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August 16, 2022

In this Issue:

  1. CMS Updates Nursing Home Regulations, Including Changes to Food Services Qualifications and Life Safety Code
  2. Study Finds Nursing Homes Underreport Pressure Injuries
  3. Legislation that Would Improve Nursing Home Conditions Introduced in House

CMS Updates Nursing Home Regulations, Including Changes to Food Services Qualifications and Life Safety Code

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published updated nursing home regulations on August 3, 2022 which included:

  • Changes to the requirements for the Director of Food and Nutrition Services;
  • Changes to the Life Safety Code; and
  • Adoption of several previously proposed measures for the Skilled Nursing Home Quality Reporting Program (QRP) measures and the Value Based Purchasing Program (VBP).

Visit our website to read a full summary of the changes included in the August 3rd final rule.

Study Finds Nursing Homes Underreport Pressure Injuries

A University of Chicago study has found that nursing home operators have underreported the number of pressure injuries in Medicare residents by as much as 40%.  The study, published in Medical Care, compared resident-level data used for Nursing Home Compare ratings to patient-level hospital admission data and skilled nursing facility claims for Medicare beneficiaries.  Researchers found that between 2011 and 2017, nursing homes self-reported only 59.7% of hospitalized pressure injuries.

On Care Compare, overall star ratings and category-specific ratings for nursing homes are derived from a combination of self-reported measures taken from the Minimum Data Set (MDS) and health inspections. 

Consumer Voice has long criticized the problems with using self-reported data in the nursing home rating process.  The University of Chicago's study, along with their previous study on nursing homes' underreporting of fall severity, provide important insight into the inaccuracies of self-reported data.

Learn more in the article from McKnight's.

Legislation that Would Improve Nursing Home Conditions Introduced in House


This month, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) has introduced two bills that would improve conditions in nursing homes.  Consumer Voice supports both pieces of legislation.  The Linking Investors and Nursing Home Quality (LINHQ) Act would bring transparency into nursing home ownership and financial activity by requiring nursing homes and parties with ownership interests to disclose ownership and financial information each year.  The Infrastructure Modernization Project Related to the Overall Enhancement of Nursing Homes Act (IMPROVE Nursing Homes Act) would provide funding for resident-centered nursing homes by creating a grant program to convert traditional nursing homes into small-house nursing homes with person-centered cultures.

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