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. I am “out of network” for all insurances, which means that you will be charged exactly the fees that we discuss and which you agreed to pay when you sign the consent to treatment form.
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. 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.
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 35 plus 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.
