The Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN), Form CMS-R-131, was recently updated. The transition period for the previous version ended May 12, 2026. For dates of service on or after May 12, 2026, suppliers must use the current OMB-approved form, which has an expiration date of March 31, 2029, when issuing a new ABN. Using a previous version of the form for dates of service on or after May 12, 2026, will invalidate the ABN. Current English, Spanish, and large-print versions, along with form instructions, are available through CMS.

The ABN is provided to beneficiaries before furnishing certain items or services when Medicare payment is expected to be denied. It allows the beneficiary to make an informed decision about whether to receive the item or service and accept potential financial responsibility.

Take a moment to review your ABN processes and verify that the current Form CMS-R-131 is being used. Discard or destroy blank copies of previous versions, follow the current completion and delivery instructions, and apply the appropriate claim modifiers when billing. Visit the Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN) page for additional guidance and educational resources or the CMS FFS ABN webpage to access the current form and instructions.