How is your organization weathering MOON compliance?

Just before the Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice (MOON) requirement became effective March 8, CMS added another hoop to jump through in an open door forum held February 28.

The discussion in that forum forced many organizations to change course at the last minute as CMS announced it would not allow pre-populated check boxes in the free-text field of the MOON designated for describing clinical reasons for the service the patient receives. Organizations that had listened to experts touting the value of adding check boxes with specific rationale to the MOON were forced to revamp the form shortly before implementation.

During the open door forum, officials stated that the free-text field must include “clinical rationale specific to each beneficiary circumstance that is reasonably understandable to the beneficiary.” CMS also stated that if an organization opts for a check-box format for the top section of the MOON, it must include a box labeled “other,” so the organization can detail circumstances that do not match up with the pre-populated check boxes and include patient-specific information.

This statement by CMS surprised many who did not plan on providing this level of detail on the MOON.

Is your facility still struggling with MOON compliance? Or perhaps you’ve already implemented a process for delivering and completing the MOON, but aren’t sure it’s the best approach. You may find it helpful to share ideas on this topic and many others—including utilization review, discharge planning, and critical thinking—with a room full of your case management peers from across the country. HCPro’s Case Management Boot Camp in Philadelphia is conveniently scheduled nearly one month after the MOON compliance date (April 10–12), providing you with the opportunity to network and communicate with your peers to determine whether you’re on the right track for the year ahead.

This boot camp also includes strategies for defining the role of case managers and selecting the models that may work best at your facility, in addition to offering practical advice on measuring outcomes related to patient care. It is designed to help everyone from the novice to the expert case management professional.