CMS Memo To State Survey Agency Directors About Nursing Home Compare “3.0” – Five Star Quality Rating System – Expanded and Strengthened

On February 20, 2015, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented changes to its Five-Star Quality Rating System for nursing homes on the Nursing Home Compare website; the changes are focused on strengthening the quality of care. The star ratings are based on the facility's results of on-site inspections by Medicare surveyors, the facility's performance on quality measures, and staffing levels. The changes to the nursing home star rating system now include the facility's level of off-label antipsychotic use for short-stay and long-stay residents, improved staffing level calculations, and . . .