Nursing homes
Medicare starts shorter, focused inspections for nursing homes with strong records
CMS began a new risk-based survey process nationwide this week, giving about 12% of nursing homes with strong records shorter, more focused inspections, while complaint investigations continue as before.
Key facts
- McKnight's Long-Term Care News reported on September 11 that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services began putting its new Risk-Based Survey process in place nationally that Tuesday.
- Nursing homes that meet a set of performance criteria may receive a more focused inspection, generally with fewer surveyors and less time on site.
- If concerns come up, the survey can expand, and complaint investigations continue as they do today.
What happened
McKnight's Long-Term Care News reported on September 11 that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services began putting its new Risk-Based Survey process in place nationally that Tuesday. Nursing homes that meet a set of performance criteria may receive a more focused inspection, generally with fewer surveyors and less time on site. If concerns come up, the survey can expand, and complaint investigations continue as they do today.
CMS estimates about 12% of nursing homes nationally will qualify. A facility must meet 11 criteria. One looks at whether two or more residents 65 or older were newly diagnosed with schizophrenia after admission, a measure the public cannot check. The column's author, from a health care consulting firm, tried to recreate the list from public data while waiting for CMS to publish its official list.
What it means for families
Inspection reports are one of the best tools families have for judging a nursing home. A shorter, focused inspection at a strong home is not a free pass, and complaints are still investigated fully.
For example: if you have a concern about care at a home that qualified for the shorter survey, your complaint to the state health department is still handled the usual way.
What this means in New York: inspections here are carried out by the New York State Department of Health for CMS, and families can file complaints with the department directly.
Quick answers
What is CMS's risk-based nursing home survey?
McKnight's Long-Term Care News reported on September 11 that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services began putting its new Risk-Based Survey process in place nationally that Tuesday. Nursing homes that meet a set of performance criteria may receive a more focused inspection, generally with fewer surveyors and less time on site. If concerns come up, the survey can expand, and complaint investigations continue as they do today.
What to do this week
- Read the most recent inspection report for your parent's nursing home on Medicare's Care Compare.
- If you have a care concern, write it down with dates and raise it with the administrator first.
- If it is not resolved, file a complaint with your state health department and keep the confirmation.
Sources
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