The No Surprises Act was passed in December 2020, under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, with the aim of protecting consumers from receiving unexpected medical bills.
The Good Faith Estimate provision of the No Surprises Act federally mandates that healthcare providers must give clients an estimate of anticipated healthcare items and services, using what is called a “Good Faith Estimate.” This took effect on January 1, 2022.
What is a Good Faith Estimate?

A Good Faith Estimate is an estimate of the total expected costs of non-emergency healthcare items or services.

• Intends to offer predictability & transparency in how much clients will be charged for healthcare services prior to their appointment.
• Includes all regularly scheduled appointments (i.e. therapy sessions).
• Does NOT include no-shows, late cancellations, or other services related to crisis care, which by definition are unexpected and cannot be predicted for the purpose of compiling a Good Faith Estimate in advance.
• May also include consultations with client collateral contacts, fees related to paperwork requests, and other legal and administrative fees related to client care, when such items are scheduled in advance.

In my practice, I offer Good Faith Estimates that project out 12 months in advance. Essentially, your estimate will give you a reasonable idea what to expect in terms of therapy costs for one whole year, based on my current rates and the frequency of sessions that we mutually agree upon in advance.
What are your rights as a client?

I support each and every client in knowing their rights as pertains to the No Surprises Act. You can find more details regarding your rights and protections against surprise medical bills here.
In addition, the Good Faith Estimate offers specific protections:

• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate even if you get superbills from me.

• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare service or items.
• You have the right to receive your Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your scheduled healthcare service or item. If a service is scheduled at least 10 business days in advance, the Good Faith Estimate must be provided within 3 business days (of the scheduling, not of the appointment itself). If a service is scheduled at least 3 business days in advance, the Good Faith Estimate must be provided within 1 business day of scheduling.
• You have the right to request a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a healthcare service or item. For services scheduled less than 3 business days in advance, please note that a Good Faith Estimate is not required by federal law, and will not be provided for you in written form except by request.
• You have the right to receive a requested Good Faith Estimate within 3 business days.
• You have the right to dispute a bill that exceeds your Good Faith Estimate. The federal government offers a dispute resolution process for this purpose.

Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.
For questions about the dispute process or for more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, please visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.
What considerations should clients keep in mind?

DISCLAIMERS:

• The information provided in the Good Faith Estimate is only that: an estimate. Actual healthcare items, services, or charges may differ or change throughout the year, even for long-term established clients. For new clients, I may revise your estimate once we have met and discussed more details around your symptoms, likely diagnoses, severity, and treatment plan, which may not be reflected in the Good Faith Estimate you initially receive. However, I will never schedule healthcare services or items without client consent, and clients may request an updated Good Faith Estimate at any time.
• The Good Faith Estimate is not a contract, and does not bind, obligate, or require any client to obtain healthcare services or items from me at any time.
• There are no federal provisions allowing clients to waive their right to a Good Faith Estimate at this time. The regulation allows clients to waive some of the protections related to balance billing, but does not allow me as a therapist to bypass the Good Faith Estimate through a client waiver. As such, I am required by law to send all ongoing clients new Good Faith Estimates every 12 months; clients cannot opt-out, and are required to acknowledge receipt and understanding of each new Good Faith Estimate in order to comply with federal law so that we may continue working together. I am truly sorry for the inconvenience!

Still have questions about the Good Faith Estimate? Please visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises for more guidance.

Insurance
Services are offered for self pay clients and some health insurance and EAP providers are accepted.  Some clients choose not to use their insurance providers and pay out of pocket for different reasons (e.g. deductibles, client may discover that their Mental Health coverage has limitations/conditions regarding number of sessions or type of counseling session, or  co-pays).  One of best ways to check if your insurance is accepted by a provider is by calling your insurance provider, typically listed as Mental Health/Behavioral Health service on the back of your card, or visiting their website.

Payment
Cash, credit cards, checks are acceptable for payment. All payments and Co-Pays are due at the time of your session.

Cancellation Policy
If you do not show up for your scheduled therapy appointment, and you have not notified us at least 24 hours in advance, you may be required to pay the full cost of the session.

How can therapy help me?

  A number of benefits are available from participating in therapy. Therapists can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood issues, grief, stress management, body image issues and creative blocks. Many people also find that counselors can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, marriage issues, and the hassles of daily life. Therapists can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

• Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
• Developing skills for improving your relationships
• Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
• Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
• Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
• Improving communications and listening skills
• Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones
• Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage
• Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence

Please call or email me for an individual, or couples therapy appointment. I look forward to speaking with you. Consultations are available for a fee and are not covered by most health insurance plans. Please do not use this site's email nor contact form for emergencies. Please call 911 for medical emergencies or 1-800-715-4225 for Mental health emergencies.
Telephone number: 678.834.0880                                 

Address: 5835 Campbellton Rd. Bldg 300, Ste 303 Atlanta, GA 30331