The No Surprises Act went into effect in January of 2022. It aims to increase price transparency among health care services and to reduce the likelihood that clients receive a “surprise” medical bill. This act requires providers to inform clients of an expected charge for a service before the service is provided. Due to this, I am required by law to inform you of your rights regarding Good Faith Estimates for the cost of receiving mental health services.
At any time, you have the right to ask me or any health care provider for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service. In a Good Faith Estimate, you will receive an estimate of services (type of service/estimate of frequency) and estimated costs for those services for a 12 month period. Furthermore, you will receive a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your scheduled medical service or item when scheduled three days in advance and at least 3 business days prior to your appointment when scheduled 10 days in advance. This estimate is not a contract, nor are you required to obtain the services that are listed. You are free to discontinue services at any point in time or request a referral for another provider.
Good Faith Estimate and Psychotherapy
Due to the unique nature of psychotherapy, it is impossible to predict the exact length of time for treatment. Each individual, couple and family come with distinctive circumstances that can elongate or shorten the process. For this reason, the fees charged at Pax Family Counseling are transparent and predictable. You will obtain a ‘Financial Statement and Considerations’ document which is to be signed before obtaining services and we will discuss fees and policies during our first session. With this information, you can clearly and confidently anticipate the cost associated with receiving counseling.
For questions or more information about your rights and Good Faith Estimates, please visit cms.gov/nosurprises.