Good Faith Estimate
You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” that explains how much your medical and mental health care will cost you. As of January 1, 2022, health care providers are required to inform individuals, upon request or at time of scheduling services, to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” of expected charges.
Under the law, health care providers need to give clients who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy.
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services.
You can ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service.
If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
Make sure you save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.
Your session frequency will be discussed during your initial session and as therapy progresses. I typically recommend starting therapy with weekly or bi-weekly sessions so that we can dive into your story, build rapport, and gain traction on your goals. You will only consent to one session at a time, which means you will not be “surprised” by any cost for services you have not agreed to.
Based upon a fee of $200 per session, if you attend one psychotherapy session per week, your estimated charge would be $800 for four sessions over the course of one month. If you attend therapy biweekly, your estimated cost would be $400 for two sessions over the course of one month. If you attend therapy for a longer period, your total estimated charges will increase according to the number of visits and length of treatment. We will work collaboratively to ensure you are only attending sessions as needed and deemed effective/helpful to you. Any diagnostic codes will not be identifiable until you begin treatment and will inform your treatment plan including recommended session frequency.
For more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 800-368-1019.