One insurer
$149 per insurer
- We fill out and submit the application
- We aim to submit within 5 business days; reference number on your status page as soon as we do
- Follow-ups until the insurer decides
- Fee back if we miss our 10-business-day deadline
We get you your own insurance contracts, and we prove every step.
We fill out and submit your insurance applications for you, then post each insurer's reference number or confirmation on your private status page. If we miss our 10-business-day deadline, you get that insurer's fee back.
$149 per insurer $599 for 5 insurers Founding price for our first 10 clients
No calls required. No passwords. You only pay after we check that your insurers look open in your area.
Our promise, in plain words
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We do the work.
We fill out the applications, send them, and follow up. You review and sign.
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You see proof.
We aim to submit within 5 business days. Each insurer's reference number (or its dated confirmation) goes on your status page as soon as we submit.
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Miss our deadline, get that fee back.
We submit within 10 business days after your paperwork is complete. If we miss it for an insurer, we refund that insurer's fee in full.
We can't promise an insurer will say yes. Only the insurer decides that. Our promise is about our own work and our own deadline. Read how the clock works
Billing through a platform vs. having your own contract
Billing through a platform can be a fast way to start taking insurance. But the insurance contract usually belongs to the platform, not to you. If you leave, your in-network status with those insurers doesn't come with you.
| Billing through a platform | Your own contract | |
|---|---|---|
| Whose name is on the contract | The platform's. You're added under its contracts or tax ID. | Yours, under your own NPI and tax ID. |
| If you leave the platform | Your in-network status with those insurers stays behind. | Your contracts stay with you. |
| Who sets the terms | The platform and the insurer. You have no direct say. | You and the insurer, directly. |
| Fees | Set by the platform, and they can change. | No platform fees. You pay for billing only if you hire someone. |
| Your clients' insurance | Works while you're on that platform. | Works with any insurer you're contracted with, wherever you practice. |
Some platforms are adding new per-session fees this fall. If you're thinking about going independent, the best time to start your own applications is while you're still billing where you are now. Approvals take months, and you can keep working while you wait.
Four steps. We do most of them.
Pick your insurers.
Tell us your state and which insurers you want. Before you pay, we check whether each one looks open to new therapists in your area.
Pay and send your paperwork.
Pay by card. Then send your documents through our secure intake. We never ask for your Social Security number or date of birth by email or chat.
We fill out and submit.
We set up your CAQH profile with you and fill out each application. You review it, then click to approve. We submit within 10 business days after your paperwork is complete.
You see the proof.
As soon as we submit, the insurer's reference number or confirmation goes on your private status page. We keep following up and update the page until each insurer decides.
This is what you'll see
Every client gets a private page like this one. It shows every insurer, the date we submitted, the reference number, and the last time we checked.
SAMPLE: made-up therapist, made-up numbers
Sample Therapist, LCSW · Illinois
| Insurer | Submitted | Reference # | Status | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insurer A | Nov 5 | SAMPLE-A-0000 | In review. Insurer confirmed it got the application. | Nov 19 |
| Insurer B | Nov 6 | SAMPLE-B-0000 | Submitted. Proof attached. | Nov 19 |
| Insurer C | Nov 6 | SAMPLE-C-0000 | Insurer asked for an updated insurance page. Action needed from you. | Nov 19 |
Simple prices, shown up front
Founding price for our first 10 clients.
Best value
Five insurers
$599 for 5 insurers
- Everything in the one-insurer plan, for 5 insurers
- Works out to $119.80 per insurer
- The refund works per insurer: $119.80 back for any insurer where we miss our deadline
Need 4? Four at $149 each is $596. The 5-pack is $599, so the fifth insurer costs $3.
Included in both:
- CAQH profile set up and checked with you
- Panel check before you pay
- Your private status page
- Reminders when an insurer needs something from you
Not included:
- Billing your claims or fighting denials
- Negotiating your rates
- Medicaid enrollment
- A promise of approval. Only the insurer decides.
If an insurer's panel is closed:
Before you pay, we check whether each insurer looks open in your area. Insurers can still close a panel without warning. If that happens before we submit, you choose: a free swap to another insurer, or your money back for that one.
Is this a fit?
A good fit if you:
- Are a licensed therapist who can practice on your own (for example LCSW, LPC/LCPC, LMFT, or psychologist)
- Take insurance through an insurance billing platform now, and want contracts in your own name
- Are starting a private practice and want to be in-network from the start
- Want someone else to handle the forms, but still want to see every step
Probably not a fit if you:
- Are still pre-licensed or working under supervision. Most insurers need a full, independent license.
- Need claims billing, denial appeals, or rate negotiation. We don't do those.
- Need Medicaid enrollment. Each state runs it differently.
- Need a promise of approval or a start date. Nobody honest can promise that.
Questions we hear
Do I need to leave my platform first?
No. Keep billing the way you do now. Only move a client after that insurer confirms your start date in writing and you're set up in its system. Before you move any clients, check your platform agreement for its rules about clients.
Will the insurer approve me?
We can't promise that. Only the insurer decides. Some insurers close their panels in some areas. We promise our own work: a complete application, submitted on time, with proof.
How long does approval take?
It depends on the insurer. These are the timelines the insurers publish themselves:
- Aetna: a decision on your request within 60 days. Contracting starts after that.
- Cigna (Evernorth): up to 90 calendar days.
- Anthem: about 45 days from a complete CAQH application.
- Others don't publish a timeline. We'll tell you what we know when you pick your insurers.
After approval, it can take more time before you can bill. That time goes to signing the contract and getting set up in the insurer's system.
When does the 10-business-day clock start?
When your paperwork is complete. That means:
- everything on our checklist is in;
- you've approved your CAQH profile; and
- you've given us access to each insurer's website (by adding us as a user, never with your password).
We'll email you the date your clock starts. Paying alone doesn't start it.
The clock pauses while we're waiting on you, or if an insurer's website or CAQH is down. We'll tell you in writing when it pauses and when it starts again.
What counts as proof?
Whatever the insurer gives when we submit. Usually that's a reference or case number. Sometimes it's a confirmation email or a dated screenshot from the insurer's website. Some insurers send a number later. When that happens, we post a dated copy of what we sent and add the number when it arrives.
How does the refund work?
It's per insurer. If we miss our deadline for one insurer, you get that insurer's fee back: $149, or $119.80 on the 5-pack. Just ask. No argument.
What if an insurer's panel is closed?
Before you pay, we check whether each insurer looks open in your area, and we tell you if one looks closed. If an insurer closes its panel before we submit, you choose: a free swap to another insurer, or a refund for that one.
Do you need my passwords?
No. We never ask for them, and we won't accept them. You add us as a user on CAQH and on each insurer's website, and you can remove us any time. A few steps, like approving your CAQH profile, have to be clicked by you. We'll walk you through them.
How do you keep my Social Security number and date of birth safe?
Insurers need them, so we collect them only through our secure intake system. We never ask for them by email, text, or chat. Please don't send them that way. If you do, we'll delete the message and ask you to resend securely. The form on this page does not ask for them.
What happens after I'm approved?
You sign the insurer's contract, and we'll remind you of the deadline. Then you wait for your start date. Your CAQH profile has to be re-approved every 120 days (every 180 days in Illinois). We'll remind you.
Is there a monthly plan?
No. You pay once per insurer.
Which states do you work in?
All 50 states. Medicaid isn't included.
How do I pay?
By card, through Stripe. We never see or store your full card number.
Who's doing the work
I'm Cal Marran. I run Own The Contract from Chicago, IL, and I handle every application myself. Questions? Email [email protected].
Claim a founding spot
Tell us a little about your practice. We'll check whether your insurers look open in your area and email you within 2 business days. There's no payment yet, and no call needed.
Please don't enter your Social Security number, date of birth, or any client information here. We'll collect what insurers need later, through our secure intake.
You're on the list.
Thanks. We'll email you within 2 business days with what we find about your insurers. Nothing is charged until you say yes. Questions: [email protected].
Your contract, in your name, with proof at every step.
$149 per insurer $599 for 5 Founding price for our first 10 clients
Claim a founding spot