SELF-PAY

Under the No Surprises Act (H.R. 133 – which will go into effect on January 1, 2022), health care providers need to give clients or patients who do not have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

The good faith estimate (or GFE) is a notification that outlines an uninsured (or self-pay) individual’s expected charges for a scheduled or requested item or service.

Note: A Good Faith Estimate is for your awareness only. It does NOT involve you needing to make any type of commitment.

Providers and facilities must give this estimate to an uninsured (or self-pay) individual (or their authorized representative) who requests it or who schedules an item or service. The good faith estimate will also include items or services reasonably expected to be provided along with the primary item(s) or service(s), even if the individual will receive the items and services from another provider or another facility.

These requirements are applicable for good faith estimates requested on or after January 1, 2022 or for good faith estimates required to be provided in connection with items or services scheduled on or after January 1, 2022.

The Good Faith Estimate shows the costs of items and services that are reasonably expected for your health care needs for an item or service. The estimate is based on information known at the time the estimate was created.

The Good Faith Estimate does not include any unknown or unexpected costs that may arise during treatment. You could be charged more if complications or special circumstances occur. If this happens, federal law allows you to dispute (appeal) the bill.

If you are billed for more than this Good Faith Estimate, you have the right to dispute the bill.

You may contact the health care provider or facility listed to let them know the billed charges are higher than the Good Faith Estimate. You can ask them to update the bill to match the Good Faith Estimate, ask to negotiate the bill, or ask if there is financial assistance available.

You may also start a dispute resolution process with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). If you choose to use the dispute resolution process, you must start the dispute process within 120 calendar days (about 4 months) of the date on the original bill.

There is a $25 fee to use the dispute process. If the agency reviewing your dispute agrees with you, you will have to pay the price on this Good Faith Estimate. If the agency disagrees with you and agrees with the health care provider or facility, you will have to pay the higher amount.

To learn more and get a form to start the process, go to https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises/consumers or call 1-800-985-3059.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate or the dispute process, visit https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises/consumers or call 1-800-985-3059.

Keep a copy of this Good Faith Estimate in a safe place or take pictures of it. You may need it if you are billed a higher amount.

If you have any questions, please contact  Elizabeth Black, LCSW, LICSW at [email protected]