Practice Management Alert

But don't stop using the one you have just yet You can have another crack at commenting on the general Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN). CMS has opened a second comment period on the ABN (CMS-R-131). The general ABN and lab ABN will combine in the new form, among other changes, CMS notes.|

But until the new form takes effect, be sure to continue using the current form, CMS- Elizabeth Carmody said in a recent Open Door Forum.

Resource: Instructions for commenting are in the May 25 Federal Register notice at www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a070525c.html -- scroll down to the -29322--"29323 [07--"2578]- entry under CMS notices.

Tip: The current ABN is available online at www.cms.hhs.gov/BNI/02_ABNGABNL.asp. The CMS Web site has ABN forms in Spanish. If your practice or facility provides care to a substantial LEP population, you should have Spanish versions of all your forms.