Advanced benficiary notice of noncoverage(ABN)

An Advanced Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN) is a document that is used to advise Medicare beneficiaries of their potential financial liability for services their health care provider proposes to render and for which Medicare is likely to deny coverage. The ABN is an educational tool that enables the beneficiary to make an informed decision concerning whether to receive the proposed service(s) and accept liability for payment of the item(s). This document provides the beneficiary with the opportunity to accept or refuse the service(s) before the services are provided. The provider must ensure that the beneficiary is provided with an explanation of the service(s) and the expected denial of the Medicare program, the reasons for the expected denial, the cost of the service(s), and any repercussions that may occur without the proposed service(s) among other details. The ABN allows the provider to document that the beneficiary was made aware that Medicare will not pay for the service(s) and still received the service.