Definitions for "Advance Beneficiary Notice"
Keywords:  abn, necessity, medicare, waiver, deny
A notice the hospital or doctor gives you before you're treated, telling you that Medicare will not pay for some treatment or services. The notice is given to you so that you may decide whether to have the treatment and how to pay for it.
A form signed by the patient before certain services are rendered, notifying him/her that Medicare may not cover this service and that the patient will be responsible for payment. The ABN was previously called the Medicare Medical Necessity Waiver.
An agreement given to the patient to read and sign before providing a service if the participating physician thinks that it may be denied for payment because of medical necessity or limitation of liability by Medicare. Once a patient signs the ABN and if Medicare does not pay for it, then the patient will have to pay the physician for it. The patient agrees to pay for the service; also known as a waiver of liability agreement or responsibility statement.