Charges for Missed Appointments

CMS's policy is to allow physicians and suppliers to charge Medicare beneficiaries for missed appointments, provided that they do not discriminate against Medicare beneficiaries but also charge non-Medicare patients for missed appointments.  The charge for a missed appointment is not a charge for a service itself (to which the assignment and limiting charge provisions apply), but rather is a charge for a missed business opportunity.  Therefore, if a physician's or supplier's missed appointment policy applies equally to all patients (Medicare and non-Medicare), then the Medicare law and regulations do not preclude the physician or supplier from charging the Medicare patient directly.

The amount that the physician or supplier charges for the missed appointment must apply equally to all patients (Medicare and non-Medicare), in other words, the amount the physician/supplier charges Medicare beneficiaries for missed appointments must be the same as the amount that they charge non-Medicare patients (whatever amount that may be).

With respect to Part A providers, in most instances a hospital outpatient department can charge a beneficiary a missed appointment charge without violating its provider agreement and 42 CFR 489.22.  Because 42 CFR 489.22 applies only to inpatient services, it does not restrict a hospital outpatient department from imposing charges for missed appointments by outpatients.  In the event, however, that a hospital inpatient misses an appointment in the hospital outpatient department, it would violate 42 CFR 489.22 for the outpatient department to charge the beneficiary a missed appointment fee.

Medicare does not make any payments for missed appointment fees/charges that are imposed by providers, physicians, or other suppliers.  Charges to beneficiaries for missed appointments should not be billed to Medicare.

If contractors receive any claims for missed appointment charges, the following reason code and MSN messages should be used to deny the claims—

Reason Code 204: This service/equipment/drug is not covered under the patient’s current benefit plan.
MSN messages:
16.59 - Medicare doesn’t pay for missed appointments.
16.59 – Medicare no paga por citas médicas a las que no se presentó.