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Thorough review recommended on ABNs

Patient Financial Services Weekly Advisor, December 26, 2008

In light of the significant number of changes to the revised ABN (including the related revisions to Chapter 30, Section 50 of the Medicare Claims Processing Manual) and the potential consequences for failure to provide advance notification when limitation on liability applies, healthcare providers are encouraged to do the following: 

• Form a cross-disciplinary team with related responsibilities to transition to the revised ABN
• Review the revised ABN form
• Review the ABN FAQs and Form Instructions, as well as the revised provisions in Chapter 30, Section 50 in the Medicare Claims Processing Manual
• Review the existing Forms ABN-G and ABN-L, as well as the current ABN notification process
• Identify any outstanding questions that require clarification before proceeding
• Identify key changes that need to be implemented in order to be able to transition to the revised ABN by March 1, 2009
• Create a transition action plan, with timetables and accountability by departments/key individuals
• Implement the action plan, with ongoing monitoring and evaluation to determine whether target dates and plan objectives are being met

Editor’s note: Judith L. Kares, JD, CPC, authored this submission. She is an instructor for HCPro’s Medicare Boot Camp – Hospital Version. She is a lawyer and consultant who provides legal services and related healthcare compliance services to a wide variety of clients, including hospitals, health systems, HMOs, third party payers, physician practices and other healthcare entities. Visit www.hcprobootcamps.com to learn more.

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