In nutritional care, helping clients minimize their out-of-pocket expenses for sessions can benefit both providers and clients. Even if your nutrition practice does not accept insurance, you may be able to assist clients in receiving reimbursement as an out-of-network provider. Becoming familiar with filling out Superbills and providing them proactively to clients can be an effective way for clients to retroactively be reimbursed for a portion (or all) of their nutrition sessions.

In this article, we break down the superbill components, walk through how to fill one out, and lay out the benefits of offering superbills to your clients.

What is a superbill?

A superbill is essentially a detailed receipt of the services you provided your client that are recognized by insurance companies.

Superbills provide all the information an insurance company needs to create a healthcare claim.

Clients who submit superbills to their insurance companies can potentially get reimbursed for your services. Some practitioners even submit them on behalf of their clients.

The important thing:

Any reimbursement provided by an insurance company goes directly to the client.

So even when you submit a superbill, you still collect payment from the client generally before or during the time of service.

How to fill out a superbill

Unlike typical receipts, superbills require specific information about the nature of your services, like tax numbers, CPT codes, ICD-10s, and more. If you’re struggling to navigate this system on your own while staying organized, look to Healthie to streamline Superbill creation.

Here are the four most important parts you need to have:

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1. Basic information

This includes the basics about your client–like name, date of birth, address, phone number–and basics about your practice (e.g., your office address).

2. Provider information

If your client was referred to you by a physician, you’ll need to include the MD’s information. This includes the physician’s name and NPI number.

An NPI number is a 10 digit identification code issued to all US healthcare providers but the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This number is used to identify healthcare providers, similar to we use social security numbers.

3. ICD-10 code

The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, referred to as the ICD for simplicity’s sake, is a WHO certified listing of every health issue you can encounter.

ICD catalogs any symptoms your clients may have. The goal of this system is to help you make a diagnosis.

This list is currently on its 10th version. Make sure you’re using ICD-10 codes, not ICD-9 (these are likely to be rejected as being outdated!)

4. CPT codes

The Current Procedural Terminology code is an index of medical and health services created by American Medical Association.

Be sure to list all codes that correspond to services you have provided your client, as insurance companies will be reimbursing based off the codes you list.

Why should I provide a superbill?

Providing a superbill potentially reduces the cost of care for your clients!

We sometimes call superbills the “Junior Varsity” of taking insurance.

Even if you aren’t credentialed by insurance, or if you’re considered out-of-network by some carriers, you can provide a superbill to your clients for a chance their services will be covered. If you’re unsure of how to bill clients through their insurance, Healthie can help you build Superbills, and it doesn’t have to take long.

It only takes 90 seconds to prepare and deliver a superbill to your clients in Healthie. With our templates, all you need to complete are the client-specific CPT and ICD-10 codes, your units + fees, and our system auto-generates the rest. Plus, it’s HIPAA-compliant.

To learn more about CPT Codes and ICD 10 Codes, visit our guide on insurance billing code guide for dietitians.