No Surprises Act
The No Surprises Act seeks to protect consumers from surprise medical bills arising out of certain out-of-network care.
Good Faith Estimate
You are entitled to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” of what the charges could be for psychotherapy services provided to you. While it is not possible for a psychotherapist to know, in advance, how many psychotherapy sessions may be necessary or appropriate for a given person, we will give you our best estimate of the cost of services provided. Your total cost of services will depend upon the number of psychotherapy sessions you attend, your individual circumstances, and the type and amount of services that are provided to you. This estimate is not a contract and does not obligate you to obtain any services from the provider(s) listed, nor does it include any services rendered to you that are not identified here.
Communication
In accordance with the Public Health Services Act, health care providers and health care facilities are required to inform uninsured and self-pay individuals both orally and in writing of their right to receive a good faith estimate of expected charges.
Estimates
A good faith estimate is a notification of expected charges for a scheduled or requested item or service, including items or services that are reasonably expected to be provided in conjunction with such scheduled or requested item or service. The expected charge for an item or service is the cash pay rate or the rate established by a provider for an uninsured or self-pay patient, reflecting any discounts for those individuals.
Scope
Most, if not all, psychotherapy patients will receive regular and recurring services. Providers and facilities that anticipate treating a patient throughout the year may provide a single good faith estimate to that patient for those services as long as the estimate includes the expected scope of the recurring services (i.e., time frame, frequency, and total number or recurring services).
Disputes
Starting in January 2022, if an uninsured or self-pay consumer is billed for an amount that exceeds the good faith estimate they were provided, they can use a new patient-provider dispute resolution process to determine a payment amount. Consumers are eligible to use this process if they have a good faith estimate, they have a bill within the previous 120 calendar days, and the difference between the good faith estimate and the bill is at least $400.