Mental Health Billing & Credentialing Services
Before you can bill insurance, you have to be credentialed with them. Here's how credentialing works, how long it takes, and how it connects to getting paid.
Credentialing vs. billing — what's the difference?
Credentialing gets you approved and in-network with a payer so you're allowed to bill them. Billing is everything after — submitting claims, working denials, collecting payment. You need credentialing first; billing is the ongoing engine once you're on the panel. Many services bundle both.
How credentialing works
Gather your info. NPI, license, malpractice insurance, CAQH profile, tax ID, education/work history.
Apply to each payer. Every insurance company has its own application and panel. You apply to each one you want to accept.
Wait out the review. Payers verify your credentials — typically 90-120 days per payer. This is the slow part.
Get your effective date. Once approved, you can bill that payer for services from your effective date forward.
Bridge with superbills. During the pending period, give patients superbills so they can seek out-of-network reimbursement while you wait.
Why it matters for getting paid
Credentialing errors are a top cause of denied claims — an NPI or taxonomy mismatch between your application and your claims triggers denials that are maddening to diagnose (see denial code CO-16 / N290). Getting credentialing right up front prevents a whole category of denials down the line.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does credentialing take?
Typically 90-120 days per payer. Use superbills to bridge the gap while pending.
What's the difference between billing and credentialing?
Credentialing gets you in-network so you can bill; billing is submitting claims and collecting payment once you're credentialed. Credentialing comes first.