OASIS · Section M
M0040 — Patient Name
Response options, how to score it, and the error that most often sends the record back. Cited to Ch. 1, Item M0040.
OASIS-E2 v1.00.0 · ingested 2026-04-26
How to score it
Record the patient's legal name as documented in the medical record: First, Middle Initial, Last, and Suffix (Jr., Sr., III, etc.) in separate sub-fields. The name must match the Medicare card / state ID on file; mismatches cause iQIES validation errors when matched against eligibility files.
The common error
Recording a preferred name or nickname instead of the legal name. M0040 is matched against Medicare/Medicaid eligibility — use the legal name even if the patient prefers another.
Source: OASIS-E2 Guidance Manual — Ch. 1, Item M0040. Verified 2026-04-26.
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