Practice Management Alert

Voice Your Thoughts on New ABN

But don't stop using the one you have just yet

You can have another crack at commenting on the general Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN). CMS has opened a second comment period on the ABN (CMS-R-131). The general ABN and lab ABN will combine in the new form, among other changes, CMS notes.|

But until the new form takes effect, be sure to continue using the current form, CMS- Elizabeth Carmody said in a recent Open Door Forum.

Resource: Instructions for commenting are in the May 25 Federal Register notice at www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a070525c.html -- scroll down to the -29322--"29323 [07--"2578]- entry under CMS notices.

Tip: The current ABN is available online at www.cms.hhs.gov/BNI/02_ABNGABNL.asp. The CMS Web site has ABN forms in Spanish. If your practice or facility provides care to a substantial LEP population, you should have Spanish versions of all your forms.