Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage

You may get a written notice called an "Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage" (ABN) from your doctor, other 

, or supplier if both of these apply:

  • You have .
  • Your doctor, other health care provider, or supplier thinks Medicare probably (or certainly) won't pay for the items or services you got.

However, an ABN isn't required for items or services that Medicare never covers.

The ABN lists:

  • The items or services that Medicare isn't expected to pay for
  • An estimate of the costs for the items and services
  • The reasons why Medicare may not pay

The ABN gives you information to make an informed choice about whether or not to get items or services, understanding that you may have to accept responsibility for payment.

You’ll be asked to choose an option box and sign the notice to say that you read and understood it. You must choose one of these options:

  • Option 1: You want the items or services that may not be paid for by Medicare. Your provider or supplier may ask you to pay for them now, but you also want them to submit a to Medicare for the items or services. If Medicare denies payment, you’re responsible for paying, but, since a claim was submitted, you can appeal to Medicare.
  • Option 2: You want the items or services that may not be paid for by Medicare, but you don’t want your provider or supplier to bill Medicare. You may be asked to pay for the items or services now, but because you request your provider or supplier to not submit a claim to Medicare, you can’t file an appeal.
  • Option 3: You don’t want the items or services that may not be paid for by Medicare, and you aren’t responsible for any payments. A claim isn’t submitted to Medicare, and you can’t file an appeal.

An ABN isn't an official denial of coverage by Medicare. You have the right to file an appeal if payment is denied when a claim is submitted.

What are the other types of ABNs?

Other types of ABNs include:

  • "Skilled Nursing Facility Advance Beneficiary Notice" (SNFABN): A skilled nursing facility (SNF) will issue you a SNFABN if there's a reason to believe that Part A may not cover or continue to cover your care or stay because it isn't reasonable or necessary, or is considered . The SNFABN lets you know that Medicare will likely no longer pay for your services. If you choose to get the services that may not be covered by Medicare, you don't have to pay for these services until a claim is submitted and Medicare officially denies payment. However, while the claim is processed, you have to continue paying costs that you would normally have to pay, like the daily and costs for services and supplies Medicare generally doesn't cover.
  • "Hospital Issued Notice of Noncoverage" (HINN): Hospitals use a HINN when all or part of your Part A inpatient hospital care may not be covered by Medicare. This notice will tell you why the hospital thinks Medicare won't pay, and what you may have to pay if you keep getting these services.