Information on Good Faith Estimate of Charges
You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your health care will cost. All this information will be available at our office or emailed upon request. You have the right to terminate services when you choose.
Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including chiropractic services. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including chiropractic services. You can ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service. All fees are discussed prior to or at the initial session and payment is due at the time of service. Fees are disclosed in the Good Faith Estimate. Below is detailed information regarding the No Surprises Act.
YOUR RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS AGAINST SURPRISE MEDICAL BILLS
(OMB Control Number: 0938-1401)
What is “balance billing” or “surprise billing”?
When you see a doctor or other health care provider, you may owe certain out-of-pocket costs, such as a copayment, coinsurance, and/or a deductible. You may have other costs or have to pay the entire bill if you see a provider or visit a health care facility that isn’t in your health plan’s network.
“Out-of-network” describes providers and facilities that haven’t signed a contract with your health plan. Out-of-network providers may be permitted to bill you for the difference between what your plan agreed to pay and the full amount charged for a service. This is called “balance billing.” This amount is likely more than in-network costs for the same service and might not count toward your annual out-of-pocket limit.
“Surprise billing” is an unexpected balance bill. This can happen when you can’t control who is involved in your care - like when you have an emergency or when you schedule a visit at an in-network facility but are unexpectedly treated by an out-of-network provider.
You are protected from balance billing for:
Emergency services
If you have an emergency medical condition and get emergency services from an out-of-network provider or facility, the most the provider or facility may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount (such as copayments and coinsurance). You can’t be balance billed for these emergency services. This includes services you may get after you’re in stable condition, unless you give written consent and give up your protections not to be balanced billed for these post-stabilization services.
Certain services at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center
When you get services from an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, certain providers there may be out-of-network. In these cases, the most those providers may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount. This applies to emergency medicine, anesthesia, pathology, radiology, laboratory, neonatology, assistant surgeon, hospitalist, or intensivist services. These providers can’t balance bill you and may not ask you to give up your protections not to be balance billed.
If you get other services at these in-network facilities, out-of-network providers can’t balance bill you unless you give written consent and give up your protections.
You’re never required to give up your protection from balance billing. You also aren’t required to get care out-of-network. You can choose a provider or facility in your plan’s network.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.