RAI Manual

MDS 3.0 RAI User’s Manual

The Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) helps nursing home staff in gathering definitive information on a resident’s strengths and needs, which must be addressed in an individualized care plan. Interdisciplinary use of the RAI promotes this emphasis on quality of care and quality of life. The Minimum Data Set (MDS) is a core set of screening, clinical, and functional status elements, including common definitions and coding categories, which forms the foundation of a comprehensive assessment for all residents of nursing homes certified to participate in Medicare or Medicaid. This page contains the current MDS 3.0 RAI User’s Manual v1.19.1, effective Oct. 1, 2024.

Updated: October 2024

Use the drop down list below to find the exact chapter, appendix, or change-table you need to replace.

• Final_MDS-3.0-RAI-Manual-v1.19.1_October_2024 (PDF) (updated August 2024, now in effect)
• MDS3.0_Final_Item_Sets_v1.19.1_for_Oct_1_2024 (ZIP) (released May 2024)
• MDS3.0_Final_Item_Matrix_V1.19.1_for_Oct_1_2024 (PDF) (released May 2024)
• MDS-3.0-RAI-Manual-v1.19.1R_Link_Update_Supplement_v1_October_2024 (PDF) (released September 2024)
• MDS 3.0 Appendix B – State RAI Contacts (updated May 2025) 
• Final OSA Manual, Item Set, Change History October 1 2023 (ZIP) (updated August 2023)
• Draft_MDS-3.0-RAI-Manual-v1.20.1_October_2025 (1) (PDF) (updated March 2025)
• Draft_MDS-3.0-Item-Matrix-v1.20.1v2_October_2025 (PDF) (updated March 2025)
• Draft_MDS-3.0-Item-Sets-v1.20.1v2_October_2025 (ZIP) (updated March 2025)

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