Cara Therapy Chicago

Psychotherapy and Social Work services rooted in Friendship.

Existing Clients
Lean More

Paying for our services

Financial concerns should never get in the way of a therapeutic relationship, so we require insured clients to use their benefits to help cover the costs of therapy. While unorthodox for a private practice, this is a strongly held ethical belief and part of our commitment to providing services to as many clients as possible. Currently, we can accept nearly all PPO policies, as well as Medicare.We make every effort to accept your plan's benefits to the fullest extent possible. This means verifying your coverage, securing any needed approvals, submitting all claims, and providing any requested documentation. Under Illinois law, an insurer must cover mental health services under the same provisions as any other medically necessary service.At the moment, we are in-network with PPO plans from Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Aetna, United Healthcare, and Cigna. In the event we are not yet in your specific network, we will gladly submit your claims and accept assignment on an out-of-network basis until a contract can be secured. Unlike other providers, we will never simply hand you a superbill and tell you to seek reimbursement. While your benefits will be limited during this period (on average 1-2 months), you will never be billed for more than the reimbursement we could expect once contracted.HMO plans are challenging to accept as an independent provider. At the moment we are only able to work with specific BCBSIL members who have a PCP in Advocate Physician Partners. However, we are looking to expand these relationships, so please reach out and we can assess the feasibility of joining your network.Expected out-of-pocket costs are charged to the card on file, unless prior arrangements have been made. Self-pay rates are available upon request for uninsured clients only.

Great to see you.

(let's get you in the right place)

Client Portal (scheduling appointments, telehealth platform, payment)
Contact Information (if you need to get in touch)
In-person Appointment Information (for when we're face to face)
Insurance and Billing (confusing for us too)
Practice Policies (so we're all on the same page)

At your service...

Having a life-threatening medical or mental health emergency?
Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room immediately.For immediate support with a sudden mental health crisis, call 988 or text 741741, then reach out so we can schedule an urgent session.

Cara Therapy Chicago believes that direct lines of communication are essential to building a strong therapeutic relationship. Please don't hesitate to reach out by SMS at (312) 248-2958 or email [email protected].
Due to the amount of time dedicated for clients, I am not generally able to accept inbound phone calls. If you wish to speak by phone, it is best to indicate as such via SMS or email, and I will respond to your request as soon as possible.

	Email/Voicemail	SMS
Working Daytime Hours	End of day	Promptly
Weekend and Holiday Daytime Hours	Morning of next working day	End of day
Evening and Overnight Hours	Morning of next working day	Next morning

Direct Clients

Let's meet face to face.

(sometimes it's nice to be in person)

Locator

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Hi there!

(it's a true pleasure to meet you)

My name is Anne - I'm the founder, CEO, director, and provider of Cara Therapy Chicago.I have over 25 years of experience (15 as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker) - providing social services in various government, nonprofit, and healthcare settings. In 2024, I began CTC in response to growing demand for my services from Chicago's community.Cara is the Irish/Gailage word for friend. Psychotherapy is a scary term insurance companies use for my work, but the true description is friendship. My therapeutic style is simple - be a true friend. This means listening, caring, probing, checking-in, following-up, affirming, and occasionally sharing a different perspective.

While my clients come from all different backgrounds, with many different reasons for seeking services, my therapeutic areas of expertise include the following:

Grief and Loss
Trauma and PTSD
Domestic Violence
Sexual Abuse
Long COVID and Chronic Illness
Faith-affirming Care

Interested?
Let's get in touch.

Bills are never fun.

(but we'll make paying easy, and work with your insurance)

Looking to pay a bill? Use these links below to access your portal.

Direct Clients

Information for clients with out-of-network PPO insurance:
Cara Therapy Chicago was formed with the goal of helping as many clients as possible, and from day one it has been our goal to contract with as many insurance companies as possible. Unfortunately this process takes time, and there are a substantial number of different plans/payers to work through. If we are not in network now, know we're working on it.Nonetheless, we will happily work with your insurance to understand your benefits, and submit all claims on your behalf. Amounts reasonably foreseen to be your responsibility are due at the time services are rendered, but we will never expect you to pay us and request reimbursement.

HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.

Cara Therapy Chicago PLLC (the “Practice”) is committed to protecting your privacy. The Practice is required by federal law to maintain the privacy of Protected Health Information (“PHI”), which is information that identifies or could be used to identify you. The Practice is required to provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices (this “Notice”), which explains the Practice's legal duties and privacy practices and your rights regarding PHI that we collect and maintain. This Notice is effective on June 1st, 2024.

Your Rights

Your rights regarding PHI are explained below. To exercise these rights, please submit a written request to the Practice.

To inspect and copy PHI.
You can ask for an electronic or paper copy of PHI. The Practice may charge you a reasonable fee if such requests are excessive or create an administrative burden.
The Practice may deny your request if it believes the disclosure will endanger your life or another person's life.
To amend PHI.
You can ask to correct PHI you believe is incorrect or incomplete. The Practice may require you to make your request in writing and provide a reason for the request.
The Practice may deny your request. The Practice will send a written explanation for the denial and allow you to submit a written statement of disagreement.
To request confidential communications.
You can ask the Practice to contact you in a specific way. The Practice will say “yes” to all reasonable requests.
To limit what is used or shared.
You can ask the Practice not to use or share PHI for treatment, payment, or business operations. The Practice is not required to agree if it would affect your care.
If you pay for a service or health care item out-of-pocket in full, you can ask the Practice not to share PHI with your health insurer.
You can ask for the Practice not to share your PHI with family members or friends by stating the specific restriction requested and to whom you want the restriction to apply.
To obtain a list of those with whom your PHI has been shared.
You can ask for a list, called an accounting, of the times your health information has been shared. You can receive one accounting every 12 months at no charge, but you may be charged a reasonable fee if you ask for one more frequently.
To receive a copy of this Notice.
You can ask for a paper copy of this Notice, even if you agreed to receive the Notice electronically.
To choose someone to act for you.
If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights.
To file a complaint if you feel your rights are violated.
You can file a complaint by contacting the Practice using the following information:
Cara Therapy Chicago PLLC
[email protected]
312-248-2958

You can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/.

The Practice will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Our Uses and Disclosures

Routine Uses and Disclosures of PHI
The Practice is permitted under federal law to use and disclose PHI, without your written authorization, for certain routine uses and disclosures, such as those made for treatment, payment, and the operation of our business. The Practice typically uses or shares your health information in the following ways:

To treat you:
The Practice can use and share PHI with other professionals who are treating you.
Example: Your primary care doctor asks about your mental health treatment.
To run the health care operations:
The Practice can use and share PHI to run the business, improve your care, and contact you.
Example: The Practice uses PHI to send you appointment reminders.
To bill for your services:
The Practice can use and share PHI to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities.
Example: The Practice gives PHI to your health insurance plan so it will pay for your services.

Uses and Disclosures of PHI That May Be Made Without Your Authorization or Opportunity to Object
The Practice may use or disclose PHI without your authorization or an opportunity for you to object, including:

To help with public health and safety issues:
Public health: To prevent the spread of disease, assist in product recalls, and report adverse reactions to medication.
Required by the Secretary of Health and Human Services: We may be required to disclose your PHI to the Secretary of Health and Human Services to investigate or determine our compliance with the requirements of the final rule on Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information.
Health oversight: For audits, investigations, and inspections by government agencies that oversee the health care system, government benefit programs, other government regulatory programs, and civil rights laws.
Serious threat to health or safety: To prevent a serious and imminent threat.
Abuse or Neglect: To report abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.
To comply with law, law enforcement, or other government requests:
Required by law: If required by federal, state or local law.
Judicial and administrative proceedings: To respond to a court order, subpoena, or discovery request.
Law enforcement: For law locate and identify you or disclose information about a victim of a crime.
Specialized Government Functions: For military or national security concerns, including intelligence, protective services for heads of state, or your security clearance.
National security and intelligence activities: For intelligence, counterintelligence, protection of the President, other authorized persons or foreign heads of state, for purpose of determining your own security clearance and other national security activities authorized by law.
Workers' Compensation: To comply with workers' compensation laws or support claims.
To comply with other requests:
Coroners and Funeral Directors: To perform their legally authorized duties.
Organ Donation: For organ donation or transplantation.
Research: For research that has been approved by an institutional review board.
Business Associates: To organizations that perform functions, activities or services on our behalf.

Uses and Disclosures of PHI That May Be Made With Your Authorization or Opportunity to Object
Unless you object, the Practice may disclose PHI:

To your family, friends, or others if PHI directly relates to that person's involvement in your care.
If it is in your best interest because you are unable to state your preference.

Uses and Disclosures of PHI Based Upon Your Written Authorization
The Practice must obtain your written authorization to use and/or disclose PHI for the following purposes:

Marketing, sale of PHI, and psychotherapy notes.

You may revoke your authorization, at any time, by contacting the Practice in writing, using the information above. The Practice will not use or share PHI other than as described in Notice unless you give your permission in writing.

Our Responsibilities

The Practice is required by law to maintain the privacy and security of PHI.
The Practice is required to abide by the terms of this Notice currently in effect. Where more stringent state or federal law governs PHI, the Practice will abide by the more stringent law.
The Practice reserves the right to amend Notice. All changes are applicable to PHI collected and maintained by the Practice. Should the Practice make changes, you may obtain a revised Notice by requesting a copy from the Practice, using the information above, or by viewing a copy on the website caratherapychicago.com.
The Practice will inform you if PHI is compromised in a breach.