BH Practice Insurance Verification — 2026 Best Practices

Why Verification Matters

Front-end insurance verification is the single biggest lever for BH practice revenue. Missing verification causes: denied claims, unexpected patient balances, prior auth misses, and payer relationship damage.

10-Point Pre-Appointment Verification Checklist

1. Patient identity verified (name + DOB match insurance)
2. Insurance active on date of service
3. BH benefit specifically included (not just medical)
4. Deductible status + amount remaining
5. Copay per BH visit
6. Coinsurance percentage
7. Out-of-pocket max status
8. Provider is in-network
9. Prior authorization required + obtained
10. Referral required + obtained

Verification Tools

• Availity (multi-payer portal)
• Payer-specific portals (Optum, Carelon, Beacon, Aetna, UHC)
• Clearinghouse integration (Change Healthcare, Waystar)
• EHR-integrated verification (TherapyNotes, SimplePractice, AdvancedMD)

Common Verification Mistakes

1. Verifying too far in advance (benefits change)
2. Not checking BH-specific benefits (assuming medical = BH)
3. Missing carve-out plans (Optum BH vs UHC medical)
4. Not verifying prior auth expiration
5. Assuming continuity from prior year
6. Missing family deductible reset

Automation Options

• Batch overnight verification (day-before appointments)
• Real-time API verification at scheduling
• Dashboard alerts for benefit changes
• Prior auth expiration tracking

Revenant Care Handles Verification

– KD, Revenant Care