Dear Current And Potential Future Clients,
Apparently Congress enacted a “No Surprises Act” which is set to go into effect 1/1/2022. The act is described as “new federal protections against surprise medical bills that take effect in 2022. Surprise medical bills arise when insured consumers inadvertently receive care from out-of-network hospitals, doctors, or other providers they did not choose” (please see https://www.kff.org/health-reform/issue-brief/no-surprises-act-implementation-what-to-expect-in-2022/). I am “out of network” for all insurance companies and discuss my fees at my first telephone contact with a prospective client or patient. I also discuss fees before raising them, and also if you have any questions at anytime.
It is highly unlikely this could affect our work together. There will be no situation in which you would “inadvertently” receive care from me or with no choice. Also, the final rules about how to implement this in a practice such as mine have not even been written yet by the federal government. At this time, multiple professional organizations are scrambling to understand the details of this law, to whom it applies and how to apply it. Guidance so far is uncertain and in many cases conflicting.
If we currently work together, you are already aware of my charges and your costs. If you are considering working with me, available information suggests I might need to provide you with a diagnosis before we even meet, which of course would be both unethical and impossible without a meaningful evaluation of your circumstances.
Rest assured that I will be as transparent with you about the costs of the services we agree on together. You will have “no surprises” here. This transparency is required by ethical standards by which I have abided for the 40 years I have been in practice, and simply because it is necessary for us to work well together.
In the meantime, you may certainly ask me about any costs about which you may be unsure, and you will be provided clear information.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any related questions. My contact information is on my home page at: https://jeffzimmermanphd.com/