Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice (MOON) (CMS-10611)

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requests a new collection named the Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice (MOON), Form CMS-10611, as the written notice promulgated by the Notice of Observation Treatment and Implication for Care Eligibility Act (NOTICE Act) Public Law 114-42 enacted by Congress on August 6, 2015 and effective 12 months after the date of the enactment which is August 6, 2016. The NOTICE Act amended Section 1866(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (the Act) (42 U.S.C. 1395cc(a)(1)) by adding subparagraph (Y) which sets forth requirements for Medicare participating hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) to provide outpatient notification to persons entitled to Medicare benefits under Title XVIII of Act, who are hospital observation patients for more than 24 hours. Notification must be given no later than 36 hours after the initiation of observation services. This notification process consists of a written notice as determined by the Secretary, which will be the MOON, and an oral explanation of the written notice. The notice must include the reason the individual is receiving observation services and must explain the implications of receiving outpatient observation services, such as cost sharing, and post-hospitalization eligibility for Medicare coverage of skilled nursing facility (SNF) services. The MOON is a standardized notice written in plain language that includes all of the informational elements required by statute.

The latest form for Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice (MOON) (CMS-10611) expires 2022-12-31 and can be found here.