The No Surprises Act
and a Good Faith Estimate
Under the federal No Surprises Act, health care providers are generally required to provide a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) to clients who do not have health insurance or who choose not to use their insurance to pay for health care services, including psychotherapy.
If you are uninsured or are choosing to pay for your psychotherapy services without using insurance, you have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate of the expected charges for your care. A Good Faith Estimate is an estimate of the expected cost of services and is not a bill.
You may request a Good Faith Estimate before scheduling services, and you will generally receive one when you schedule services at least 3 business days in advance. The estimate will include the services and charges that I reasonably expect to provide during the estimated period of care. Because psychotherapy needs and treatment schedules can change over time, the actual services you receive may differ from what was originally estimated. If your expected services or treatment plan change significantly, you may request an updated estimate.
Please note that a Good Faith Estimate generally reflects the expected charges from the provider who gives you the estimate. If you receive services from other health care providers or facilities, you may need to obtain a separate Good Faith Estimate from those providers or facilities.
After receiving care, compare your bill with your Good Faith Estimate. If you receive a bill from a provider that is at least $400 more than that provider's Good Faith Estimate, you may be eligible to dispute the bill through the federal Patient-Provider Dispute Resolution process. A dispute generally must be initiated within 120 calendar days of the date of the initial bill.
Please keep a copy of your Good Faith Estimate and any related billing documents for your records. You can learn more about Good Faith Estimates and your rights under the No Surprises Act through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) or by contacting the No Surprises Help Desk at 1-800-985-3059.