Headway
Nation's largest mental health provider network (70,000+ therapists). Clinicians reportedly keep ~90-95% (Headway takes ~5-10%). Free credentialing + clawback protection.
Cost to join
Free for providers
Pricing model
free
Founded
2019
Overview
Headway is the nation's largest mental health provider network, connecting over 70,000 therapists with patients who have insurance coverage. The platform is completely free for providers to join—no setup fees, no monthly membership, and no subscription charges. Headway handles insurance credentialing (often in 2-4 weeks vs. 90-120 days solo), claims submission, and payments. Providers are paid on the 15th and last day of each month. A key differentiator: Headway promises consistent payments for care delivered and protects providers from clawbacks even if a claim is denied, charge is disputed, or client doesn't pay. Insurance partners include UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Cigna, Anthem, Oxford, and Oscar (availability varies by state). For patients, therapy visits typically cost just their copay ($20-40), making in-network mental health care more accessible.
Best for
- ✓Therapists wanting free insurance credentialing (no membership fees)
- ✓Providers who want protection from billing clawbacks
- ✓Clinicians joining the largest in-network mental health network (70,000+ providers)
- ✓Solo practitioners wanting turnkey insurance billing without administrative burden
- ✓Therapists in states with strong Headway payer contracts
Not ideal for
- !Clinicians building their own independent practice (credentials stay with Headway)
- !Providers wanting full transparency on rate negotiations
- !Those affected by late 2024 Optum rate cuts (up to 30% in some markets)
- !Therapists wanting weekly payments (Headway pays bi-weekly on 15th and last day)
- !Psychiatrists needing e-prescribing tools (not offered)
- !Clinicians who may leave and need portable credentials
Pricing details
Completely free to join—no setup fees, no subscription. Headway is compensated through a share of insurance reimbursements. Providers receive bi-weekly payments (15th and last day of month). Clawback protection included.
HeyPsych Fairness Rating
54/100
Overall fairness score
pay fairness
~$107/hr average. Psychiatrist reports Headway takes only 5-10% (clinician gets 90-95%). Better than direct contracting in some cases.
credential portability
Credentials stay with Headway. Must re-credential if you leave (60-120 days)
compensation transparency
Fee split not officially disclosed, but psychiatrist reports suggest ~5-10% Headway share (much lower than competitors)
rate stability
Late 2024 Optum cuts reduced rates 20-30% in some markets
clinician founded
Tech-founded by Andrew Adams (ex-Livongo)
payment speed
Bi-weekly (15th and last day of month)
benefits protections
Strong clawback protection—key differentiator
HeyPsych Fairness Rating v1.0: Weighted score across pay fairness (30%), credential portability (20%), compensation transparency (15%), rate stability (15%), clinician-founded (10%), payment speed (5%), and benefits (5%). Scale: A (80-100), B (65-79), C (50-64), D (35-49), F (<35).
What to watch out for
credential portability
Issue: Credentials belong to Headway, not you
Impact: If you leave Headway, you lose panel access and must re-credential from scratch (60-120 day gap)
Mitigation: Consider dual-credentialing independently if building long-term practice
rate cuts
Issue: Late 2024 Optum/UHC rate reductions
Impact: Some providers saw 20-30% rate cuts with little notice
Platform providers have no direct say in contract negotiations
fee transparency
Issue: Headway says 'free' but takes a cut of reimbursements
client ownership
Issue: Clients find you through Headway directory
Impact: Switching platforms means potentially losing client relationships
Some clients follow therapists, but many use insurance directory searches
documentation
Issue: Notes stored in Headway system
Impact: May need to export/migrate if leaving platform
Frequently asked questions
Is Headway free for therapists?
Headway has no upfront membership fees. A psychiatrist self-report suggests Headway keeps only ~5-10% of what insurers pay (clinician gets 90-95%). Surprisingly, when this psychiatrist tried contracting directly, insurers offered 10-15% LOWER rates than Headway's—suggesting Headway's negotiating power can benefit providers.
How much does Headway take from each session?
Based on psychiatrist self-reports, Headway's cut is estimated at ~5-10% of insurance reimbursements. This is dramatically better than platforms like LifeStance (which keeps 38%, paying clinicians 62%). However, Headway is a platform, not a W-2 employer—you don't get benefits, malpractice coverage, or admin support.
How fast is credentialing through Headway?
Headway can credential providers with insurance companies in 2-4 weeks, compared to 90-120 days when credentialing solo. However, credentials belong to Headway—if you leave, you must re-credential independently, creating a potential 60-120 day gap.
What is Headway's clawback protection?
Headway promises consistent payments for care delivered and protects providers from clawbacks—even if a claim is denied, a charge is disputed, or a client doesn't pay. This is a genuine differentiator from direct billing where clawbacks can hit months later.
What happened with Optum rates in 2024?
In late 2024, Optum/UnitedHealthcare implemented rate cuts that reduced some provider reimbursements by 20-30%. Because Headway negotiates contracts on your behalf, providers had no direct say in these changes. This highlights a key tradeoff of platform-based credentialing.
What happens if I leave Headway?
Your insurance credentials stay with Headway. You'd need to re-credential independently with each payer (60-120 day process). Some clients may follow you, but those who found you through insurance directories may not. Consider this lock-in effect before committing exclusively to any platform.
How does Headway compare to Alma?
Headway has no monthly fee while Alma costs $125/month. Alma may negotiate slightly higher rates and includes EHR/AI notes. Both experienced 2024 Optum rate cuts. Headway pays bi-weekly; Alma pays weekly. Headway has 70,000+ providers (largest network). Neither gives you portable credentials.
Company info
- Headquarters
- New York, New York, USA
- Employees
- 4,200+
- Funding status
- Venture-backed (Series D)
- Total raised
- $321M
- Valuation
- $1B+ (unicorn status)
- Latest round
- Series D
- Clinician-founded
- No
Founders
Andrew Adams
CEO & Co-Founder
Aerospace engineer (NASA), former CEO of Portfolium (acquired by Instructure). Personal experience with mental healthcare access challenges drove him to found Headway.
Jake Sussman
Co-Founder
Left Headway in 2022 to become an elementary school teacher
(departed)Dan Ross
Co-Founder & Head of Operations
Left in 2021 to join Benepass
(departed)Kevin Chan
Co-Founder & Head of Engineering
Left in 2021 to start Mayfair (fintech)
(departed)Key investors
Spark Capital, Accel, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), GV (Google Ventures), Thrive Capital
At $1B+ valuation with 70,000+ providers, valued at ~$14,000 per provider. Has served 1 million+ patients across all 50 states.