Good Faith Estimate & Your Rights

Under the No Surprises Act (Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act), healthcare providers are required to give clients who are uninsured or choosing not to use their insurance a Good Faith Estimate of what their care is expected to cost.

In plain English, this means you have the right to know what you're likely to pay for therapy before getting started. No hidden fees, no surprises.

What you should know

• You have the right to a Good Faith Estimate outlining the expected cost of your care, including psychotherapy and other non-emergency healthcare services.
• You can request an estimate at any time, including before scheduling your first appointment.
• If you schedule at least 3 business days in advance, you'll receive a written estimate within 1 business day. For appointments scheduled at least 10 business days in advance, you'll receive one within 3 business days.
• If your bill is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you have the right to dispute it through the federal patient-provider dispute resolution process.
• Keep a copy of your estimate for your records, just in case.

My rates

I believe in being transparent about the financial side of therapy. Here are my standard private-pay rates:

Superbills are available for all therapy sessions if you have out-of-network benefits.

What will therapy cost overall?

That's something we'll figure out together.

Therapy isn't one-size-fits-all, and neither is its timeline. Some people come in with a specific goal and find that a handful of sessions is enough. Others benefit from longer-term support, or find that their needs change along the way.

How often we meet, what we work on, and how long we continue are all things we'll revisit collaboratively. You're never locked into a contract or a set number of sessions. You're welcome to pause or end therapy at any time.

Your individualized Good Faith Estimate will outline the anticipated cost of care based on your session fee and expected frequency of appointments. It's an estimate, not a commitment to a particular number of sessions.

Questions or concerns?

I'm always happy to talk through fees, scheduling, or what to expect financially. I'd much rather we have an open conversation than have money become an unspoken source of stress. You can reach me at alanalcsw@alanakivowitz.com.

For more information about your rights under the No Surprises Act, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-800-985-3059.