Compliance
ABN
The Medicare form notifying a beneficiary that a service may not be covered, shifting financial responsibility to them.
What it means in dermatology
Also known as: Advance beneficiary notice of noncoverage
It must be specific about the service and the reason coverage is expected to be denied, and be signed before the service is performed. A blanket ABN signed at registration is not valid.
Claims for services with a valid ABN carry the GA modifier so the denial routes the balance to the patient.
Why it matters to your revenue
Without a valid ABN, a non-covered Medicare service becomes a write-off rather than a patient balance.
See this term in your own numbers
A free claims audit reviews a de-identified sample of your dermatology claims and returns a line-item findings report — including where terms like this one are costing you money.
Request a free claims audit