Fees

This law is intended to reduce unexpected medical bills (for example your ER doctor is out of network with your insurance and you end up with a surprise bill). Under the law, healthcare providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services. Not to worry though, my costs are listed above and we will always discuss any changes. There are no surprise bills here! 

Here is what you want to know under the new law:

• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services
• Make sure your healthcare provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your psychological service
• 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 right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-877-696-6775. 

January 2022

Dear Client,

A new rule from the Center for Medicare Services went into effect on January 1, 2022.  This rule requires us to give a “good faith estimate” (GFE) to a patient of what our services will cost and how long they may last.  The intent of this rule is to prevent clients from getting ‘surprise bills’ which does sometimes happen when seeking emergency care or care in a large system where one service or provider might be covered by your insurance, and another may not.  This is less likely to occur in this office where your session fee is clearly communicated.  That said, even us little offices are still subject to this rule.  We have been given minimal direction as to how to carry it out, but I am taking my best shot with what I know right now.  

Here is what we have been told must be in the Good Faith Estimate:

• The patient’s name and date of birth.  Well, you know your name and date of birth.  
• A description of the psychotherapy or other service(s) being furnished to the patient:  45 minutes of mental health therapy
• An itemized list of items or services that are “reasonably expected” to be furnished:  Therapy sessions
• Expected charges associated with each psychotherapy session or other service(s):  $175/session.  Maybe less if your insurance covers some of it.  It won’t be more than that per session.
• Your name, National Provider Identifier, Tax Identification Number, and office location where services will be provided:  

              Julie R Stender  NPI 1134283716  Tax ID: 208028329

              600 W 78th Street Suite 220

              Chanhassen, MN 55317

• A disclaimer that there may be additional items or services that you recommend as part of the treatment that will be scheduled separately and is not reflected in the good faith estimate:  Not likely, but if I give you a suggestion or referral source, that will obviously be a different service and different cost
• A disclaimer that the information provided in the good faith estimate is only an estimate and those actual items, services, or charges may differ from the good faith estimate:  There’s your disclaimer.  😊
• A disclaimer that the good faith estimate does not require the private pay patient to obtain psychotherapy or other services from you:  Clearly, you are welcome to see me or not see me.  😊