How long before a new practice gets paid?

Three to six months. Credentialing takes 90 to 180 days per payer, and even after that, the first claims need a few more weeks to turn into deposits.

The trap is thinking "credentialed" means "paid." Getting on a payer's panel is one thing. Submitting clean claims is another. Collecting enough to cover your costs is a third, and it usually lands six to twelve months in, as your patient volume builds. New practices run out of cash in that last gap.

Backdating will not close it for you. The filing clock starts the day you see the patient, not the day you go in-network, so claims you hold waiting on an effective date can expire into a write-off. Medicare gives you about 30 days back; most commercial plans give you none. The answer is to start credentialing early and keep enough cash to get through the wait. Plan on six to twelve months of expenses in reserve.

Altair, with AI backed by our expert in-house billers, runs the credentialing and enrollment that start the clock, Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial, then the billing behind it. You get a live view of where your money is: what is enrolled, what is billed, what is paid, and what is still coming.

Talk to us before you open, and the ramp is handled and visible from day one.

Common questions

Sources: CMS 855 and PECOS guidance, 42 CFR 424.521, MGMA 2024, and state Medicaid policies.