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Guide for therapists, insurer by insurer

Aetna, BCBS, Cigna, Optum and TRICARE Credentialing: A Therapist's Guide

Each insurer credentials therapists in its own way, and often not by itself. Aetna, Anthem and Humana credential therapists directly and read your CAQH profile. Cigna sends therapists to Evernorth, UnitedHealthcare to Optum, and TRICARE to Humana Military or TriWest, by region. Every Blue Cross Blue Shield plan runs its own network. In our experience it usually takes 60 to 90 days with each payer, and we file and follow up for $150 per application, per provider.

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By Nasar Haq, Founder and CEO, Medtransic. Last reviewed 2026-10-05.

Who credentials therapists, insurer by insurer

Illustrative
Separate companyUses CAQHStated timeRecredential
AetnaNot stated3 years
Anthem45 days3 years
Cigna (Evernorth)Up to 90 days3 years
UnitedHealthcare (Optum)Not stated36 months
TRICARENot stated3 years
Humana60 to 90 days36 months
BCBS of TexasNot statedNot stated

YesVariesNo

From each insurer's own pages, read October 5, 2026. "Not stated" means the insurer publishes no figure for therapists. TRICARE's West contractor reads CAQH; the East contractor does not mention it.
Cigna therapists
Evernorth
apply there, not to Cigna medical
UnitedHealthcare
Optum
apply through Provider Express
Anthem's stated time
45 days
from a complete CAQH application
If we do it
$150
per application, per provider

Why an application to one insurer stalls

The paperwork is rarely the problem. Sending it to the wrong place, or to a profile the insurer cannot read, usually is.

Applying to the name on the card

Cigna's therapists are credentialed by Evernorth, and UnitedHealthcare's by Optum. An application sent to the medical side does not reach them.

A CAQH profile the insurer cannot open

Aetna, Anthem, Evernorth and Optum all read CAQH. If you have not authorized that insurer, or your attestation has lapsed, the file waits.

Treating Blue Cross as one company

Each Blue plan is a separate company with its own rules. Your application goes to the plan where you practice.

Credentialed, but not contracted

Aetna says plainly that credentialing and contracting are separate. You are in network only when both are done.

Seeing clients on a provisional start

Evernorth may let you start before the full review ends. If the review then fails, it can take back what it paid.

01Credentialed by Aetna itself

Aetna Credentialing for Therapists

Aetna credentials therapists itself, through the same request form it uses for medical providers. It pulls your application from CAQH, and the contract is finalized once credentialing is done. Credentialing and contracting are separate steps, and you need both to be in network.

CAQH
Required
list Aetna as an authorized plan
New to CAQH
10 business days
for Aetna's registration kit
Total time
Not stated
Aetna publishes none for therapists
Recredentialing
Every 3 years

The steps Aetna lists

  1. 1.Send Aetna's online request for participation.
  2. 2.Aetna checks whether it needs more providers in your area, and whether contracting and credentialing apply.
  3. 3.Aetna pulls your application from CAQH. You must list Aetna as an authorized plan there.
  4. 4.When credentialing is done, the contract is finalized and you get welcome materials.

What Aetna asks of therapists

  • A voicemail or answering service 24 hours a day that tells callers in a crisis to go to the emergency department or call 911 or 988
  • Liability insurance at your state's required level, covering every state where you see clients
  • For telehealth, a license in every state where your clients are located
  • Virtual-only providers do not need a physical office

Watch forAetna first looks at whether its network in your area needs more providers. Ask early, before you spend weeks on the rest.

02Credentialed by the Blue plan where you practice

BCBS Credentialing: Every Blue Plan Is Its Own Company

Blue Cross Blue Shield is not one insurer. It is an association of independent, locally operated companies, and each runs its own network and its own credentialing. Some credential therapists themselves; others hand behavioral health to another company.

Companies
Independent
one Blue plan per area
BCBS of Texas
45 days
to finalize your CAQH application
Florida Blue
Lucet
runs behavioral health
Anthem
See below
its own section

How to find your path in

  1. 1.Find the Blue plan that covers the area where you practice.
  2. 2.Check whether it credentials therapists itself or hands behavioral health to another company.
  3. 3.Apply through that path, with your CAQH profile authorized for whoever does the review.

Two Blue plans, two different paths

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas credentials therapists itself and requires CAQH. Finalize the CAQH application within 45 days or the process starts over.
  • In Texas, psychologists cannot get provisional status. They are made effective only after full credentialing.
  • Florida Blue hands behavioral health to Lucet. Its own provider agreements exclude LCSWs, LMFTs, LMHCs and psychologists unless explicitly included.
  • Florida Blue says some of its networks may be closed or open only in limited areas.

Watch forBeing in network with a Blue plan for medical care says nothing about therapy if that plan hands behavioral health to another company.

03Credentialed by Anthem itself

Anthem Credentialing for Therapists

Anthem is the Blue plan in several states, and behavioral health providers apply through its own online application. It reads your CAQH profile. Anthem says credentialing typically takes 45 days from the time it receives a complete CAQH application.

CAQH
Required
authorize Anthem to read it
Stated time
45 days
from a complete CAQH application
Work history
5 years
in month and year format
Recredentialing
Every 3 years

The steps Anthem lists

  1. 1.Register with CAQH if you are not registered yet.
  2. 2.Authorize Anthem so it can see your credentialing information.
  3. 3.Start Anthem's online application; behavioral health providers use the same one.

What Anthem's criteria name

  • LCSWs: a master's or doctoral degree in social work and a license to practice independently
  • LPCs, MFTs and LMHCs: a master's level license that allows independent practice
  • Psychologists: a state clinical psychologist license and a doctoral degree
  • Current professional liability insurance

Watch forThe 45 days start when your CAQH application is complete. An unfinished or unattested profile does not start the clock.

04Credentialed by Evernorth Behavioral Health

Cigna Credentialing for Therapists Runs Through Evernorth

Cigna's network for therapists is run by Evernorth Behavioral Health, a Cigna Group company. You apply to Evernorth through its provider portal, not to Cigna's medical side. Evernorth says joining can take up to 90 calendar days.

Stated time
Up to 90 days
calendar days, per Evernorth
CAQH
Required
authorize Evernorth
Recredentialing
Every 3 years
Telehealth
No extra step
beyond an attestation form

How to apply to Evernorth

  1. 1.Log in to the Evernorth Provider Portal, or register if you are the first user for your tax ID.
  2. 2.Make sure your portal account has the Contracting entitlement.
  3. 3.Gather everything first: the application must be finished in one sitting and cannot be saved.
  4. 4.Submit the Behavioral Health Provider Information Form under My Practice, then Contracting.

What Evernorth asks for

  • A license to practice independently, without supervision, in the state where you see clients
  • Professional and general liability insurance
  • A W-9 for each tax ID
  • A CAQH profile with Evernorth authorized, re-attested every 120 days, and five years of work history

Watch forEvernorth may grant provisional credentialing case by case, so you can see Cigna clients sooner. If the full review fails, payments from that period can be taken back.

05Credentialed by Optum Behavioral Health

UnitedHealthcare and Optum Credentialing for Therapists

Optum Behavioral Health credentials and contracts therapists on behalf of UnitedHealthcare. You apply through Provider Express, Optum's provider site, not through UHCprovider.com. Optum weighs whether it needs more clinicians in your area, so check your state's page first.

CAQH
Required
in most states
Malpractice
$1M / $1M
or your state's required amount
Total time
Not stated
Optum publishes none for therapists
Recredentialing
Every 36 months

How to apply to Optum

  1. 1.Open your state's page on Provider Express. It lists the licenses Optum accepts and who it is recruiting.
  2. 2.Register or log in to Provider Express.
  3. 3.Use Join Our Network to send the credentialing application.
  4. 4.Make sure your CAQH profile matches the application and authorizes United Behavioral Health.

What Optum asks for

  • An independent license, without any supervision or oversight: LPC, MFT, mental health counselor, social worker or psychologist
  • Malpractice cover of at least $1 million per occurrence and $1 million in aggregate, unless state law sets a different amount
  • Five years of work history and a W-9
  • Pre-licensed associates cannot be credentialed on their own

Watch forIf Optum denied you or ended your participation in the last 24 months, for any reason other than network need, you cannot apply. Send it only when the file is complete.

06Credentialed by Humana Military (East) or TriWest (West)

TRICARE Credentialing for Therapists

TRICARE has two steps. First you must be TRICARE-certified, or TRICARE will not pay your claims at all. To join the network as well, you are credentialed and sign a contract with your region's contractor: Humana Military in the East, TriWest in the West.

East
Humana Military
West
TriWest
26 states since January 2025
Certification
Per state
in each state you see clients
Recredentialing
Every 3 years
network providers, both regions

How to get in

  1. 1.Find your region with the lookup on tricare.mil. A few ZIP codes in Arkansas, Indiana, Missouri and Wisconsin are exceptions.
  2. 2.Get TRICARE-certified through that region's contractor, in each state where you see clients.
  3. 3.West: request a contract at JoinOurNetwork.TriWest.com with your tax ID. TriWest reads your CAQH profile, or you use its own application.
  4. 4.East: Humana Military's medical network is closed, but it takes requests from mental health providers through its join form, one per tax ID.

What certification and the network mean

  • Certified but not in the network, you can see TRICARE Select and TRICARE For Life clients
  • To see TRICARE Prime clients routinely, you need to be in the network
  • Counselors work without a physician referral only as a TRICARE Certified Mental Health Counselor. That needs an independent license, the NCMHCE exam, a CACREP-accredited degree and two years of supervised practice.
  • Marriage and family therapists must sign a TRICARE participation agreement, even outside the network

Watch forTriWest says its West network providers must be Medicare participating providers. If you do not participate in Medicare, ask TriWest before you apply.

07Credentialed by Humana itself

Humana Credentialing for Therapists

Humana is leaving employer-group commercial medical plans to focus on Medicare, Medicaid and military plans. It actively recruits psychologists, social workers, LPCs and LMFTs. Humana says credentialing can take 60 to 90 days.

Stated time
60 to 90 days
CAQH
Required
except in Arkansas
Recredentialing
At least every 36 months
Directory
After credentialing
you are listed only once it is done

The steps Humana lists

  1. 1.In Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Virginia or West Virginia, use Humana's online form.
  2. 2.Everywhere else, submit Humana's join-the-network form.
  3. 3.A Humana representative sends you contracting documents to complete.
  4. 4.Update your CAQH profile and grant Humana access to it.

What Humana asks for

  • A license to practice independently, without direction or supervision
  • In CAQH: a CV with work history in month and year format, and your license
  • In CAQH: your malpractice insurance face sheet and a summary of any malpractice cases

Watch forTRICARE East runs through Humana Military, which has its own process. Joining Humana's Medicare or Medicaid network does not put you in TRICARE.

08Credentialed by Magellan Healthcare

Magellan Credentialing for Therapists

Magellan runs behavioral health networks for its client companies, and you must be credentialed and contracted before it sends you referrals. It uses CAQH, and says credentialing generally finishes within 90 days of a complete file. Your contract starts only after credentialing.

Stated time
About 90 days
generally, from a complete file
CAQH
Used
authorize Magellan
Malpractice
$1M / $1M
may vary with local rules
Recredentialing
Every 3 years

How to apply to Magellan

  1. 1.On MagellanProvider.com, open Provider Network, then Join the Network.
  2. 2.Choose the individual or solo practitioner path and follow the screening steps.
  3. 3.Keep your CAQH profile current and authorize Magellan. Explain any work gap of six months or more in the last five years.
  4. 4.Upload a current malpractice face sheet to CAQH.

What Magellan asks for

  • A license for independent practice, at the highest level in your state, with no board actions
  • LCSWs: a CSWE-accredited social work degree and two years (3,000 hours) of post-master's practice
  • LPCs and MFTs: a license at the independent practice level
  • Psychologists: a doctoral-level clinical psychologist license

Watch forA Magellan contract covers only the plans listed in its Exhibit A. Check that list before you tell a client you are in network.

09Credentialed by Carelon Behavioral Health

Carelon Behavioral Health Credentialing for Therapists

Carelon Behavioral Health, formerly Beacon, runs its own behavioral health network. All new requests to join now go through Availity, and Carelon says a request does not guarantee a place in its network. You must be credentialed before you are added, and you are recredentialed every three years.

Apply through
Availity
register there first
CAQH
Used
authorize Carelon, keep it attested
Recredentialing
Every 3 years
or as state law requires
Status
In Availity
under submitted applications

The five steps Carelon lists

  1. 1.Send a request to join through the Carelon Behavioral Health payer space in Availity.
  2. 2.Once Carelon confirms you meet its requirements, it sends a contract for you to sign.
  3. 3.Carelon credentials you, reading your CAQH profile.
  4. 4.If you are accepted, Carelon sends formal notice with your effective date.
  5. 5.Set up your electronic claims and provider tools.

What to have ready

  • An Availity account
  • A CAQH profile with Carelon Behavioral Health authorized and a current attestation
  • If you join a group that already has a Carelon agreement, you are added to that agreement rather than getting your own contract

Watch forCarelon now takes every new request to join through Availity. Older instructions online that point anywhere else may be out of date.

What we can take on, and what stays with you

Medtransic runs

  • Find out who credentials therapists for each insurer you want, in your state
  • Ask whether each network is taking your license type where you practice
  • Complete and attest your CAQH profile, and authorize each insurer
  • File each application and follow up until you have a contract and an effective date
  • Track recredentialing for every insurer, so you do not drop out later

Your practice keeps

  • Which insurers to join
  • Your license and malpractice cover
  • Signing each contract
  • Your self-pay rate for clients outside your networks

Which insurers to apply to first

You do not need every network. Start with the ones your clients already carry.

Step 01

Count your inquiries

Look at the last few months of calls and emails. Note which insurance each person asked about.

Step 02

Find who reviews you

For each insurer on that list, find who credentials therapists. The sections above cover the largest.

Step 03

Ask if they need you

Insurers weigh their network's needs in your area. A no now saves you weeks of paperwork.

Step 04

Apply to several at once

One finished CAQH profile serves every insurer that reads it. Authorize each one as you apply.

Step 05

Book only from the effective date

Bill a client as in network only once that insurer's contract has started.

Would rather hand it off? We file and follow up every application for $150 per application, per provider. See insurance credentialing for therapists and mental health providers, linked below.

Where the usual path does not apply

Medicare

Medicare enrollment is separate from every commercial insurer. LPCs, LMHCs and LMFTs have been able to enroll since January 1, 2024, as LCSWs already could.

Medicaid plans

Which licenses Medicaid accepts depends on the state and on the managed care plan. Check each plan you want to join.

Minnesota, North Dakota, western Wisconsin

Here Evernorth contracts for employee assistance programs only. HealthPartners handles managed care for Cigna in these markets.

Your client portal, included

Your EHR shows what you billed. Your portal shows what we are doing about it.

Your EHR or practice management system runs your practice, but it does not show you our work. The Medtransic HIPAA Compliant Portal does: every claim and its current stage, the denials we are working, your A/R by age, each payer application and its in-network date, and the documents we still need from you. It is the same record our team works from, and it comes with every client account.

Did that claim get paid?
Every claim with its stage and amount, the denials we're working, and your receivables by age.
Where is my application with Aetna?
Each payer application shows its stage, its history, and the date you can start seeing that payer's patients.
What do you still need from me?
One list of the documents we're waiting on. Upload once, and it reaches every payer that asked for it.
See the client portal →
The billing screen in the Medtransic client portal: totals billed, paid, adjusted and outstanding, a twelve-month chart and A/R by age.
The billing screen. Shown with sample data. It works in any browser, on your desk or your phone. iPhone and Android apps are coming soon.

When to do it yourself

  • If you need one or two insurers and have a few hours each week to follow up, this guide is enough to do it yourself.
  • If you need four or five insurers, run a group, or keep losing track of CAQH attestation and recredentialing dates, handing it off usually pays for itself.

Questions therapists ask about specific insurers

Do I apply to Cigna or to Evernorth?

To Evernorth. Evernorth Behavioral Health runs the network for therapists who see Cigna clients, and you apply through the Evernorth Provider Portal.

Is Optum the same as UnitedHealthcare?

For therapists, Optum Behavioral Health credentials and contracts on behalf of UnitedHealthcare. You apply through Optum's Provider Express site.

How long does Aetna credentialing take for a therapist?

Aetna does not publish a total time for therapists. If you are new to CAQH, its registration kit comes within 10 business days of your request. In our experience it usually takes 60 to 90 days with each payer.

Is BCBS credentialing the same in every state?

No. Each Blue plan is a separate company with its own rules, and some hand behavioral health to another company. You apply to the plan where you practice.

Which insurer is quickest?

Of the ones that publish a figure, Anthem says typically 45 days from a complete CAQH application. Humana says 60 to 90 days, and Evernorth and Magellan about 90. Aetna, Optum and the TRICARE contractors publish no total for therapists.

Do TRICARE clients need a referral for therapy?

Usually not. TRICARE Prime clients need none for outpatient therapy with a network provider, and Select clients can see any TRICARE-authorized provider. Active duty members always need a referral and pre-authorization.

Can a pre-licensed associate get credentialed?

Usually not on their own. Optum says associates cannot be credentialed independently, and the insurers above ask for a license to practice independently.

Keep reading

+ Sources: 35 checked 2026-10-05

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