Good Faith Estimate

Under the No Surprises Act, passed in December 2021, you have the right to a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) of your services. Below is the official notice from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

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Standard Notice: “Right to Receive a Good Faith Estimate of Expected Charges” Under the No Surprises Act

(For use by health care providers no later than January 1, 2022)

Instructions

Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, health care providers and health care facilities are required to inform individuals who are not enrolled in a plan or coverage or a Federal health care program, or not seeking to file a claim with their plan or coverage both orally and in writing of their ability, upon request or at the time of scheduling health care items and services, to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” of expected charges.

This form may be used by the health care providers to inform individuals who are not enrolled in a plan or coverage or a Federal health care program (uninsured individuals), or individuals who are enrolled but not seeking to file a claim with their plan or coverage (self-pay individuals) of their right to a “Good Faith Estimate” to help them estimate the expected charges they may be billed for receiving certain health care items and services. Information regarding the availability of a “Good Faith Estimate” must be prominently displayed on the convening provider’s and convening facility’s website and in the office and on-site where scheduling or questions about the cost of health care occur.

To use this model notice, the provider or facility must fill in the blanks with the appropriate information. HHS considers use of the model notice to be good faith compliance with the good faith estimate requirements to inform an individual of their rights to receive such a notice. Use of this model notice is not required and is provided as a means of facilitating compliance with the applicable notice requirements. However, some form of notice, including the provision of certain required information, is necessary to begin the patient-provider dispute resolution process.

NOTE: The information provided in these instructions is intended only to be a general informal summary of technical legal standards. It is not intended to take the place of the statutes, regulations, or formal policy guidance upon which it is based. Readers should refer to the applicable statutes, regulations, and other interpretive materials for complete and current information.