NOTICE Act

Notice of Observation Treatment and Implication for Care Eligibility Act or the NOTICE Act - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require a hospital with an agreement with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to give each individual entitled to benefits under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance), whom the hospital classifies for more than 24 hours as an outpatient under observation status or any other similar status, an adequate oral and written notification within 36 hours of that classification which:

• explains the individual's status as an outpatient under observation (or any similar status) and not as an inpatient;
• explains the reason for that classification;
• explains the implications of that outpatient status on eligibility for Medicare coverage of items and services as well as cost-sharing requirements;
• includes the name and title of the hospital staff who gave an oral notification and its date and time; and
• is signed by individual, if the notification is written, to acknowledge its receipt.