Starting January 1, 2022, new legislation went into effect that requires health care providers and facilities to inform self-pay and uninsured individuals of their right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” of expected charges. The purpose of the law, known as the “No Surprises Act”, is to protect self-pay/uninsured consumers from unanticipated and expensive bills for out-of-network services.

If you are uninsured or don’t plan to use your insurance:

• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) explaining how much your treatment will cost.

• You have the right to receive the GFE at least one (1) business day before your first scheduled appointment.

• You have the right to dispute the bill if your costs are $400 or more over your GFE.

• Be sure to save a copy or picture of your GFE for future reference.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.

The No Surprises Act (NSA) applies specifically to those individuals who do not have insurance or who do not intend to use their insurance. If we will bill your insurance or you plan to submit to insurance on your own, the right to receive a GFE does not apply to you. However, all psychotherapists already have an ethical obligation to provide advance notice of costs and fees for every patient.

If you are using insurance, keep in mind that the expected cost to you is based on information provided by your insurance which, in a small percentage of cases, may not be accurate or up to date. If you are concerned about your costs it is always good practice to call the membership benefits number on your insurance card and double check your benefits yourself.