FAQ

All staff psychotherapists at Summit are able to bill insurance plans and are “in-network providers” with Blue Cross/Blue Shield (BCBS) of Illinois PPO. We do not accept BCBS HMO plans.

Many of our therapists can also submit claims on your behalf to other PPO insurance plans as “Out of Network Providers.” (Please see below for more details). However, while our psychotherapists can submit claims to your insurance provider on your behalf, you would be responsible for the full cost of the session at the time of your appointment.

Before beginning services at Summit, we recommend that you first call your insurance carrier to check eligibility and benefits prior to completing an intake with us. You can usually find your benefit information through your provider’s website or access it by phone using the numbers provided on the back of your insurance card. Follow prompts or inform a representative that you want to check your mental health benefits, and ask the following questions:

For BCBS PPO (in-network): 

1. Do I have outpatient behavioral health coverage? 
2. What is my annual deductible amount and how much is remaining?
3. When does my deductible reset?
4. What is my co-pay and/or co-insurance amount(s) per visit?
5. Is pre-authorization needed prior to beginning services?
6. Is there a per year session limit?

For insurance plans Summit does not accept (out-of-network):

1. Does my health plan allow outpatient, out-of-network behavioral health coverage?
2. If so, do I have a deductible? How much is my deductible? (note: sometimes deductibles for behavioral health are different) When does it reset?
3. If my provider’s fee is $160 per session, how much can I expect to get back for CPT code 90837?

Yes. However, services are available on limited availability. Each psychotherapist on our staff reserves a portion of their caseload specifically for individuals who require a sliding scale, or reduced fee. 

Summit Psychotherapy is committed to increasing access to psychotherapy services for underserved communities and folx who require access to reduced fees. Given that we receive many inquiries about our sliding scale rates, we understand that we fall short in this commitment daily, as we’re unable to match every person who inquires about reduced fees. If you are interested in learning more about our sliding scale, we encourage you to contact us through the intake form.

Before arriving for your first appointment, it may be helpful for you to do a few things:

First, if you plan on using insurance, please make contact with your insurance company to be sure you understand your benefits including any individual and/or family deductibles, and/or co-pay/co-insurance amounts. Please also bring your insurance card with you to your first appointment. (See question about insurance at top of this page for more info).

Please note that our office are located in the beautiful and historic Uptown Bank Building. This location is undergoing renovations, which may at times cause an inconvenience in accessing parking and limiting us to one elevator. While these disruptions are uncommon, we just want you to be aware and please, “Pardon Our Dust” as we go through this exciting change to our environment.