Can I Bill Insurance Companies While My Credentialing is in Progress?

Generally, you cannot bill insurance companies as an in-network provider until your credentialing is fully approved and effective. However, you may be able to see patients and bill them as self-pay or out-of-network during this period. Some insurance companies offer “interim” or “temporary” credentialing that allows you to begin seeing patients while full credentialing is being processed, though this is not universal. Once your credentialing is approved, some payers allow retroactive billing back to your application date or effective date, but this varies significantly by payer and contract terms. It’s crucial to understand each payer’s specific policies and inform patients about their potential financial responsibility during the credentialing period.