No Surprises Act

Your right to a Good Faith Estimate

Under the federal No Surprises Act, patients who are uninsured, or who are insured but choose not to submit a claim to their health plan, have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate of the expected cost of their care.

Spine Solvers is an out-of-network practice. Most of our patients pay directly rather than billing insurance, which means this right applies to nearly everyone we treat.

What that means in practice

• You can ask for a written estimate of expected charges before you schedule, and at any point afterward.
• When you schedule a visit, we will provide the estimate in writing, generally within one to three business days depending on how far in advance you book.
• The estimate covers the evaluation and treatment we reasonably expect to provide. It is an estimate, not a bill, and it does not obligate you to proceed.
• If your final bill is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute it through the federal patient-provider dispute resolution process with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Keep a copy of your estimate. You may need it if you dispute a bill.

How to request an estimate

Call us at (646) 781-8884. Someone answers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Tell us what you are coming in for and we will prepare the estimate. There is no charge for it.

What the No Surprises Act does not cover here

The law also contains separate protections against surprise balance billing. Those apply in specific situations: emergency care, care from an out-of-network provider delivered at an in-network facility, and air ambulance services.

Choosing an out-of-network concierge practice on purpose is not one of those situations, so those particular balance-billing protections do not apply to routine visits with us. We say so plainly because we would rather you know exactly where you stand than discover it later. What you do have is the right to a clear, written estimate before you commit, and we would give you that regardless of what the law required.

More information

For the federal government’s own explanation of these rights, visit cms.gov/nosurprises (opens in new tab), or call (646) 781-8884 and ask us.

This page explains your billing rights in general terms. It is not legal advice, and it does not change the terms of any agreement you sign with us. See our Terms of Use and Medical Disclaimer.