CMS’ Beneficiary Notices Initiative (BNI)

Both Medicare beneficiaries and providers have certain rights and protections related to financial liability under the Fee-for-Service (FFS) Medicare and the Medicare Advantage (MA) Programs. These financial liability and appeal rights and protections are communicated to beneficiaries through notices given by providers. CMS has furnished information regarding these notices on its Beneficiary Notices Initiative page. The Fee-for-Service Advance Beneficiary Notice listed below is one of the most commonly-used notices: • FFS Revised Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN): Effective March 1, 2009, providers (including independent laboratories), physicians, practitioners, and suppliers will use the revised ABN (CMS-R-131) for all situations where Medicare payment is expected to be denied. Note: Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) must use the revised ABN for only for those items/services expected to be denied under Medicare Part B. • Revised ABN CMS-R-131 form and instructions • Revised ABN manual instructions