The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the official Long-Stay Nursing Home – Falls with Major Injury Respecification: Technical Specification Report for the Falls with Major Injury (FMI) measure. This report incorporates feedback received during the cross-setting Technical Expert Panel (TEP) held on May 12 and 14, …
The expected October Care Compare refresh was delayed during the government shutdown, but it was finally refreshed on Nov. 30, 2025. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) outlined key updates also included with this refresh: Note: The Medicare Spending Per Beneficiary claims-based measure is based on data from Quarter …
With the federal government now reopened after the 43-day shutdown, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is expected to move quickly from the contingency plans outlined in the QSO-26-01-ALL REVISED memo and back to routine survey and oversight activity, including the validation audits. The data validation audits were expected …
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) released a new Toolkit for Improving Skin Care and MDRO Prevention in Long-Term Care, which outlines four evidence-based strategies to reduce infection risks and maintain skin integrity among long-term care residents. The toolkit strategies include keeping skin clean and safe, reducing MDRO transmission, using antibiotics …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an updated memo regarding “Contingency Plans – State Survey & Certification Activities in the Event of Federal Government Shutdown,” QSO-26-01-ALL Revised, on Oct. 31, 2025. CMS had previously clarified that, “during a lapse in appropriation, it is not legal for CMS …
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated guidance for the COVID-19 vaccine administration and the adult immunization schedule. The CDC’s Adult Immunization Schedule webpage was updated Oct. 7, 2025, which changed the color coding of the COVID-19 vaccination for all adult age groups to blue. This indicates …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final version of the RAI User’s Manual, version 1.20.1, which went into effect Oct. 1, 2025. CMS made several changes, including a new definition for a fall, injury (except major), and major injury, which are as follows: This AAPACN resource is …
On Sept. 24, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an updated RAI User’s Manual version 1.20.1 and updated MDS item sets v1.20.1v4. The last-minute updates aligned the MDS item sets with the revisions to item J1900, which changed the definitions of injury (except major) and major …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a revised memo, QSO-25-20-NH REVISED, on Sept. 10, 2025, delaying the changes to the long-stay (LS) Antipsychotic Measure. CMS had previously announced the measure would be expanded to include Medicare and Medicaid claims and encounter data, in addition to Minimum Data …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the final version of the RAI User’s Manual, version 1.20.1, which goes into effect Oct. 1, 2025. While the draft version has been available for several months, CMS made several additional changes, including a new definition for falls and major injury, …
