The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) require that all
hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAH) provide the Medicare Outpatient
Observation Notice (MOON) to beneficiaries in Original Medicare
(fee-for-service) and Medicare Advantage enrollees who receive observation
services as an outpatient for more than 24 hours. This notice informs
beneficiaries that they are outpatients receiving observation services and are
not inpatients of a hospital or CAH.
The hospital or CAH must issue the MOON no later than 36 hours after
observation services as an outpatient begin.
This also applies to beneficiaries in the following circumstances:
- beneficiaries who do not have Part B coverage (as noted on the MOON,
observation stays are covered under Medicare Part B);
- beneficiaries who are subsequently admitted as an inpatient prior to the
required delivery of the MOON;
- beneficiaries for whom Medicare is either the primary or secondary
payer.
Learn more
To access the MOON and completion instructions, please visit the CMS website.