Right to Receive a Good Faith Estimate

Uninsured and self-pay patients have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost

Under federal law and regulations, health care providers, like Scipher Medicine (Scipher), need to give patients who don’t have insurance or those who are not using insurance (self-pay) an estimate of the bill for medical items and services under certain specified circumstances.

Who is Entitled to a Good Faith Estimate?

Only patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance are entitled to receive a good faith estimate under federal law.

When you are Entitled to a Good Faith Estimate

Under federal law, uninsured and self-pay patients have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services rendered by a provider when they:

  • Schedule a service with a provider in advance or
  • Request a good faith estimate from a provider before scheduling a service.

Content of the Estimate

The Good Faith Estimate must include, among other information relating the provider, items or services that are reasonably expected to be provided in conjunction with your scheduled or anticipated item or service. As a laboratory, Scipher generally cannot provide an estimate of costs other than those for the laboratory services that it provides itself or arranges for you through other labs, such as the costs charged by the health care provider that orders your laboratory test.

Timing of the Good Faith Estimate

  • When you schedule a service with Scipher in advance, it will provide you with a good faith estimate of your total cost for the service in 1 business day, or less, after the date of scheduling.
  • When a good faith estimate is requested by an uninsured (or self-pay) individual, Scipher will provide you with a good faith estimate of your total cost for the service in 1 business day, or less, after the date of the request.

Rights Affected by the Good Faith Estimate

If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, either: