On February 2, CMS Revised its Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice (MOON) instructions in MLN Matters 9935, but the document provided little new information, primarily reiterating much of what was already said in the 2017 IPPS final rule.
“CMS went into great detail on delivery of the MOON when the patient is not competent, but completely ignored providing details on the amount of specificity needed in completing the box specifying ‘the reason the patient is outpatient,’ ” says Ronald Hirsch, MD, FACP, CHCQM, vice president of the Regulations and Education Group at R1 Physician Advisory Services in Chicago. “This was one of the least helpful publications I have seen from CMS.”
For case management professionals, keeping up with the MOON revisions has been a challenge.
This week's note from the instructor discusses implementation of the Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice (MOON) and the implementation deadline, which is just a week away.
Whether writing a note, completing a flow sheet, or entering information in an electronic record, a discharge planner is capturing data: facts related to actions, reactions, and decisions. For the purposes of this example, a discharge planner is writing the story about the planning that occurs to prepare for a patient’s transition to the next level of care.
What is the organization’s responsibility with regard to the Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice (MOON) if a patient starts treatment as an outpatient but then is moved to inpatient status? Does the hospital still need to issue the MOON?
Ever since Pat became a nurse case manager three years ago, both family and friends have reached out to her for healthcare advice. She really doesn’t mind and almost expects it, especially since healthcare can be complex and challenging. By sharing her knowledge as a case manager, Pat can often help people navigate healthcare complexities.
