Payment Policy

North Shore Lactation, LLC (“NSL,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to being transparent about the cost of your care. This Payment Policy explains how we bill insurance, what you may owe out of pocket, how and when payment is collected, and your rights regarding cost estimates. By scheduling an appointment with NSL, you agree to the terms of this Payment Policy.

Last Updated: August 21, 2026

1. Insurance Billing

NSL is in-network with many major insurance plans and will submit claims to your insurance company as a courtesy where applicable. You are responsible for providing accurate, current insurance information for both the lactating parent and the baby, and for notifying us of any change in coverage before your appointment. Many insurance plans cover lactation consultations at no cost to you under preventive care provisions; however, coverage, cost-sharing, and plan rules vary widely and are ultimately determined by your insurance carrier, not by NSL.

2. Estimates and Benefits Verification

Any coverage estimate provided by NSL — including through our online “Check My Coverage” tool, over the phone, or by a member of our team — reflects information available to us at the time of the request and is an estimate only. It is not a guarantee of payment or coverage. We encourage you to confirm your specific benefits, deductible status, and cost-sharing responsibility directly with your insurance carrier before your visit.

3. Out-of-Network Care

If NSL is out-of-network with your insurance plan, we will still submit claims on your behalf where possible, and can provide a superbill for you to submit for potential out-of-network reimbursement. Out-of-network benefits, reimbursement rates, and any applicable deductible are determined by your insurance plan.

4. Your Financial Responsibility

You are responsible for any co-payment, deductible, coinsurance, non-covered service, denied claim, or other patient responsibility or amount assigned to you by your insurance company. If a balance is due after your insurance has processed a claim, we will provide written notice, including an explanation of the charges, before collecting payment. Patient financial responsibility for a single lactation consultation visit will not exceed $150.

5. Self-Pay Patients and Your Right to a Good Faith Estimate

If you do not have insurance, or you choose not to use your insurance for a visit, self-pay rates for our services are available upon request and at the time of scheduling. Under the federal No Surprises Act, uninsured and self-pay patients have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate of expected charges before receiving care. You can request a Good Faith Estimate from our team by phone, text, or email before scheduling or at least a few business days before your appointment. If you receive a bill that is substantially higher (generally $400 or more) than your Good Faith Estimate, you may be eligible to dispute the bill.

6. Accepted Payment Methods

NSL accepts all major credit and debit cards, as well as most HSA and FSA cards, for any patient-responsibility balance, self-pay services, or products. We do not accept cash or personal checks for online or phone transactions.

7. Card on File and Payment Authorization

By scheduling an appointment, you authorize NSL to securely store a payment method on file and to charge that payment method for any applicable patient-responsibility balance after written notice of the charges has been provided, as described in Section 4. If no payment method is on file at the time a balance is identified, we will send you an invoice, which you agree to pay promptly upon receipt and in any event within 14 days.

8. Cancellations, Rescheduling, and No-Shows

Cancellation, rescheduling, and no-show fees are governed by our separate Cancellation Policy, which is incorporated into this Payment Policy by reference. Any such fees will be charged to the payment method on file or invoiced consistent with Section 7 above.

9. Billing Questions and Disputes

If you believe a charge is incorrect, please contact us promptly using the information in Section 12 below so we can review it. We will not send a balance to collections while a good-faith billing dispute you have raised with us is under active review. Disputes regarding your insurance carrier's coverage determination should be directed to your insurance company, though our billing team is happy to assist where we can.

10. Refunds

If you are owed a refund — for example, because insurance paid more than expected after you had already made a payment — we will issue the refund to your original payment method within a reasonable time after the overpayment is identified, generally within 30 days.

11. Delinquent Accounts

Accounts with an outstanding balance more than 30 days past the date of written notice may be subject to additional collection efforts, which may include referral to a third-party collection agency, as permitted by applicable law. We will make reasonable efforts to contact you before taking such action.

12. Changes to This Payment Policy

We may update this Payment Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. When we do, we will post the revised version on this page and update the “Last Updated” date above. Please review this Payment Policy periodically to stay informed about our payment practices.

By proceeding, I confirm that I have read, understand, and voluntarily agree to this Payment Policy, and that I have had the opportunity to ask questions before my visit.

Questions about this Payment Policy? Contact us at:

North Shore Lactation, LLC
Phone/Text: (847) 220-4192
Website: www.northshorelactation.com
Email: info@northshorelactation.com
Address: 6200 N Hiawatha Ave, Ste 260, Chicago, IL 60646