Ascendant Medical Laboratory

The original September 1, 2008 deadline for required usage of the new ABN was extended by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). According to the CMS website, providers (including independent laboratories), physicians, practitioners, and suppliers will not be required to use the new form until March 1, 2009.

On March 3, 2008, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it had replaced both the General Use Advanced Beneficiary Notice (ABN) (CMS-R-131-G) and the Laboratory ABN (CMS-R-131-L) with a new “Advanced Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN) (CMS-R-131).” The new version of the ABN combines the ABN-G and the ABN-L into a single notice, with an identical OMB number.

The ABN is required as written notice to inform Medicare beneficiaries of their liability regarding non-covered services as outlined in Section 1879 of the Social Security Act (SSA). The form(s) and updated instructions are posted on the Beneficiary Notice Initiative (BNI) web page at www.cms.hhs.gov\bni.

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