TIP: Updated Five-Star Manual Available

Effective with the July 2025 refresh, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is implementing a change to the methodology for calculating the Health Inspection domain, shifting from using the three most recent standard health inspection surveys to the two most recent standard health inspection surveys to calculate Health …

Myers and Stauffer Medicaid Links

Myers and Stauffer provides documentation resources and training opportunities for several state Medicaid programs. Learn more below. State Clients  Alabama Iowa North Carolina Arkansas Kentucky Ohio California Louisiana Oregon Colorado Maryland Tennessee Connecticut Minnesota Texas Florida Mississippi Utah Georgia Missouri Vermont Hawaii Montana Wisconsin Idaho Nevada West Virginia Indiana New …

Coding High-Risk Drug Classes: How to Improve N0415 Accuracy

N0415 (High-Risk Drug Classes: Use and Indication) is much more than just paperwork. This MDS item  impacts resident care through the care area triggers (CATs) and the care area assessments (CAAs), as well as facility performance across the Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP), the Skilled Nursing Facility …

Out the Door, On a Leave, or Gone for Good? Uncomplicating Discharges

In the fast-paced position of a nurse assessment coordinator (NAC), keeping track of all the residents’ whereabouts can be challenging. The NAC must know who is coming into the facility and if this resident is a new admission or a readmission, as well as who has left—whether on a leave …

How Eventide Is Investing in Nurses, Building Resilience, and Supporting Leadership

At Eventide Senior Living, people come first. From residents to staff, the organization understands that delivering high-quality care starts with a confident, well-supported team. That’s why Eventide has taken a thoughtful and proactive approach to training and development. One that empowers nurses, strengthens operations, and opens doors to career advancement. …

From the CATs to the QMs: Key Impacts of MDS Section N

MDS section N (Medications)—in particular item N0415 (High-Risk Drug Classes: Use and Indication)— plays a key role in a nursing home’s ability to provide comprehensive, resident-centered care via the care area triggers (CATs) and the care area assessments (CAAs) in the care planning process. N0415 also may affect a facility’s …

TIP: CMS Released QSO Memo Impacting Five-Star

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a memo that will have a significant impact on the health inspection star rating and how the long-star antipsychotic measure is calculated, among other changes:  Health Inspection Star Rating:  Long-Stay Antipsychotic Measure Methodology:  Other changes:  For more details, see the memo: …

Ethics in Medicare Part A Coverage in Skilled Nursing Facilities

Navigating Medicare Part A coverage in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) is a matter of regulatory compliance. But it’s also a daily ethical test for facility staff and administrators. In many ways it depends on the honor system, and those responsible for billing and care case management must understand and apply …

CMS QSO Memo: Update to Nursing Home Compare

Memo # QSO-25-20-NH Posting Date 2025-06-18 Fiscal Year 2025 Memorandum Summary • Post Performance Data for Nursing Home Chains – “Chains” refers to groups of Medicare-certified nursing homes that are connected through common owners, and operators (also called “affiliated entities”). CMS will begin posting aggregated performance information for these nursing homes on …