4.6 Transitioning Clients to Alpaca

Overview

Transitioning clients to Alpaca Health is designed to be smooth and non-disruptive. Services, staff, and clinical care continue without interruption while Alpaca supports the administrative and insurance workflows behind the scenes.

There is no lapse in services. Once the transition steps are completed, you can begin billing through Alpaca on the approved start date.

Step 1: Move Clients into Alpaca

There are two ways to get clients into Alpaca:

Option A: Self-serve entry

You can manually add clients by entering them in the Clients page in Alpaca. This includes basic demographic and insurance information.

Option B: Concierge onboarding

If you are migrating from another EHR, you can request concierge onboarding from the Alpaca team. Alpaca will help move relevant client information from your prior system into Alpaca.

Step 2: Verification of Benefits (VOB)

Once a client is added, Alpaca initiates a Verification of Benefits (VOB) to confirm:

• In-network coverage

• Plan details relevant to ABA services

• Any authorization or benefit constraints

This step ensures billing is accurate and aligned with the family’s insurance coverage.

Step 3: Family Intake Forms

Families will be asked to complete and sign new intake forms through Alpaca Health.

These forms allow Alpaca to:

• Support administrative and insurance workflows

• Maintain compliant documentation

• Enable use of Alpaca’s parent portal and systems

Families will receive clear instructions, and practices can reassure them that clinical care remains unchanged.

Step 4: Transfer of Authorization (Auth)

Often happening at the same time as the VOB and intake forms, Alpaca will submit a transfer of authorization request.

To complete this step, Alpaca will need:

• The most recent treatment plan

• The current diagnosis

• An intended start date for billing through Alpaca

Alpaca handles the submission and follow-up for the transfer.

Will There Be a Lapse in Services?

No. There is no lapse in services.

You can continue delivering care as usual and begin billing through Alpaca starting on the approved start date associated with the transfer of authorization.

Key Takeaways

• Clients can be added manually or via concierge onboarding

• Alpaca initiates VOB and authorization transfers

• Families sign new intake forms through Alpaca

• Services and staffing stay the same

• Billing can begin through Alpaca on the designated start date

Example Email Communicating Change to Families

Dear Families,

We’re writing to share an important update about our practice.

Over the coming weeks, we will be transitioning our administrative systems to Alpaca Health, a healthcare platform that supports providers with technology and insurance operations. We want to emphasize upfront that your child’s services, care team, and quality of care will remain exactly the same.

What’s staying the same

• Your child will continue working with the same clinicians

• Therapy goals, treatment plans, and session quality will not change

• Our clinical approach, values, and commitment to your family remain unchanged

What’s changing

• You will begin using Alpaca Health’s parent portal for scheduling, documentation, and communication

• Insurance administration and billing will be supported through Alpaca Health’s systems

We’ll share clear instructions and support to make this transition as smooth as possible.

Why we’re making this change

We are making this transition as part of a long-term commitment to delivering high-quality, reliable care. By partnering with Alpaca Health for technology and administrative support, our clinicians can spend more time focused on therapy and less time on paperwork, billing, and insurance follow-ups.

Our goal is to strengthen the foundation of our practice so we can continue providing consistent, high-quality services to your family.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We truly appreciate your trust and look forward to continuing to support your child.