Good Faith Estimates
Information for clients who are not using insurance

Notice: ​You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost

​

Beginning January 1, 2022, federal laws regulating client care have been updated to include the “No Surprises” Act. Under the law, healthcare providers need to give patients who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services called a “Good Faith Estimate” (GFE) explaining how much your medical care will cost. This new regulation is designed to provide transparency to patients regarding their expected medical expenses and to protect them from surprises when they receive their medical bills. It allows patients to understand how much their health care will cost before they receive services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees. A Good Faith Estimate is to be given in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider 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, so 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 ​800-985-3059. 

How does this law relate to psychotherapy?

The nature of psychotherapy is different in many ways than traditional medical expenses. When non-emergency medical treatment requires an x-ray, exam, or other medical procedure, the costs are typically known and fixed. With mental health treatment, every client's therapy journey is unique and adjustments need to be made to address factors such as

• Your schedule and life circumstances

• Therapist availability

• Ongoing or emerging life challenges

• The nature of your specific challenges and how you address them

• Compliance with therapy exercises

• Transparency in session

• Personal finances

• Whether your goal is the reduction of symptoms or more complete symptom remission

​You and I will continually assess the appropriate frequency of therapy and will work together to determine when you have met your goals and are ready for discharge and/or a new "Good Faith Estimate" will be issued should your frequency or needs change.
 

​Services at Baylife Christian Counseling

• 90791: 80-minute Intake session ($240)

• 90834: 50-minute individual psychotherapy session ($160) 

• 90837: 80-minute individual psychotherapy session ($240) 

• 90846/7: 50-minute Family/Couples psychotherapy session ($160)   

• 90846/7 + 99354: 80-minute Couples extended psychotherapy session ($240) 

• 90853: 50-minute Group therapy session ($100)

​​

Good Faith Estimate

The "Good Faith Estimate" requires practitioners to provide an exact estimate and not a range. The American Psychological Association  reports that “on average 15 to 20 sessions are required for 50 percent of patients to recover as indicated by self-reported symptom measures”. Additionally, they state that sometimes the preference is for “longer periods (e.g., 20 to 30 sessions over six months), to achieve more complete symptom remission and to feel confident in the skills needed to maintain treatment gains”.  Treatment for Axis II diagnoses, such as Borderline Personality Disorder, requires longer treatment times and Good Faith Estimates can only be discussed in person.

The initial GFE will include the initial assessment and 4 sessions. Once treatment goals are more solidly clarified, treatment progress and compliance is ascertained, and both parties agree that continuation is in the clients' best interest, a new GFE will be provided prior to the fifth session. Because the majority of variables are client-determined, out of an abundance of caution and transparency, Baylife Christian Counseling will quote here a range of estimates that includes the initial GFE, as well as a GFE for intake plus 20 sessions, 30 sessions, and one year of weekly appointments (51) without missing due to sickness, vacations, holidays etc.