Good Faith Estimate Centennial, CO
- Your Right to Know the Cost
- Uninsured and Self-Pay Patients
- Written Estimate on Request
Under the federal No Surprises Act, patients who are uninsured or who choose not to use their insurance have the right to know what their care will cost before it begins. That written estimate is called a Good Faith Estimate.
Axis Health and Wellness provides one on request and as a matter of course once a treatment plan has been recommended. Dr. Tony Nicholas has practiced in Centennial since 1997, and cost has always been discussed openly rather than left until the bill arrives.
What a Good Faith Estimate Includes
- An itemized list of the services expected as part of your treatment plan.
- The expected charge for each of those services.
- Diagnosis and service codes where they apply.
- The provider and the location where care will be delivered.
It covers the care reasonably expected at the time it is written. Plans such as spinal decompression or a course of SoftWave therapy are estimated as a full series so the total is visible up front rather than visit by visit.
When You Receive One
- 1 You can ask at any point. An estimate is available before you schedule, at the consultation, or any time you are weighing whether to go ahead.
- 2 Before care is scheduled. If your visit is booked at least three business days out, the written estimate is provided within one business day of scheduling.
- 3 After the exam. Once the findings are in and a plan is recommended, you receive the estimate for that plan before treatment begins.
If the Bill Comes in Higher
If you receive a bill that is at least four hundred dollars more than your Good Faith Estimate, you have the right to dispute it through the federal patient-provider dispute resolution process. The dispute must be started within one hundred twenty calendar days of the date on the bill.
Keep a copy of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions about your rights, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-800-985-3059. This notice is required by law and is not a contract, and it does not oblige you to receive any of the services listed.
Insurance, Claims and Payment
Good Faith Estimates apply to self-pay and uninsured care. If you are using insurance, benefits are verified before your plan is set. Care following a collision is usually billed to the claim rather than to you, and that process is explained on the auto accident care page. For anything not covered, payment plans are available, including interest free options, and the new patients page walks through what a first visit involves.
Good Faith Estimate FAQs
Who is entitled to a Good Faith Estimate?
Patients who are uninsured, and insured patients who choose not to use their coverage for a service. If you are billing insurance, your plan’s estimate process applies instead.
Do I have to ask for one?
You can, and you are entitled to one in writing. The office also provides an estimate once a treatment plan is recommended, before care begins.
What if my treatment plan changes partway through?
A revised estimate is provided. Care plans get re-evaluated as patients respond, and any change to the expected cost is explained before it is carried out.
Ask for Your Estimate Before You Decide
Nobody should have to guess what care will cost. Call the Centennial office or use the contact page to request a written Good Faith Estimate, with no obligation to book anything afterward.