MDS Data

McKnights reported on CMS’ announcement that all information regarding ownership, aggregated MDS data for consumers will be posted on the Nursing Home Compare website. According to a CMS policy memo, all changes stated above became effective July 31. This is good news for consumers and academics. 

To create more transparency, officials are posting more information about nursing homes and their residents at data.CMS.gov. The ownership information posted includes the type of service a facility provides, the type of ownership (nonprofit, government-owned, multi-facility, or leased), and the resident census. The agency will also “unfreeze” staffing levels to recalculate nursing home staffing turnover rates. 

Before July 31, aggregate MDS health data was reported and documented at state and national level for each MDS question. Now, CMS will start to post it at the facility level as well. 

Last September, CMS updated the staffing level case-mix adjustment methodology that is used to calculate staffing star ratings. This update froze staffing measures in April to help facilitate the transition of the new case-mix methodology. CMS memo stated:

 “While CMS will maintain the same overall distribution of points for staffing measures, it is still possible for a facility’s staffing star rating to change.”

In order to maintain the same overall distribution of points for affected staffing measures, CMS plans to revise the staffing rating threshold. The agency said staffing ratings could vary due to an updated staffing level case-mix adjustment methodology, a change in the number of staffing hours reported by facilities from quarter to quarter, and an update to staffing turnover methodology. 

Along with an update to the staffing levels case-mix methodology, CMS plans to revise the risk adjustment methodology. This will include the most recent data available by modifying the risk adjustment methodology for the claims-based quality measures. The information could incentivize facilities to enhance their quality standards. 

Operators and other stakeholders can email NursingHomeData@cms.hhs.gov with recommendations on how to improve the data structure to support their efforts.

The staffing turnover adjustment also corrected an oversight regarding employees on leave for an extended period. Now, employees on leave for 60 or more days are counted as departed in the quality measure for staffing turnover. For those who take longer than 60 days during maternity and paternity leave, regulators have pushed the 60 days to 90 days, referencing the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). 

The new consumer guides will outline the minimum health and safety expectations in “consumer-friendly” terms, emphasize residents’ rights, and make information on Care Compare easier to interpret.