No Surprises Act

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost.

On January 1, 2022, the “No Surprises” Act went into effect. This is designed to provide transparency regarding medical expenses and to protect individuals from surprises when they receive their medical bills.

This act requires health care practitioners to provide current and potential clients a “Good Faith Estimate” (GFE) on the cost of treatment. Currently under the law, health care providers need to give clients who don’t have insurance or who are self pay and not using their insurance (submitting superbills for out of network reimbursement) an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

Due to a variety of factors it can be challenging to estimate the length of treatment for mental health counseling. Each individual client is unique and has various circumstances and unforeseen issues that may impact length of treatment. Some clients are satisfied with a reduction in symptoms while others continue longer because they see it is beneficial to do so. You will work collaboratively with this therapist to determine the frequency and duration of treatment and you can decide how long to stay engaged in therapy.

I am committed to helping clients feel better and reach their goals as soon as possible. The cash-pay fee for session is $150. A client will not be charged more per hour than expected unless there is a change in fee, in which case there will be advanced notice of this fee change and there will be signed consent to the new hourly rate.

In summary, providers and facilities must give you:

  • Your good faith estimate before an item or service is provided, within certain timeframes.

  • An itemized list with specific details and expected charges for items and services related to your care. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.

  • Your good faith estimate in writing (paper or electronic). Note: A provider or facility can discuss the information included in the estimate over the phone or in person if you ask.

  • Your estimate in a way that’s accessible to you.

If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. See the website below for steps to take.

Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.

For more information about The Good Faith Estimate policy, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call (800) 368-1019.