Medicare AdvantageAdministrativeMedium impact
Updated Medicare Important Message (IM) and Detailed Notice of Discharge (DND) Forms
BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina·Medicare Advantage
Effective date
Jul 16, 2026
We identified it
Aug 11, 2026
Summary
CMS has updated the Medicare Important Message (IM) and Detailed Notice of Discharge (DND) forms, effective immediately. Hospitals must use the new CMS-10065 form for all Medicare inpatient beneficiaries (both Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage) to inform them of discharge appeal rights. The previous forms may be used until May 15, 2026, but updated forms are required by that deadline.
Action Required
By May 15, 2026: Clinical and billing staff must transition from previous IM and DND forms to the updated CMS-10065 forms. Update all discharge notification workflows, patient communication templates, and form management systems to use the new approved versions. Print and distribute updated forms to all inpatient departments. Train nursing and case management staff on the revised forms' requirements and readability enhancements. Failure to use approved forms by the deadline may result in non-compliance citations and claim processing issues. Reference CMS Claims Processing Manual Chapter 30, Section 200 for implementation details, and contact your Provider Relations Consultant with questions.