You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your health care will cost
Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have certain types of health care coverage or who are not using certain types of health care coverage an estimate of their bill for health care items and services before those items or services are provided.
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any health care items or services upon request or when scheduling such items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
If you schedule a health care item or service at least three (3) business days in advance, make sure your health care provider or facility gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing within one (1) business day after scheduling. If you schedule a health care item or service at least ten (10) business days in advance, make sure your health care provider or facility gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing within three (3) business days after scheduling. You can also ask any health care provider or facility for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service. If you do, make sure the health care provider or facility gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing within three (3) business days after you ask.
The Good Faith Estimate may be requested via the patient portal, in person, or via the mail. Please specify which delivery method is preferred.
If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more for any provider or facility than your Good Faith Estimate from that provider or facility, you can dispute the bill
Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate and the bill.
DISCLAIMERS
-You may be recommend additional services or items as part of the course of care that must be scheduled or requested separately and are not reflected in the Good Faith Estimate.
-The information is only an estimate of what is reasonably expected to be furnished at the time the Good Faith Estimate is issued, and that actual services, items, or charges may differ.
-The Good Faith Estimate is not a contract and does not require you to obtain the services or items from any of the providers or facilities identified in it.
- You have the right to initiate a patient-provider dispute if the actual billed charges are substantially higher than the expected charges included in the good faith estimate. Please contact our office to find information about initiating the dispute resolution process and state that initiation of the process will not adversely affect the quality of the health care services received.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises/consumers, email FederalPPDRQuestions@cms.hhs.gov, or call 1800-985-3059. You also may call or text the billing department at 630-325-8893 Option 3 for questions or more information.