The No Surprises Act and a Good Faith Estimate

You may request a Good Faith Estimate from your provider prior to starting therapy services. These estimates will outline expected charges over the course of treatment. The No Surprises Act requires healthcare providers and facilities to provide a good faith estimate for services provided. Providers licensed by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & Marriage and Family Therapist Board have long been required to do this as part of our informed consent process. Our informed consents are required to outline the actual cost of sessions and are provided to and signed by clients prior to the first session. While we will provide you a Good Faith Estimate if requested, please note that it is difficult for us to estimate how many sessions you will need prior to completing a full evaluation of your presenting concerns and it is unethical for us to provide you with a mental health diagnosis prior to completing a diagnostic assessment.

Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, health care providers and health care facilities are required to inform individuals who are not enrolled in a medical plan or have coverage or eligible for a Federal health care program, or not seeking to file a claim with their plan or coverage both orally and in writing of their ability, upon request or at the time of scheduling health care items and services, to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” of expected charges.

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

Under the law, health care providers need to give clients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.

Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.

If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.

Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your rights to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises