APsaA members who have been participating in the Medicare system may, at some point in their practice, decide they want to opt out of the Medicare system, or no longer be a provider or participant. Once an analyst has opted out, he or she reverts to simply setting a fee, billing patients and receiving payments directly from them. But opting out of Medicare cannot be undertaken casually—it is a legal procedure that must be done in a very specific way. It’s really not that hard to do, but one must follow the stepwise protocol. And an opt-out affidavit must be resubmitted to your local Medicare intermediary (the entity that sends you checks when you bill Medicare) every two years.Our legal advisors at Powers, Pyles, Sutter and Verville PC have put together this step-by-step guide.