
| Course | Approximate time |
|---|---|
| Fraud, Waste and Abuse | 60 minutes |
| HIPAA | 10 minutes |
| Writing compliant notes with Headway’s Medicare templates | 30 minutes |
The training applies to all Medicare and Medicaid plans on Headway, so you do not need to repeat courses already marked “Complete”.
Documentation rules
Medicare Advantage documentation is reviewed more closely than commercial insurance. Headway’s requirements include:
- A diagnostic statement in every ongoing progress note
- A treatment plan within 14 days, reviewed every 3 months
- Documented attempts to coordinate care with the client’s other providers (with the client’s consent)
- Using Headway’s Medicare note templates, which are built to capture these elements
Headway’s clinical team reviews Medicare Advantage notes and gives feedback in the provider portal. Corrections are best submitted within 3 days. Claims are not submitted for non-compliant documentation, and payment for those sessions is held until corrections are approved.
Medicare opt-out: how to reverse it
If you previously opted out of Medicare and now want to enroll:
- Within 90 days of a first opt-out, send a written, signed notice to your local Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) cancelling the opt-out.
- After 90 days, send the signed notice to your MAC at least 30 days before your two-year opt-out period ends, so it does not renew automatically.
Check the exact wording and timing with your MAC, as these are CMS rules rather than Headway rules.
Cancellation fees
Headway says cancellation fee rules for these plans generally follow Medicare rules. For Kaiser Permanente Northern California, fees cannot be charged for no-shows or cancellations.
Tips for working with older adults
- Build extra time into intake for care coordination.
- Ask clients how they prefer to be contacted and how they want you to communicate with their other providers.
- Headway offers a continuing-education course on therapy with adults 65 and older through its continued education page.
- Outcome measures are not required, but measurement-based care is encouraged.
FAQ
Can I join Headway’s Medicare network in any state?
No. Plans are available in select states, and you will receive an email when a plan is available to you.
Do I need separate training for Medicaid?
Headway says its Medicare training covers all Medicare and Medicaid plans on the platform.
Why was my Medicare session not paid?
The most common reason is documentation that does not meet the requirements above. Check the feedback in Sigmund and submit corrections.
Source: Working with Medicare Advantage on Headway, Using insurance on Headway.
