OASIS · Section M
M0030 — Start of Care Date
Response options, how to score it, and the error that most often sends the record back. Cited to Ch. 1, Item M0030.
OASIS-E2 v1.00.0 · ingested 2026-04-26
How to score it
Record the date of the first Medicare-billable visit of this admission. Format MM/DD/YYYY. This date anchors the certification period (60 days) and the comprehensive assessment 5-day completion window.
The common error
Recording the date of the referral (M0104) or the eval visit date instead of the actual first billable visit date. SOC is the first billable visit, which may be the eval itself, but only if it was billable.
Source: OASIS-E2 Guidance Manual — Ch. 1, Item M0030. Verified 2026-04-26.
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