Alma is a membership-based directory and insurance billing platform that helps mental health providers accept insurance and build private practices. Alma helps therapists get credentialed with major insurers, manage billing, and attract new clients through a directory and matching service, as well as manage additional aspects of running a private practice. Alma costs $125 monthly or $1,140 annually.
Pros & Cons of Alma for Therapists
Alma is a great choice for therapists in that it offers a more comprehensive directory and insurance billing platform than its competitors, with EHR features and a robust clinical community. However, Alma is one of the only directory and insurance billing platforms that charges a monthly fee, there isn’t any information on reimbursement rates available publicly, and you must be fully licensed to contract with Alma.
Alma for Therapists Review – Key Takeaways
- Alma is a comprehensive system for growing a private practice that handles all matters related to credentialing and billing insurance on your behalf. It is a combination directory and billing platform, with the addition of an EHR and marketing features.
- Alma membership costs $125 monthly or $1,140 annually. There is very little information available publicly about reimbursement rates, however, Alma reports offering enhanced rates due to their contracts with insurers. You must contact Alma directly for this information.
- You must be fully and independently licensed to use Alma for your practice.
What Is Alma?
Alma is a comprehensive billing and directory platform for therapists and psychologists. Features include billing support, insurance credentialing, and a provider directory. Alma costs $125 monthly or $1,140 annually; there is no free trial available.
Below, we will explore some of Alma’s primary offerings and how they might help your practice. It is worth noting that Alma’s representatives were unwilling to allow me to use the product hands-on, stating this would be a “privacy issue.”
Key features of Alma include:
Easy, Hands-Off Insurance Credentialing & Billing
Alma allows you to maintain the autonomy of your private practice while taking much of the administrative stress from you. Clients can book directly from the directory knowing which insurance payors you are credentialed with through Alma. You’ll conduct the sessions and work with the client, and Alma will handle all of the insurance billing on your behalf.
According to Alma, upon sign-up, it will take less than 45 days for Alma to negotiate your credentialing through its insurance payors. Then, for each claim that Alma submits, you will receive your reimbursement within two weeks. Alma also automatically checks a client’s insurance eligibility prior to scheduling to ensure they are in-network and notifies them of their coverage. Alma is available to therapists in all 50 US states and partners with many insurance payors including Aetna, Cigna, and United Healthcare, among others.
It is important to note that non-insurance billing cannot be conducted through Alma. If you need to see clients who wish to cash or self-pay, you must have other systems in place to manage this sort of billing.
Gain New Client Referrals with Alma’s Built-In Directory
Alma operates a proprietary directory platform that integrates its mission to make insurance-funded therapy more accessible. With a directory that considers the insurances you have been credentialed with, Alma can deliver you quality client leads integrated with your calendar availability. Alma removes the friction that takes place when you add variables like availability and insurance.
Client Caseload & Practice Management Solutions
Alma includes a handful of solutions for managing your practice. With the Alma calendar, you will be able to upload your availability into the system which allows your clients to book with you directly with minimal friction. Appointment reminders will be sent to clients automatically to help improve client show rates.
In addition to calendar management, Alma includes a built-in HIPAA-compliant instance of Zoom for conducting virtual sessions. There are also helpful treatment plans, progress note templates, and intake forms such as consent forms, an intake questionnaire, and clinical assessments.
These additional practice management features help to set Alma apart from other directory and insurance billing platforms and would mean you need to lean less on external EHR software for Alma clients.
Robust Community Support & Continuing Education
One of Alma’s perks is its robust community of members. In Alma’s community hub, members can meet other providers, attend webinars and workshops hosted by other members, and access continuing education content provided by NYU.
Newly minted therapists and seasoned practitioners alike can benefit from a community of peers to exchange ideas and learn from each other. I can easily see how Alma’s community hub, on top of its administrative assistance, would greatly benefit a new private practice owner.
How Much Does Alma Cost?
Alma costs $125 monthly or $1,140 annually. This cost includes all of the features of Alma and is a much simpler pricing system compared to many of the other billing and directory platforms available. There is no free trial or demo period offered. Reimbursement rates will vary significantly depending on your location, credentials, and other variables, however Alma’s contracted rates are typically higher than a therapist could obtain through crednetialing on their own.
Features included in Alma’s cost include:
- A simple insurance credentialing and billing solution
- Insurance-first directory profile listing and client-matching service
- Scheduling and appointment reminder features
- HIPAA-compliant Zoom-based telehealth platform
- Treatment plan templates and clinical tools like PHQ-9 and GAD-7
How Does the Cost of Alma Compare?
Alma is one of the only online insurance billing platforms and directories that charges a monthly fee; most are free to join, whereas Alma costs $125 monthly or $1,140 annually. However, from several sources around the internet ranging from Reddit to other reviews by therapists, the reimbursement rate is higher than competitors such as Headway.1 Of course, your exact reimbursement rates will vary depending on your location and other variables. To know for sure, you’ll need to contact Alma to learn how it will impact your revenue.
How Much Does Alma Pay Therapists?
Alma pays its therapists on a variable scale, depending on several factors. Specifically, the structure is such that you will be an independent contractor for Alma, which will reimburse you for the services provided.
Alma Reimbursement Rates
A discussion on reimbursements with this type of platform is intrinsically difficult as reimbursement rates may vary tremendously depending on a number of variables. For instance, a Licensed Professional Counselor in Atlanta billing Cigna may have an entirely different rate than a Psychologist out of California billing United Healthcare.
On top of all of this, the negotiations going on between companies like Alma and its insurance partners will constantly be shifting and updating, so it’s impossible to say what a given reimbursement rate will be in the long haul.
One therapist review of Alma noted that Alma released an update to their contracts that indicates it is a violation of terms to publicly disclose the reimbursement rates you receive in compensation. However, this therapist indicated that they have been, on average, receiving $100 per session.1
Since Alma has major contracts with top insurers, it is able to offer enhanced reimbursement rates that will usually be higher than what you would be able to negotiate with a payor on your own.
To determine your exact terms and rates, you’ll need to contact Alma directly.
Why Would I Want to Work With Alma?
Working with Alma is a unique experience that allows the autonomy of a private practice while offering a degree of support that helps you get your practice off the ground. Or it may make the difference in maintaining a practice without risking burnout from excessive administrative tasks.
Here are a few reasons why you might want to work with Alma:
- Become credentialed with insurers without having to manage the process, and significantly faster than you could on your own, while also receiving enhanced reimbursement rates.
- Accept insurance without having to manage benefits checks for clients or insurance billing
- Maintain the autonomy of a private practice with less administrative stress
- Find a reliable source of client referrals through a dedicated insurance-based system
- Ensure consistent revenue with reliable insurance reimbursement
How Does the Alma Directory Work for Therapists?
The Alma therapist directory allows potential clients to search for therapists who are Alma members based on their credentialing status with a given insurance payor. For example, a client can search for someone in their area that specifically accepts Cigna.
Alma’s directory takes insurance payors into account in the search as well as handling all the billing done through these payors. So, the quality of client referrals is improved, and general friction in the process is reduced considerably, which, in turn, leads to better client-therapist matches, more revenue, and better client relationships.
Alma Review – Our Final Verdict
Alma could be a valuable tool for your practice. Of course, the precise fit will be determined by your preferences for how to run your practice, and what your current revenue stream looks like. If you are fully licensed and feel you could benefit from offering in-network services, it’s worth talking to Alma to learn more.
You should consider signing up for Alma if you:
- Are fully licensed and are looking to start providing in-network services
- Don’t want to handle insurance yourself, or are attracted to Alma offering better reimbursement rates than credentialing independently
You should consider looking for an alternative to Alma if you:
- Are not fully, independently licensed to practice therapy in your state
- Want to go in-network under your own name instead of contracting with a platform like Alma
- Are able to consistently manage a caseload of out-of-network clients
Who Is Alma Right For?
Alma is ideal for new private practice owners and therapists that want to avoid extra administrative work, or those with no experience billing insurance on their own.
Therapists That Want to Avoid Extra Administrative Work
If you’re brand new to running a private practice or just like things as simple as possible, Alma may be able to help you better manage administrative headaches and focus on providing clients with quality care. With all of the rules and regulations involved in this kind of work, having a bit of help is definitely a benefit for those unfamiliar.
Those looking to avoid extra administrative tasks should consider investing in one of the best mental health EHRs.
Those Looking to Make the Jump to In-Network Care
Maybe you’ve had your practice a while and are looking to make the jump from out-of-network to in-network care. If you have no experience billing insurance on your own, Alma is an easier and faster route to get credentialed with insurance payors.
Who May Want an Alternative to Alma?
Alma is a great resource, but practitioners with only partial or no licensure status, or those that are consistently billing an adequate number of out-of-network clients should consider other options.
Practitioners with Partial or No Licensure
If you are pre-licensed, partially licensed, or not licensed at all, you will be unable to work with Alma. You’ll not be able to bill insurance, so this sort of platform may not be best for you.
For a directory that works with partially licensed practitioners or those divested from licensure, take a look at our review of Psychology Today.
Practices With Consistently Higher Out-of-Network Rates
Alma is a great choice for those that wish to offer in-network services, but if you are able to consistently keep a full caseload of out-of-network clients, and the rates are better than in-network rates, a service like Alma may not be a good fit for you.
Alma Vs. Headway
Alma and Headway are similar platforms that offer insurance credentialing and billing support for private practice therapists. Headway does not offer some of the practice management tools that Alma does, such as the telehealth platform. Headway is free to join, whereas Alma costs $125 monthly or $1,140 annually. While reimbursement rates are highly variable between therapists, I found a handful of sources that indicate Alma’s rates are 1-5% higher than Headway’s.1
Alma Vs. Grow Therapy
Alma and Grow Therapy offer very similar services. Grow Therapy is only available in 36 states compared to Alma, which is in all 50. Grow Therapy does not have a monthly fee as Alma does. Both companies offer continuing education and a few other features, but Alma is more robust overall. As is typical in these sorts of platforms, reimbursement rates are highly variable and not publicly disclosed.
How Do I Get Started with Alma?
To get started with Alma, navigate to the Alma sign-up page, enter a few details, and an Alma representative will call you to get things started. The sign-up and onboarding process takes 1-2 days to get your profile set up; however, it can take up to 45 days to become fully credentialed with a given insurance payor. Throughout this process, members of Alma staff will help guide you.
History of Alma
Alma was founded by Dr. Harry Ritter in 2017. According to the Alma website, the company is focused on the mission of simplifying access to high-quality, affordable mental health care. The company is currently headquartered in New York City. Since its inception, Alma has raised over $220 million dollars in funding and employs between 200 and 500 employees.3
FAQs for Alma
Is Alma Mental Health Free to Use?
No. Alma costs $125 monthly or $1,140 annually to use its services.
Do You Have to be Licensed to Use Alma?
Yes. Alma only accepts fully licensed practitioners.
Does Alma Offer a Free Trial?
No. Alma does not offer any sort of free trial and all fees are due at the time of sign-up.
How Does Alma Make Money?
Alma makes money through membership fees from the providers that use the platform, as well as whatever amount Alma and any given insurance payor has agreed upon for session fees. The details of these agreements are unclear to the general public.
