Terms and Conditions/ Notice of Privacy Practices/ Good Faith Estimate

Terms and Conditions

  • Intellectual Property

This website includes materials protected by intellectual property laws, including without limitation written text, logos, photos, art, designs and/or graphics. 

You may view, download, print, email and use materials from this website for personal, noncommercial purposes only.  Any reproduction or unauthorized use of any materials found on this website shall constitute infringement.

Please choose carefully the materials that you upload to, submit to, or embed on this website. Any material you post on this website becomes public. You are responsible for your material and for any liability that may result from the material you post on this website.  You participate and post material on this website at your own risk.  Any communication by you on this website by contact submission form must be respectful. You may not communicate or submit any content or material that is abusive, vulgar, threatening, harassing, knowingly false, defamatory or obscene or otherwise in violation of any law or the rights of others. You agree to post comments or other material only one time. 

  • Visitor Behavior on Website

You are strictly forbidden from the following:

• Causing damage to this website

• Using this website for any unlawful, illegal, fraudulent or harmful purpose or activity

• Using this website to copy, store, host, transmit, send, use, publish or distribute any spyware, virus, worm, Trojan horse, keystroke logger or other malicious software

• Using this website to transmit, send or deliver unsolicited communications or for other marketing or advertising purposes

• Systematically or automatically collecting data from this website

• Sharing private and proprietary information from online courses with anyone else

Marki Sulzbach PLLC may, without notice, refuse access to its website, in whole or part, to any person that fails to comply with these Terms.

  • DISCLAIMERS

This website provides information only, and does not provide any financial, legal, medical or psychological services or advice. None of the content on this website prevents, cures or treats any mental or medical condition. You are responsible for your own financial, legal, physical, mental and emotional well-being, decisions, choices, actions and results. Marki Sulzbach PLLC disclaims any liability for your reliance on any opinions or advice contained in this website.

  • Links to Third-Party Products, Services, or Sites 

Any links to third-party products, services, or sites are subject to separate terms and conditions. Marki Sulzbach PLLC is not responsible for or liable for any content on or actions taken by such third-party company or website. Although Marki Sulzbach PLLC may recommend third-party sites, Service, or products, it is your responsibility to fully research such third parties before entering into any transaction or relationship with them.

  • No Warranty

THE INFORMATION, OFFERED ON THIS WEBSITE IS PROVIDED “AS IS”. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE BY APPLICABLE LAW, Marki Sulzbach PLLC DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THIS WEBSITE OR ANY OF ITS FUNCTIONS WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE, THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED, OR THAT ANY PART OF THIS WEBSITE OR THE SERVERS THAT MAKE IT AVAILABLE, ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS.

Marki Sulzbach PLLC SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES THAT RESULT FROM THE USE OF, OR THE INABILITY TO USE, THIS WEBSITE, INCLUDING THIRD-PARTY MATERIALS, PRODUCTS OR SERVICES MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS WEBSITE.

  • General Terms

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of North Carolina without giving effect to its conflict of laws. By using this website, you hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts of North Carolina and consent irrevocably to personal jurisdiction in such courts and waive any defense of forum non conveniens.

If any provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of these Terms will remain in full force and the invalid or unenforceable provision will be replaced by a valid or enforceable provision. The prevailing party in any dispute between the parties arising out of or related to these Terms, whether resolved by negotiation, mediation, or litigation, shall be entitled to recover its attorneys’ fees and costs from the other party.

This is the entire agreement of the parties, and reflects a complete understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter. This agreement supersedes all prior written and oral representations.

Marki Sulzbach PLLC may change, modify, or update these Terms at any time without notice. Any access or use of this website by you after Marki Sulzbach PLLC posts such changes shall constitute consent of such modifications. If you have any questions or concerns about these Terms, contact marki@sulzbachpllc.com

Marki Sulzbach PLLC controls and operates this website from offices in the United States. Marki Sulzbach PLLC does not represent that materials on this website are appropriate or available for use in other locations. People who choose to access this website from other locations do so on their own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws, if and to the extent local laws are applicable.

  • Disclosure of Relationships. 

Marki Sulzbach PLLC does not accept forms of cash advertising, sponsorships, paid insertions to this website, complimentary products, or other forms of compensation from third parties.

Marki Sulzbach PLLC does not have relationships that might present a conflict of interest or influence the content of this website.

HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

As required by the Privacy Regulations Promulgated Pursuant to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose your protected health information (PHI) to carry out treatment, payment or health care operations (TPO) and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. It also describes your rights to access and control your protected health information. “Protected health information” is information about you, including demographic information, that may identify you and that relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition and related health care services.
Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information: Your protected health information may be used and disclosed by our organization, our office staff and others outside of our office that are involved in your care and treatment for the purpose of providing health care services to you, to pay your health care bills, to support the operation of the organization, and any other use required by law.
Treatment: We will use and disclose your protected health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your health care and any related services. This includes the coordination or management of your health care with a third party. For example, we would disclose your protected health information, as necessary, to a home health agency that provides care to you. For example, your protected health information may be provided to a physician to whom you have been referred to ensure that the physician has the necessary information to diagnose or treat you.
Payment: Your protected health information will be used, as needed, to obtain payment for your health care services. For example, obtaining approval for equipment or supplies coverage may require that your relevant protected health information be disclosed to the health plan to obtain approval for coverage.
Healthcare Operations: We may use or disclose, as‐needed, your protected health information in order to support the business activities of our organization. These activities include, but are not limited to, quality assessment activities, employee review activities, accreditation activities, and conducting or arranging for other business activities. For example, we may disclose your protected health information to accrediting agencies as part of an accreditation survey. We may also call you by name while you are at our facility. We may use or disclose your protected health information, as necessary, to contact you to check the status of your equipment.
We may use or disclose your protected health information in the following situations without your authorization: as Required By Law, Public Health issues as required by law, Communicable Diseases, Health Oversight, Abuse or Neglect, Food and Drug Administration requirements, Legal Proceedings, Law Enforcement, Criminal Activity, Inmates, Military Activity, National Security, and Workers’ Compensation. Required Uses and Disclosures: Under the law, we must make disclosures to you and when required by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate or determine our compliance with the requirements of
Section 164.500.
Other Permitted and Required Uses and Disclosures Will Be Made Only with Your Consent, Authorization or Opportunity to Object, unless required by law. You may revoke this authorization, at any time, in writing, except to the extent that your physician or this
organization has taken an action in reliance on the use or disclosure indicated in the authorization. Your Rights: Following is a statement of your rights with respect to your protected health information. You have the right to inspect and copy your protected health information. Under federal law, however, you may not inspect or copy the following records; psychotherapy notes; information compiled in reasonable anticipation of, or use in, a civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding, and protected health information that is subject to law that prohibits access to protected health information. You have the right to request a restriction of your protected health information. This means you may ask us not to use or disclose any part of your protected health information for the purposes of treatment, payment or healthcare operations. You may also request that any part of your protected health information not be disclosed to family members or friends who may be involved in your care or for notification purposes as described in this Notice of Privacy Practices. Your request must state the specific restriction requested and to whom you want the restriction to apply. Our organization is not required to agree to a restriction that you may request. If our organization believes it is in
your best interest to permit use and disclosure of your protected health information, your protected health information will not be restricted. You then have the right to use another Healthcare Professional.
You have the right to request to receive confidential communications from us by alternative means or at an alternative location. You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this notice from us, upon request, even if you have agreed to accept this notice alternatively, e.g., electronically.
You may have the right to have our organization amend your protected health information. If we deny your request for amendment, you have the right to file a statement of disagreement with us and we may prepare a rebuttal to your statement and will provide you with a copy of any such rebuttal. You have the right to receive an accounting of certain disclosures we have made, if any, of your protected health information.
We reserve the right to change the terms of this notice and will inform you by mail of any changes. You then have the right to object or withdraw as provided in this notice.
Complaints: You may complain to us or to the Secretary of Health and Human Services if you believe your privacy rights have been violated by us. You may file a complaint with us by notifying our privacy contact of your complaint. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint. We are required by law to maintain the privacy of, and provide individuals with, this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to protected health information, if you have any questions concerning or objections to this form, please ask to speak with our President in person or by phone at 252‐744‐2426.
Associated companies with whom we may do business, such as an answering service or delivery service, are given only enough information to provide the necessary service to you. No medical information is provided. We welcome your comments: Please feel free to call us if you have any questions about how we protect your privacy. Our goal is always to provide you with the highest quality services.

SMS Texting Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 03/17/2025

Marki Sulzbach PLLC respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how Marki Sulzbach PLLC collects and uses information about you when you opt-in to receive SMS messages from us.

Information We Collect

When you opt-in to receive SMS messages, we collect:

  • Your phone number
  • Consent to send SMS messages
  • Your basic contact information
  • Your messaging history

How We Collect Your Information

We may collect your information directly from you, such as when you complete a form or contact us; or from others, such as when we receive information about you from third parties.

How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

  • Send you the SMS messages you’ve opted in to receive
  • Choices and Controls
  • To operate our business

Disclosures of Your Information

We may disclose your information to our affiliated companies; to third party service providers, business advisors, or consultants who provide services to us; in connection with a merger, acquisition, reorganization, restructuring, financing transaction, or sale of assets; as required by law or administrative order; to assert claims or rights or to defend against claims.

We do not share your personal information, phone number, or SMS consent opt-in data with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.

Protection of Information

We take steps to protect your information against unauthorized use or disclosure.

Updates

We may periodically update this privacy policy. If we make material changes that have a substantive and adverse impact on your privacy, we will provide notice on this website before the change becomes effective. We encourage you to periodically review this page for the latest information about our privacy practices.

How to Contact Us

You can reach us by texting the word HELP for support to (910)402-8909. You may also contact us directly at marki@sulzbachpllc.com

Good Faith Estimate

Effective January 1, 2022, a ruling went into effect called the “No Surprises Act,” which requires mental health practitioners to provide a “Good Faith Estimate” (GFE) about out-of-network care to any patient who is uninsured or who insured but does not plan to use their insurance benefits to pay for health care items and/ or services. The Good Faith Estimate works to show the cost of items and services that are reasonable expected for your mental health care needs for an item or service. The estimate is based on information known at the time the estimate was created. The Good Faith Estimate does not include any unknown or unexpected costs that may arise during treatment. You are entitled to receive this “Good Faith Estimate” of what the charges could be for psychotherapy services provided to you. While it is not possible for a psychotherapist to know, in advance, how many psychotherapy sessions may be necessary or appropriate for a given person upon the initiation of psychotherapy, this form provides an estimate of the cost of services provided. Your total cost of services will depend upon the number of psychotherapy sessions you attend, your individual circumstances, and the type and amount of services that are provided to you. This estimate is not a contract and does not obligate you to obtain any services from the provider(s) listed, nor does it include any services rendered to you that are not identified here.

This Good Faith Estimate is not intended to serve as a recommendation for treatment or a prediction that you may need to attend a specified number of psychotherapy visits. The number of visits that are appropriate in your case, and the estimated cost for those services, depends on your needs and what you agree to in consultation with your therapist. You are entitled to disagree with any recommendations made to you concerning your treatment and you may discontinue treatment at any time.

The one-time fee for an initial diagnostic assessment with Marki Sulzbach PLLC is $170 (CPT Code 90791). Beyond this, the fee for a traditional 60-minute psychotherapy session (in-person or via telehealth) is $145 (CPT Code 90837). Most clients will attend one psychotherapy visit per week, but the frequency of psychotherapy visits that are appropriate in your case may be more or less than once per week, depending upon your individual needs and preference. It is also important, when determining your total estimate, to take into consideration vacations, holidays, emergencies, and sick time. You may project any potential future cost(s) by multiplying the session fee of $145 by the total number of sessions. This will result in your total estimated cost for mental health service(s). In example, $145 session fee X 4 sessions =$580. If you attend therapy for a longer period, your total estimated charges will increase according to the number of visits and length of treatment. Marki Sulzbach PLLC recognizes every client’s therapy journey is unique. How long you need to engage in therapy and how often you attend sessions will be influenced by many factors including: • Your schedule and life circumstances • Therapist availability • Ongoing life challenges • The nature of your specific challenges and how you address them • Personal finances. You and your therapist will continually assess the appropriate frequency of therapy and will work together to determine when you have met your goals and are ready for discharge and/ or a new “Good Faith Estimate” will be issued should the frequency of session(s) or needs change. As related, you may request a new GFE at any time in writing during your treatment. Good Faith Estimate Disclaimer: This Good Faith Estimate shows the costs of items and services that are reasonably expected for your health care needs for an item or service. The estimate is based on information known at the time the estimate was created. Your provider may recommend additional services that are not reflected in this Good Faith Estimate. The Good Faith Estimate is only an estimate—actual items/ service charges may differ. The Good Faith Estimate does not include any unknown or unanticipated costs that may arise and are not reasonably expected during treatment due to unforeseen events. You could be charged more if complications or special circumstances occur. Other potential items and/ or services associated with therapy charges may include but is not limited to no show/ late cancellation fee(s), record request(s), letter writing(s), legal fee(s)/ court attendance(s), professional collaboration(s), and in-between session supports). These potential items / services and associated fee(s) are discussed further within the Informed Consent documentation and should these items / services be initiated a new Good Faith Estimate will be provided. The Good Faith Estimate does not obligate the client to obtain listed items or services. You have a right to initiate a dispute resolution process if the actual amount charged to you substantially exceeds the estimated charges stated in your Good Faith Estimate (which means $400 or more beyond the estimated charges). You are encouraged to speak with your provider at any time about any questions you may have regarding your treatment plan, or the information provided to you in this Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information related to the Good Faith Estimate, visit http://www.cms.go/nosurprises or call (800) 368-1019.