Q&A: Providing the MOON to patients receiving observation services

Q: How many hours of observation services must a patient receive before the hospital is required to provide them with the Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice (MOON)?

A: Hospitals are required to provide the MOON to inform patients of the outpatient nature of observation and the potential financial implications to the patient. The MOON must be provided to any Medicare patient who receives ordered observation services for more than 24 hours, including:

• Patients entitled to Medicare Part A or Part B, whether or not Medicare Part B will pay for the observation services
• Patients enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans or Medicare Health plans
• Patients who have Medicare Part A or Part B as a secondary payer

For more information, see the Patient Status Training Toolkit for Medicare Utilization Review, Second Edition.