Q&A: I know that McGeer criteria must be met when coding a UTI that develops in-house during the SNF stay, but what is required when a resident is transferred to the hospital and returns to the SNF with a documented UTI diagnosis (e.g., listed on the discharge summary and on antibiotics)?

MDS 3.0 and the RAI Process / NAC / Q&A

Question: I know that McGeer criteria must be met when coding a UTI that develops in-house during the SNF stay, but what is required when a resident is transferred to the hospital and returns to the SNF with a documented UTI diagnosis (e.g., listed on the discharge summary and on …

Q&A: The Five-Star Preview Report for July 2025 still shows the standard survey from three years ago. I thought the third survey would no longer be used?

NAC / Q&A / QAPI and Quality Initiatives

Question: The Five-Star Preview Report for July 2025 still shows the standard survey from three years ago. I thought the third survey would no longer be used? Answer from Carol Maher, RN, GERO-BC, RAC-MTA, RAC-MT, CPC: CMS has stated that the third survey would be shown on the Care Compare …

2025 AAPACN NAC Work Study and Salary Report Highlights

Administrator / DNS / NAC / Podcast / Workforce Solutions

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Jessie McGill, RN, BSN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, senior curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss key findings from the 2025 AAPACN NAC Work Study and Salary Report.  Additional Resources: Nurse Assessment Coordinator …

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Nurse Assessment Coordinator FTE Calculator Tool

MDS 3.0 and the RAI Process / NAC / Tool

AAPACN has re-released the Nurse Assessment Coordinator (NAC) FTE Calculator for SNF leaders to estimate the time needed to complete assessments as well as project how many hours the NAC needs for meetings and other duties. This AAPACN resource is copyright protected. AAPACN individual members may download or print one …

iQIES S&C Provider Electronic Plan of Correction (ePOC) Administrator Role User Manual

Administrator / DNS / Post-Acute Care News / Survey and Regulatory Compliance

This user manual addresses the processes necessary to perform Survey & Certification (S&C) Electronic Plan of Correction (ePOC) functions in iQIES. CMS iQIES S&C User Manual: ePOC – Provider ePOC Admin Role v1.2 (Posted 07/22/2025) From https://qtso.cms.gov/software/iqies/reference-manuals

FY 2026 Final Rule ICD-10 Mapping File, Wage Index File, and Case-Mix Rates

Billing and Reimbursement / DNS / NAC / Post-Acute Care News

Regulation No. CMS-1827-F Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026; Final Rule Year 2026 Publication Date 2025-08-04 This rule (CMS-1827-F) is currently on public display at the Federal Register and will publish on August 4, …

FY 2026 SNF PPS Final Rule Posted

Billing and Reimbursement / DNS / MDS 3.0 and the RAI Process / NAC / Post-Acute Care News / QAPI and Quality Initiatives

On July 31, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule for updates to Medicare payment policies and rates for skilled nursing facilities under the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System (SNF PPS) for fiscal year (FY) 2026. CMS is publishing this final rule in …

Safe Injection, Infusion, Medication Vial, and Point-of-Care Testing Practices in Healthcare (2025)

Clinical Care Solutions / DNS / Post-Acute Care News / Survey and Regulatory Compliance

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) has released an updated position paper titled “Safe Injection, Infusion, Medication Vial, and Point-of-Care Testing Practices in Health care (2025),” published in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC). This update builds upon APIC’s 2016 position paper and reflects advancements in science, updated regulatory …

Get Ready for the FY 2026 ICD-10-CM Coding Updates – Aug. 21, 2025

DNS / NAC / On-demand Webinar

Members: $25 | Non-members: $50Continuing Education: 1.5 CE hoursRecording Date: Aug. 21, 2025 Duration: 90 minutesSpeaker: Jennifer LaBay, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, QCP, CRC It is time to prepare for the FY 2026 ICD-10-CM coding updates, which go into effect on Oct. 1, 2025. HIPAA requires that the facility’s clinical team ensure accurate diagnoses are …