What is Medicare Assignment?

Medicare Assignment refers to the agreement between a healthcare provider and Medicare under which the provider agrees to accept the Medicare-approved amount as full payment for covered services. This means that if a provider is "accepting assignment," they will bill Medicare directly, accept the amount Medicare pays as payment in full, and cannot charge the beneficiary more than the Medicare co-payment or deductible.

This is important as it protects beneficiaries from higher charges and ensures that they only pay the predetermined amounts set by Medicare. When a provider does not accept assignment, they can charge higher prices, which may result in additional out-of-pocket costs for the patient.

In contrast, the other options describe unrelated concepts. For instance, assigning patients to specialists or describing forms of Medicaid coverage do not pertain to the Medicare assignment process, nor does a plan for premium payments directly relate to this agreement. Thus, understanding Medicare Assignment is crucial for navigating healthcare costs and ensuring proper billing practices within the Medicare system.