Section 4507 of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, permits a doctor or other practitioner to "opt-out" of Medicare and enter into a "private contract" with Medicare beneficiaries for at least 2 years.

This means that the doctor or practitioner has opted or decided not to claim services through the Medicare program and the Medicare beneficiary agrees to give up Medicare payment for services furnished by the doctor or practitioner and to pay the doctor or practitioner regardless of their charge(s).

• Gives up all Medicare coverage of, and payment for, services furnished by the "opt out" doctor or practitioner;
• Agrees not to bill Medicare or ask the doctor or practitioner to bill Medicare;
• Is liable for all charges of the doctor or practitioner, without any limits that would otherwise be imposed by Medicare;
• Acknowledges that Medicare, Medigap, Medicare Managed Care plan and other supplemental insurers may not pay toward the provided services;
• Acknowledges that he or she has the right to receive services from doctors and practitioners for whom Medicare coverage and payment would be available

This private contract is not valid if it is entered into by a beneficiary or by the beneficiary's legal representative when the Medicare beneficiary is facing an emergency or urgent health situation.

The following is a list of doctors and practitioners in Queens County who have decided to "opt-out" of Medicare. For a list of doctors and practitioners outside of Queens County in the Metropolitan New York area, please refer to Empire Medicare Service's Web site at:

http://www.empiremedicare.com/bene/optny/optout.cfm

The following is a list of providers in the area that have decided to "opt out:"