The Self Paneling Method

Own your insurance contracts

The Self Paneling Method guides you through independently contracting with insurance companies under your own NPI - Step-by Step. Your practice. Your contracts. Your decisions.

Start Self-Paneling →See how it works ↓

The Problem

'Free' credentialing costs you on every session.

What platforms say

Free credentialing

What actually happens

Credentialed under the platform's Tax ID, not yours

What platforms say

No fees to join

What actually happens

Platform adds a 20-70% markup on top of what they pay you

What platforms say

We handle the paperwork

What actually happens

You don't get a copy of the provider contract

What platforms say

Start seeing clients fast

What actually happens

You can't contact the insurance company directly

What platforms say

Your practice, your way

What actually happens

If you leave, you lose panel status, start over, and potentially lose clients

Based on provider-reported data from licensed therapists credentialed through major platforms.

The Math

The invisible cost compounds.

01.

The per-session gap

Therapists on certain platform contracts report earning $17-$40 less per session than independently-contracted providers in the same market.

02.

The annual impact

At 25 clients per week, that's up to $26,000 per year in fees you never see on a statement.

03.

The markup

Platforms bill insurers 20-70% more than they pay you. The spread is invisible — therapists report not knowing what the insurer actually pays.

Based on provider-reported reimbursement data across multiple insurance panels and markets.

The Alternative

Credential yourself. Keep your individual contracts forever.

When you get in network with insurance companies (payers) under your own NPI, every contract belongs to you and your rates can be negotiated directly with each payer. Your INN status is portable. Meaning, if you decide to leave any platform or change EHR, your contracts follow you wherever you go.

Your NPI
Your contracts are filed under your individual NPI. No group dependency.
Your rates
You negotiate directly with each payer. No invisible spread, no platform-set reimbursement.
Your portability
Switch EHRs, leave platforms, move states. Your INN status stays with you and so can your clients.

The Self Paneling Method

Everything you need to contract with insurance companies

01.

Personalized credentialing plan

Input your license type, state/s, and target payers. The application generates a complete, sequenced plan — every task, every document, every deadline.

02.

Insurance Company (Payer) application tracker

Each payer gets its own workspace: status tracking, task timeline, document checklists, portal links, and your full call history.

03.

Smart follow-up system

Automatic 14-day follow-up reminders. DataSpring (formerly CAQH) re-attestation alerts. The system remembers so you don't have to.

04.

Call log and documentation trail

Log every call with rep name, reference number, and notes. When a payer says 'we have no record,' you'll have the receipts.

Also included

✓Multi-state workflows✓Medicare (PECOS) module✓State Medicaid enrollment✓13-item document checklist✓9 prerequisite tasks✓DataSpring (formerly CAQH) re-attestation tracking✓Community data corrections✓Mobile-ready experience

The Difference

With structure, not chaos.

Without structure

Spreadsheet with payer names and 'status: ???'

With Self Paneling Method

Per-payer workspace with tasks, dates, and documents

Without structure

Sticky note: 'Call Aetna back Tuesday'

With Self Paneling Method

Automatic 14-day follow-up reminders

Without structure

Folder of PDFs you can't find

With Self Paneling Method

13-item document checklist linked to each step

Without structure

'I think I called them in March?'

With Self Paneling Method

Timestamped call log with rep name and reference number

Without structure

Google: 'how do I enroll in PECOS'

With Self Paneling Method

Step-by-step Medicare module with portal links

Without structure

6 months of confusion

With Self Paneling Method

Structured plan generated in 10 minutes

Pricing

One session covers a full year.

Pro

Founder pricing
$99/yr
  • ✓Step-by-step panel guide (PDF) included
  • ✓Interactive paneling tracker
  • ✓Multi-payer, multi-state management
  • ✓Application status tracking
  • ✓Reminders & deadline management
  • ✓Ongoing updates included

Outsourced credentialing: $150-$3,000. Platform credentialing: up to $26,000/yr in hidden fees. The Self Paneling Method Pro: $99/yr founder rate.

See full pricing details

“I'm a licensed therapist who went through the process of independently contracting with insurance companies. I know how overwhelming it is and I know how valuable it is to own your own contracts. I built this because no tool existed to guide that process without taking a piece of every session in return. This wasn't built just for myself. This was built for you too!”

Rosemary, LCSW · Founder, The Self Paneling Method

Reference

Frequently asked questions.

Headway and Alma credential you under their group NPI. You don't own those contracts. If you leave Headway or Alma, you lose panel status (you will not be able to bill under the insurance company) and your clients. The Self Paneling Method helps you contract independently - under your own NPI so your contracts are portable and permanent.

It's software. The Self Paneling Method is a web application that generates a personalized credentialing plan, tracks your progress per payer, manages follow-up reminders, and stores your call documentation. A downloadable step-by-step PDF guide is included for offline reference.

Credentialing typically takes 60-120 days per payer, but can be faster. The timeline depends on the payer, your state, and how quickly you submit required documents. The Self Paneling Method tracks deadlines and follow-ups so nothing falls through the cracks.

You can start independently contracting with your selected payers while still on these platform. Once you have your own contracts, you can start billing under your own NPI. Many therapists transition gradually, keeping platform clients while building their private practice. This isn't about leaving any particular platform or whoever you're paneled through. It's about making sure that if their next fee change doesn't work for you, you have somewhere to go - without your income or your clients taking the hit.

The Self Paneling Method supports all 50 states. The credentialing process is payer-specific (Aetna, BCBS, United, etc.) rather than state-specific, though some states have unique Medicaid enrollment requirements that we cover separately.

No tool or service can guarantee contract approval. That decision rests with each insurance company. The Self Paneling Method ensures your applications are complete, properly sequenced, and followed up on. Incomplete applications are the #1 cause of rejections and delays.

Cancel anytime! You keep access through the end of your billing period with no prorated refund. See our full Refund Policy for details.

Get Started

Your insurance contracts should belong to you.

One independently-billed session covers a full year. Your practice, your contracts, your decisions.

Start Self-Paneling →See pricing details →