What should a provider do if they wish to decline accepting assignment on the CMS-1500?

When a provider wishes to decline accepting assignment on the CMS-1500 form, the appropriate action is to not sign Block 31. This block is where the provider acknowledges acceptance of assignment, which means they agree to accept the Medicare-approved amount as full payment for the services rendered. By leaving this section unsigned, the provider indicates that they do not accept the assignment.

Declining assignment means that the provider can charge the patient the difference between their billed amount and the Medicare payment, which may lead to patients being responsible for a larger portion of the healthcare costs. It is vital for providers to understand the implications of assigning or declining assignment, as it affects billing practices and patient payments.

While entering a reason in Block 10, adding a modifier, or communicating directly with the patient may have relevance in different contexts within the billing process, they do not directly address the specific action required to officially decline acceptance of assignment on the CMS-1500 form.