In compliance with the No Surprises Act that went into effect January 1, 2022, all healthcare providers are required to notify clients of their Federal rights and protections against “surprise billing” and their rights to receive a “Good Faith Estimate.”*
You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate (GFE)” explaining how much your medical care will cost. Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who do not have insurance, or who are not using insurance, an estimate of the bill for medical items and services. The estimate is based on information known at the time the estimate was created. The GFE does not include any unknown or unexpected costs that may arise during treatment.
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. You can request that your health care provider give you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least one business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your healthcare 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.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit http://www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call (206) 627-0109.
*Please note that the Good Faith Estimate only applies to patients who are private-pay, not using insurance to pay for services. If using insurance, however, Pediatric People does its best to check insurance benefits prior to appointments and will provide you with an estimate, if requested. Please note that insurance estimates are not a guarantee of payment, and all patients should contact their insurance company directly for any questions regarding services and benefits.