Complying with the No Surprises Act means behavioral health agencies must prioritize collecting and maintaining the information they need for accurate billing and estimates. Information like in-network status, services rendered, and expected costs must be readily available and communicated to patients clearly and transparently.  

The No Surprises Act states that every Good Faith Estimate must include the following: 

• A clear description of services that will be provided,  
• Itemization of every component of the services that will be billed (i.e., number and frequency of scheduled sessions), and 
• Each item’s expected cost and associated procedure code. 

Behavioral health agencies may find it difficult to fully comply with this provision of the No Surprises Act without the aid of technology (or the recruitment of additional full-time administrative staff). Integrated patient access solutions – such as those that offer deep integration between patient portals and EHR – can seamlessly facilitate the exchange of insurance information and up-to-date treatment information so that companies can consistently provide accurate Good Faith Estimates. 

System integration can also help behavioral health agencies better understand the needs of patients, the types of services they are engaging with, and therefore the costs associated with care. And when an integrated patient portal/EHR enables patients to self-schedule and self-admit to services, agencies can effortlessly capture vital details related to healthcare costs. 
 
The No Surprises Act is critical legislation that shields patients from unexpected medical bills. Any law that prevents anxiety-causing unanticipated medical expenses should be embraced by mental health providers. Utilizing innovative technology solutions like integrated EHR systems and patient portal software allows mental health providers to simplify compliance with the Act while continuing to deliver excellent, compassionate care to their patients.