Oct. 1, 2025 Draft MDS 3.0 Item Sets v1.20.1v2 and Draft MDS Data Specs v3.10.0

DNS / MDS 3.0 and the RAI Process / NAC / Post-Acute Care News

Draft MDS 3.0 Item Sets version 1.20.1v2 The draft Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Item Sets version (v)1.20.1v2 and Item Matrix are now available in the Downloads section on the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual page. The MDS Item Sets v1.20.1 will be effective beginning October 1, 2025.  From https://www.cms.gov/medicare/quality/nursing-home-improvement/resident-assessment-instrument-manual …

What to Expect at the AAPACN 2025 Conference in Louisville, KY

Administrator / Blog / DNS / IDT member / NAC

The AAPACN 2025 Conference will be hosted in Louisville, Kentucky, on April 22 – 25. Attendees will immerse themselves in information and best practices with peers who share their passion for post-acute care and can also embrace an opportunity that extends beyond the education to make connections and friendships in …

CMS: New Survey Requirements Will Now Be Implemented on April 28, 2025

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

Memo # QSO-25-14-NH Memorandum Summary: Revised Surveyor Guidance: CMS is releasing the following revised guidance for nursing home surveyors: Admission, Transfer & Discharge, Chemical Restraints/Unnecessary Psychotropic Medication, Resident Assessment, Nursing Services, Payroll Based Journal, Quality of Life and Quality of Care, Administration, Quality Assurance Performance Improvement (QAPI), Infection Prevention and …

CMS to Launch Nursing Home Survey Process Transition to iQIES on July 14, 2025

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

Memo # Admin Info 25-07-NH Summary The iQIES Nursing Home launch is currently scheduled for July 14, 2025. The CMS iQIES team is developing a training and support plan to help all State Agency and CMS staff prepare for the launch and transition to the iQIES platform. This memo provides high-level …

CMS Nursing Home Data Sets Updated

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

Data Set Links Provider Information General information on currently active nursing homes, including number of certified beds, quality measure scores, staffing and other information used in the Five-Star Rating System. Data are presented as one row per nursing home. Last Modified: February 1, 2025 •Released: February 26, 2025 Overview •Data Table •API …

Quality Measure IQ Series: Pressure Ulcer Measures

Article / NAC / QAPI and Quality Initiatives

Quality Measure (QM) reporting on pressure ulcers is a significant metric used by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to help ensure that nursing homes provide high-quality care to vulnerable residents. Those residents with impaired mobility, chronic health issues, and complex comorbidities have a higher risk of developing …

Section GG Accuracy: Helping Nursing Homes Get Fair Payment and Referrals

Article / MDS 3.0 and the RAI Process / NAC

The ongoing staffing shortage amid growing economic turbulence and payment pressures means that every nursing home in the country is currently struggling with reimbursement, says Scott Heichel, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-CTA, DNS-CT, IPCO, QCP, ICC, director of reimbursement and education for Pathway Health in Lake Elmo, MN. “With the cost of …

Follow-Up Answers to Q&A from Beneficiary Notices Jan. 30, 2025, AAPACN Webinar

Billing and Reimbursement / NAC / Podcast

In this podcast, Jessie McGill, RN, BSN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, senior curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, and Jennifer LaBay, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, QCP, CRC, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, address some of the questions that were asked during the AAPACN Webinar, “SNF ABN, NOMNC, DENC – What Has Changed for this …

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TIP: Understand Why Discharged Residents Trigger QMs 

NAC / QAPI and Quality Initiatives / Tip

A common question regarding MDS 3.0 Quality Measures (QMs) is why a discharged resident continues to trigger after leaving the facility. This is explained in section two of the MDS 3.0 Quality Measures User’s Manual, available in the Downloads section of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ QM webpage. …