No Surprise Act

The No Surprises Act is a federal law that protects you from unexpected medical bills—also known as surprise bills—when you receive certain types of care.

This means:

• You won’t be charged extra if you get emergency care or are treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network facility without knowing it.
  
• Your cost will be based on in-network rates for protected services, even if the provider isn’t in your insurance network.
  
• If you’re uninsured or self-paying, you have the right to a Good Faith Estimate that shows the expected cost of services before you receive care.
  

This law helps ensure transparency, fairness, and financial protection for your mental health treatment. If you have questions about your rights, billing, or estimates, please contact our office directly.

When you receive care, especially in emergencies or from out-of-network providers at an in-network facility, you are protected from being billed more than your plan’s in-network rates for certain services. These are known as surprise bills or balance bills.

Balance billing occurs when an out-of-network provider bills you for the difference between what your health plan agreed to pay and the full amount charged for a service. This can happen unexpectedly if you didn’t know the provider or service was out-of-network.

Starting January 1, 2022, you are protected from surprise billing under the federal No Surprises Act when:

• You receive emergency services, even if provided by an out-of-network provider or facility.
• You are treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network facility (such as a hospital or surgery center), without giving written consent to be billed at higher out-of-network rates.
• You receive services from certain providers (like anesthesiologists, pathologists, radiologists, or assistant surgeons) at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center.
• You are only responsible for paying your share (copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles) based on your plan’s in-network rates. You cannot be billed more for these protected services.

Additional Protections for Patients in Arizona

Arizona, state law further  prohibits surprise billing for:

• Emergency services provided by out-of-network providers.
• Non-emergency services from out-of-network providers working at in-network facilities, unless you give written consent at least 72 hours in advance.
• Arizona law requires providers to notify you of your rights and obtain proper consent before delivering non-emergency, out-of-network services that may result in balance billing.

What You Can Do?

• Always ask if your provider is in-network with your health plan.
• Request a Good Faith Estimate before your appointment if you are self-pay or out-of-network.
• If you receive a surprise medical bill, do not pay it right away. Contact your health plan or our billing department to review the charge.

Contact for Questions or Disputes, if you believe you’ve been wrongly billed, you may contact:

• Mindful Synergy Psychiatry Billing Office
  Email: admin@mindfulsynergypsychiatry.com
  Phone: [ (480) 750‑7443]
• Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI)
  Website: https://difi.az.gov
  Phone: (602) 364-3100
• Federal No Surprises Help Desk
  Website: https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
  Phone: 1-800-985-3059

This information is provided to help you understand your rights under the No Surprises Act and Arizona law. It does not constitute legal advice