Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. We specialize in mental and behavioral health, including psychiatrists (MD/DO), psychiatric nurse practitioners (PMHNPs), nurse practitioners and physician assistants in behavioral health, psychologists, LCSWs, LPCs, therapists, and counselors. See who we serve.

We credential with commercial insurance companies. We work with you to choose the insurance companies that are best for your specialty, location, and practice goals. We don't handle Medicare or Medicaid enrollment.

Yes. We're based in Eagle, Idaho, and work with providers in any state, including telehealth practices.

Before: we work with you to choose the insurance companies that are best for your practice, and gather your documents. During: we obtain the latest applications, complete them on your behalf, and submit them. After: we follow up with each insurer, respond to requests for more information, and notify you of each approval and your effective in-network date. See our credentialing process.

No. Becker Credentialing Services is an independent, Idaho-owned company that provides credentialing and billing for mental and behavioral health providers. It is owned by Morgan Becker and is not affiliated with Becker Professional Education (the CPA exam prep company) or with Becker's Healthcare and Becker's Hospital Review.

Yes. We provide behavioral health and mental health billing, including eligibility verification, claims, payment posting, patient statements, and monthly reporting.

In most cases, you give us login access and Morgan retrieves what's needed directly from your own secure portals, so your documents stay where they already are. When that isn't possible, we exchange documents through a secure portal or DocuSign. See our privacy policy.

We have different pricing for single providers, multi-provider practices, and groups. Contact us for a quote for your practice.

Yes. Just ask, and we'll connect you with references.

No. Each insurance company makes its own decisions about approval and timelines, and no credentialing service can guarantee them. What we do is make sure your applications are complete and accurate, and follow up until each one is resolved. This is spelled out in our contract.

Being credentialed with insurance companies allows you to see patients covered by specific insurance plans and bill those insurance companies directly for the services you provide. This significantly expands access to your services and can increase your patient base.

The popularity of insurance companies often depends on the region. Some of the largest and most recognized insurers include Blue Cross, Regence, Aetna, Cigna, Magellan, Tricare, United Healthcare, Select Health, and many others.

Commonly required documents include licenses, board certifications, proof of education and training, malpractice insurance, and work history. See the full checklist on our credentialing page.

Yes. CAQH is a nonprofit organization established by private insurance panels. Most commercial insurers require that your CAQH profile be completed before starting the credentialing process. Insurance panels use CAQH to verify personal details, education, and work history of healthcare providers.

Your NPI (National Provider Identifier) is a unique 10-digit number assigned to healthcare providers in the United States by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The NPI-1 number specifies your license type, level, and specialty. Insurance panels require that you have your NPI-1 in place before starting the credentialing process.

An NPI-2 is an organization identifier that reflects the location of service provision. For agency workers, it represents the employer's company name, while for private practices, it uses the business name. Businesses with a tax ID should acquire an NPI-2 to enable contracts with insurance panels at the organization level. The NPI-1 is linked to the NPI-2 for billing, ensuring payment for services. This becomes more important as your business and team grow.

It varies by insurance company. Many commercial payers take a few months from a complete application to approval, and some take longer. Complete applications and consistent follow-up are the best way to avoid delays.

Delays often result from incomplete applications, missing documentation, an outdated or unattested CAQH profile, or slow responses from primary sources. Some insurance companies also close their networks to new providers in certain areas.

Healthcare providers must undergo credentialing at least once every three years, though certain healthcare facilities or insurance companies may require re-credentialing more frequently.

In most cases, you cannot bill insurance for services until the credentialing process is complete. However, some organizations offer other options while in the credentialing process.

From your effective in-network date with that insurance company. We confirm the effective date for each payer when your credentialing is complete. Read more in our behavioral health billing guide.

No. Becker Credentialing Services credentials with commercial insurance companies, so we don't handle Medicare enrollment. (Our billing services do cover Medicare claims for practices that are already enrolled.)

No. We don't handle Medicaid enrollment; our credentialing focuses on commercial insurance companies. (Our billing services do cover Medicaid claims for practices that are already enrolled.)

No. Your CAQH profile is set up and maintained by you, and it needs to be complete and attested before credentialing begins. We'll tell you exactly what insurance companies will look for.

No. Individual (Type 1) and group (Type 2) NPI numbers are obtained by you or your practice before credentialing begins.

No. Becker Credentialing Services doesn't handle hospital or facility privileging. We focus on credentialing with commercial insurance companies and behavioral health billing.