You focus on your child. We handle the insurance.
For over 20 years, Skills on the Hill has helped DC and Arlington families navigate pediatric therapy — and that includes making insurance one less thing for parents to worry about. Whether we are in-network or out-of-network with your plan, we submit claims directly to your insurance on your behalf. No portals to log into. No paperwork to chase. No fighting with your insurance company. That’s our job.
About Our Network Status
We are in-network with three plans:
- Kaiser (all Kaiser plans)
- Tricare
- HSCSN (Health Services for Children with Special Needs)
For all other plans — including Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, CareFirst BCBS, BCBS Federal Employee Program (BCBS FEP), Anthem BCBS, and GEHA — we are an out-of-network provider.
Many families are surprised to learn this still means substantial insurance coverage. Most PPO and POS plans include out-of-network benefits and reimburse a portion of therapy costs after the deductible is met. The exact reimbursement varies by plan and is only fully confirmed after a claim is processed — but we can tell you the maximum you would ever pay before you book your first appointment. That’s what our free benefits check is for.
We chose to remain in-network with Kaiser, Tricare, and HSCSN because we could accept their rates without compromising the quality of care our families expect. For other plans, we remain out-of-network so our clinicians have the time and flexibility to design treatment around your child’s specific needs — and our reputation as one of the DMV’s most established pediatric therapy practices reflects what that approach makes possible.
What Makes Skills on the Hill Different
There are a lot of pediatric therapy practices in the DMV. Here’s what families tell us sets us apart:
We handle every claim for you. Most out-of-network practices hand families a superbill and tell them to submit it themselves. We don’t. We submit claims directly to your insurance and follow up on reimbursement. You pay your portion. We handle the rest.
Our evaluations are comprehensive. Each evaluation looks at the whole child — not just the area of concern. You receive a detailed written narrative report (not a checklist) and a dedicated parent meeting to discuss findings and recommendations. This level of evaluation depth is often not part of evaluations from in-network providers.
Faster access to care. Our typical wait time for an initial evaluation is 2–4 weeks. Many in-network providers in the DMV have wait times of 3–6 months or longer. If you’d like to be added to our cancellation list, we’ll notify you when an earlier appointment opens up — and we’re often able to get families in significantly sooner.
Multi-disciplinary, all under one roof. We provide pediatric Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology — and our therapists actively consult with one another across disciplines. If your child needs more than one service, you get coordinated care, not three disconnected providers.
Our clinicians are continuously learning. We invest heavily in ongoing professional development, mentoring, and supervision. Our clinicians stay current on the latest evidence-based research and emerging best practices in pediatric therapy.
We see the whole child — and the whole family. Treatment plans are designed around your child’s interests. Therapy is disguised as play. And families are part of the team — your goals matter as much as our clinical goals.
A trusted name in the DMV. Skills on the Hill has been serving DC and Arlington families for over 20 years. Pediatricians, school specialists, and developmental pediatricians across the region refer families to us by name.
A Hidden Benefit of How We Bill
Here’s something most families don’t know — and that other out-of-network practices won’t tell you, because they don’t do it:
Because we file claims directly to your insurance, your out-of-network deductible is met significantly faster than it would be at a practice that gives you a superbill to submit yourself.
That matters because once your deductible is met, your insurance begins reimbursing a portion of every session — meaningfully reducing your out-of-pocket cost for the rest of the calendar year. The sooner your deductible is met, the sooner those savings kick in.
This isn’t a billing trick. It’s industry-standard medical billing — combined with the administrative work we do that most out-of-network practices won’t.
How the Process Works
- Submit your insurance information. Use our free benefits check form below.
- Our Intake Coordinator verifies your coverage. We’ll contact your insurance, confirm whether your plan has out-of-network benefits with us, walk you through what your deductible looks like, and explain the maximum you would pay per session under the No Surprises Act. If your plan requires a referral or authorization, we’ll help you with that step.
- You decide. No pressure. No commitment. Just clear information so you can make the best decision for your child.
- We handle the rest. From scheduling to claim submission to follow-up with your insurance, our team manages the administrative side so you can focus on your child’s progress.
What Will This Actually Cost?
Every plan and every family is different. Within one business day of receiving your insurance information, our Intake Coordinator will contact you to walk through:
- Whether your plan has in-network or out-of-network benefits with us
- Your deductible amount and how much has been met for the year
- Whether your plan requires a referral or pre-authorization
- The maximum you would pay per session
A note on transparency: For out-of-network plans, we can’t tell you exactly what your insurance will reimburse until we file a claim and see how it’s processed — insurance companies don’t share that information reliably in advance, even when we ask. What we can guarantee, under the federal No Surprises Act, is that you will never pay more than our published self-pay rate. In most cases, families with PPO out-of-network benefits pay less than that ceiling once their insurance reimburses its portion. We’re committed to being straight with you about what we know and what we don’t.
It’s worth understanding how deductibles affect what you pay. Many plans include excellent therapy benefits but have high deductibles that must be met first. Plans with lower deductibles often have higher monthly premiums, so families are essentially paying up front rather than at the point of care. There’s no universally “better” plan — it depends on your family’s situation. Our Intake Coordinator can walk you through how your specific plan works.
What If My Plan Doesn’t Cover Services?
If our Intake Coordinator determines your benefits don’t include coverage for therapy services with Skills on the Hill, you still have options:
- Use your FSA or HSA. Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Spending Accounts can typically be used to pay for therapy services.
- Start with a Developmental Screening. One of our therapists can provide a screening to share their professional opinion on whether your child would benefit from a full evaluation, or whether there are strategies you can try at home or in the community first.
- Split your care. Some families come to us for an initial evaluation (often available much sooner than at in-network providers) and then take that evaluation to an in-network provider for ongoing services. Others do the reverse — get an evaluation from an in-network provider, then come to Skills on the Hill for regular services.
- Explore Medicaid options. If you’re interested in applying for DC Medicaid (which includes HSCSN), a Medicaid Waiver, or VA Medicaid, we can point you to the right resources.
- Download our Funding Resources packet. We’ve compiled a guide to additional funding opportunities for families who qualify.
In-Network vs. Out-of-Network: A Quick Explainer
In-network providers have a contract with an insurance company at pre-negotiated rates. However, being in-network doesn’t guarantee that services will be paid for — insurance companies require that therapy be “medically necessary” and may only cover specific diagnoses and procedures.
Out-of-network services may also be a covered benefit of your insurance plan. This means you can choose to receive services from a provider who doesn’t have a contract with your insurance, and your plan may still reimburse a portion of the cost. Benefits are paid at a different rate than in-network providers.
Typically, HMO plans only cover in-network providers. PPO and POS plans often have out-of-network options that may allow you to be reimbursed for therapy services — but every plan is different. The only way to know for sure is to verify your specific benefits.
If you’re not sure what your plan covers, that’s exactly what our free benefits check is for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you submit claims directly to insurance?
Yes — for both in-network and out-of-network plans. We file claims on your behalf so you don’t have to.
How long does the benefits check take?
Our Intake Coordinator will reach out within one business day of receiving your insurance information.
Will you tell me exactly what I’ll pay?
We’ll tell you the maximum you would pay per session — that’s the protection you have under the federal No Surprises Act. For out-of-network plans, the exact reimbursement from your insurance is only confirmed after we file a claim. We’re upfront about this because insurance companies don’t reliably share that information in advance, and we’d rather be honest about what we know than guess.
What happens if my plan reimburses less than expected?
Your cost per session is capped at our self-pay rate under the No Surprises Act. So even if reimbursement comes in lower than anticipated, you’ll never pay more than that ceiling.
Where are you located?
We have two locations: Capitol Hill in Washington, DC and Arlington, VA.
What ages do you serve?
We provide pediatric occupational, physical, and speech-language therapy services. Contact us with your child’s age and area of concern and we’ll let you know if we’re the right fit.
What if I need an evaluation sooner than 2–4 weeks?
Let us know you’d like to be on our cancellation list. We frequently have last-minute openings and can often get families in significantly sooner.
How does the parent meeting after an evaluation work?
After your child’s evaluation, you’ll receive a comprehensive written narrative report. Our therapist will then meet with you to walk through the findings, answer your questions, and discuss recommendations.
Ready to Get Started?
Find out what your insurance covers — in one business day. No commitment. No cost. Just clear information so you can make the best decision for your child.