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While advance beneficiary notices (ABN) have been used for many years to notify patients that a particular service or procedure will probably not be covered by Medicare, gastroenterology practices only had a few wording changes for their own form. In April 2001, however, Medicare released a draft of the new standard ABN form that should be adopted by all providers.
In addition to providing the specific language that must be used in the ABN, Medicare will require gastroenterologists to include the estimated cost of the service or procedure in the notice. There are also specifications regarding the type of print font and the size of the font that should be used.
A copy of the new form is available online at www.hcfa.gov/regs/prdact95.htm. Click the link just below the heading "April 19, 2001 Information Collection Requirements in HCFA-R-131." Finalization is anticipated late this summer or early this fall. | 
