Effective 8/28/24, CMS has issued a new SNF ABN form. Form descriptor prompts are now provided to trigger selection of the type of care involved vs. boxes for free-texting specifics on prior forms. The choices include:
- Physical Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Daily Skilled Nursing Care
- Other
The new SNF ABN, Form CMS-10055, is available for immediate use and will be mandatory for use on 10/31/2024:
As a reminder, per the ABN form instructions:
- Medicare requires Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) to issue the SNF ABN to Original Medicare, also called fee-for-service (FFS), patients prior to providing care that Medicare usually covers but may not pay for in this instance because the care is as follows:
- Not medically reasonable and necessary
- Considered custodial
- SNFs will continue to use the ABN form CMS-R-131 when applicable for Medicare Part B items and services
- The SNF ABN may be used as a voluntary notice, in which case there are no specific requirements for notice completion and no need to select an option box or provide a signature
What’s the Point? Ensure your facilities are aware of the new SNF ABN form and have a schedule to implement use by 10/31/2024 to guarantee compliance with CMS requirements.