The following conditions must be met for a physician or practitioner to properly opt-out of Medicare:

(a) Each private contract between a physician or a practitioner and a Medicare beneficiary that is entered into prior to the submission of the affidavit described in paragraph (b) of this section must meet the specifications of §405.415.

(b) The physician or practitioner must submit an affidavit that meets the specifications of §405.420 to each Medicare Administrative Contractor with which he or she would file claims absent the opt-out.

(c) A nonparticipating physician or a practitioner may opt-out of Medicare at any time in accordance with the following:

(1) The initial 2-year opt-out period begins the date the affidavit meeting the requirements of §405.420 is signed, provided the affidavit is filed within 10 days after he or she signs his or her first private contract with a Medicare beneficiary.

(2) If the physician or practitioner does not timely file the opt-out affidavit(s) as specified in the previous paragraph, the initial 2-year opt-out period begins when the last such affidavit is filed. Any private contract entered into before the last required affidavit is filed becomes effective upon the filing of the last required affidavit, and the furnishing of any items or services to a Medicare beneficiary under such contract before the last required affidavit is filed is subject to standard Medicare rules.

(d) A participating physician may properly opt-out of Medicare at the beginning of any calendar quarter, provided that the affidavit described in §405.420 is submitted to the participating physician's Medicare Administrative Contractors at least 30 days before the beginning of the selected calendar quarter. A private contract entered into before the beginning of the selected calendar quarter becomes effective at the beginning of the selected calendar quarter, and the furnishing of any items or services to a Medicare beneficiary under such contract before the beginning of the selected calendar quarter is subject to standard Medicare rules.

[63 FR 58901, Nov. 2, 1998, as amended at 80 FR 71370, Nov. 16, 2015]