OIG Special Advisory Bulletins / OIG-CMS Special Advisory Bulletin 99-3_Nov 10, 1999 / Use of Advance Beneficiary Notices or Other Financial Responsibility Forms

Why This Topic Matters

Hospitals need to know which registration and notice practices are compatible with emergency care obligations and which may create compliance risk. The bulletin clarifies the boundaries of permissible intake procedures without disclosing the underlying operational details.

Article Sections

1. Comments and CMS/OIG response

   Summarizes the issues raised by commenters and the agencies’ response to those concerns. It addresses hospital use of financial responsibility forms and related intake practices.

2. Emergency care, screening, and stabilization

   Discusses how registration practices relate to emergency screening and stabilizing treatment. The section frames the compliance concerns around access to care and timing of intake procedures.

3. Clarification of permitted registration processes

   Explains the agencies’ clarification of what may occur during hospital registration in emergency settings. It references the broader categories of information that may be collected without describing specific coding or billing instructions.

4. Non-acute situations and process limitations

   Addresses how reasonable registration processes may proceed when a patient is not in an acute emergency situation. It also reiterates limits on linking intake steps to later care.