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Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) are accepting opt-out affidavits. Members can fill out and mail in their affidavits now instead of waiting until January 1, 2024 when LMFTs become eligible Medicare providers. Be aware, each MAC has its own opt-out affidavit form. The forms cannot be faxed or emailed. They must be physically mailed to the appropriate MAC. Members can determine which MAC or MACs to opt out with and obtain the MAC’s contact information by visiting the Interactive MAC map in the MAC Information and Resources section of the Medicare Corner. For example, if a member renders services from both CA and FL, those members would need to complete the process with both Noridian and First Coast Service Options, the MACs for CA and FL respectively. A change of address to another MAC jurisdiction would require another opt-out affidavit with the new MAC.
Also, remember, mailing in an opt-out affidavit is only one of two steps in the opt-out process. Members who are opting out of Medicare must also enter into private contracts with all of their Medicare eligible patients. Practitioners have the option of using the private contract templates offered by their MAC(s) or may create their own private contracts, as long as those contracts include all of the following:
(a) Be in writing and in print sufficiently large to ensure that the beneficiary is able to read the contract.
(b) Clearly state whether the physician or practitioner is excluded from Medicare under sections 1128, 1156, or 1892 or any other section of the Social Security Act.
(c) State that the beneficiary or his or her legal representative accepts full responsibility for payment of the physician's or practitioner's charge for all services furnished by the physician or practitioner.
(d) State that the beneficiary or his or her legal representative understands that Medicare limits do not apply to what the physician or practitioner may charge for items or services furnished by the physician or practitioner.
(e) State that the beneficiary or his or her legal representative agrees not to submit a claim to Medicare or to ask the physician or practitioner to submit a claim to Medicare.
(f) State that the beneficiary or his or her legal representative understands that Medicare payment will not be made for any items or services furnished by the physician or practitioner that would have otherwise been covered by Medicare if there was no private contract and a proper Medicare claim had been submitted.
(g) State that the beneficiary or his or her legal representative enters into this contract with the knowledge that he or she has the right to obtain Medicare-covered items and services from physicians and practitioners who have not opted-out of Medicare, and that the beneficiary is not compelled to enter into private contracts that apply to other Medicare-covered services furnished by other physicians or practitioners who have not opted-out.
(h) State the expected or known effective date and the expected or known expiration date of the current 2-year opt-out period.
(i) State that the beneficiary or his or her legal representative understands that Medigap plans do not, and that other supplemental plans may elect not to, make payments for items and services not paid for by Medicare.
(j) Be signed by the beneficiary or his or her legal representative and by the physician or practitioner.
(k) Not be entered into by the beneficiary or by the beneficiary's legal representative during a time when the beneficiary requires emergency care services or urgent care services. (However, a physician or practitioner may furnish emergency or urgent care services to a Medicare beneficiary in accordance with § 405.440.)
(l) Be provided (a photocopy is permissible) to the beneficiary or to his or her legal representative before items or services are furnished to the beneficiary under the terms of the contract.
(m) Be retained (original signatures of both parties required) by the physician or practitioner for the duration of the current 2-year opt-out period.
(n) Be made available to CMS upon request.
(o) Be entered into for each 2-year opt-out period.
Note: According to 42 C.F.R. Section 405.415 witness signatures are not required to be part of these agreements although some of the private contract templates offered by the MACs may include them. It is up to the provider to decide whether to request/require a witness signature as the private contract agreement is an agreement between providers and their patients.
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