Welcome to Alma!
We're thrilled that you're here!
After signing your membership agreement with Alma, you’ll begin the onboarding process. During this process, our goal is to:
- Credential you with our participating insurance payers through the Alma Insurance Program
- Set up your profile in the Alma directory for potential clients to reach you
- Provide education on our insurance program and policies
- Familiarize you with the Alma portal
In order to simplify the process and keep track of your progress, Alma will send each onboarding step in a separate email. Once you complete a step, you will receive the next email in the order outlined below. If you have questions about any of these steps, please click on the Help button at the bottom of this article to create a ticket and have a member of our support team assist you.
You can also follow along directly in the Alma portal using the Onboarding Dashboard. Click here to learn more, or continue reading below.
Onboarding Dashboard
Once you gain access to the Alma portal, you'll be able to track your onboarding progress using the Onboarding Dashboard. The dashboard consists of the following stages:
- Account Created
- Getting Started
- Understanding Insurance
- Expanding Your Caseload
Within each stage, you’ll find action items, like watching the Insurance Webinar, setting up your payouts account, or adding a client to your roster, paired with content from our Support Center to help you get the most out of your Alma membership.
- To access your dashboard, click Onboarding in the top, right corner of the Alma portal.
- Once your onboarding is complete, you can access the dashboard by navigating to Explore > Alma Basics from the top, right corner of your portal.
Step One - General Onboarding
After you sign your membership agreement, you can expect to receive the first step of the Onboarding process via email within 1 business day. If you do not receive the General Onboarding form via email within 1 business day of signing your membership agreement, please contact our Member Support Team by clicking the Help button in the bottom right corner of the Support Center.
In the first step, you will need to complete the General Onboarding form. In this form, we’ll gather basic information about your practice, and you’ll have the chance to write the bio that will appear on your profile in the Alma directory. Your profile will become live in Alma’s provider directory on your credentialing effective date, or your contracted start date (depending on which date is later), and only after you have completed the Insurance Webinar.
As you complete each step of the onboarding process, you’ll receive guidance for the next step via email within 1 business day.
Step Two - Credentialing
Credentialing is the process of verifying the qualifications of a practitioner. Alma collects, reviews, and submits these materials to insurance payers on your behalf. Alma’s credentialing process enables members to be in-network with insurance payers and grants access to enhanced payback rates under Alma’s tax ID.
After we receive your General Onboarding form, you’ll receive your second email requesting you complete the Insurance Form. This is where we’ll gather your CAQH Identification and login, NPI number, education, work history, professional liability insurance, and DEA certificate and Board Certification if you are an NP or MD.
Credentialing with our network partners can take up to 45 days, and is entirely dependent on the insurance carrier’s review and approval of the application you submitted through Alma. Once you have access to the Alma portal, you’ll be able to view the Insurance & Directories page to be credentialed with any additional insurance payers, enroll in associated programs such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), or unenroll from an insurance payer.
Credentialing determines your ‘effective start date’, or the date you can begin seeing insurance clients through Alma, and is separate from the overall onboarding process. You will be considered out-of-network with Alma's insurance partners until that date. That being said, you can use Alma's invoicing and scheduling tools to see out-of-network cash pay clients before your effective start date.
Step Three - Portal Access
After our team has received and reviewed both your General Onboarding and Credentialing typeforms, you’ll be prompted to create a password to log in to the Alma portal for the first time! This is a great time to begin getting acquainted with the portal functions before you begin adding clients to your practice roster.
Step Four - Insurance Program Training Webinar
All new Alma members are required to watch our Insurance Program Training Webinar which you’ll get access to at this stage in your onboarding process.
This brief video will walk you through general program details, how to schedule insurance visits, and what to expect with claims and payouts. Your onboarding process is complete when you have viewed the Insurance Program Training Webinar and taken the brief quiz.
You will receive an email to watch this webinar and complete a brief quiz as the final step of your onboarding, however, you are more than welcome to review this helpful resource ahead of time. Other onboarding steps need to be completed in the order in which you receive them, but watching this webinar and taking the brief quiz can be completed from this link at your convenience.
You will then receive an email confirmation from our team stating your onboarding is complete.
Still Have Questions?
We are excited for you to get started as an Alma member, and we are here to help! If you have questions about this onboarding process or need assistance with any of the required forms, you can reach out to us by clicking the Help button in the bottom right corner of the Support Center.