Providers Accepting Medicare Assignment Means Lower Costs

To “accept assignment” means your doctor, provider, or supplier agrees to accept the Medicare-approved amount as full payment for covered services. If they do not accept assignment, they are called non-participating providers. Non-participating providers have not signed an agreement to accept assignment for all Medicare-covered services.

They can still choose to accept assignment for individual services. If your doctor, provider, or supplier does not accept assignment, you might have to pay the entire charge at the time of service. The non-participating providers can charge you more than the Medicare-approved amount, but there’s a “limiting charge”. The provider can only charge you up to 15% over the amount that non-participating providers are paid. Non-participating providers are paid 95% of the Medicare fee schedule amount. The limiting charge applies only to certain Medicare-covered services and does not apply to some supplies and durable medical equipment.

Columbine Medical Equipment accepts assignment with Medicare.