CMS Revises PBJ Staff Turnover Definition

• By: Maureen Carland
• On: 07/02/2024 13:59:13
• In: Quality/Regulatory

Upcoming Changes to Nursing Home Data and Care Compare Effective July 31

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced updates to Nursing Home Care Compare and Data.CMS.gov, set to take effect on July 31, 2024. These updates, outlined in QSO-24-14-NH, build upon changes initially revealed in September 2023.

Key updates include:

Revised Staff Turnover Calculation:
CMS will no longer count employees on leave for 90 days or less as part of staff turnover. This adjustment aims to better accommodate staff on maternity or parental leave. Previously, any absence of 60 days or more was considered turnover, so this change is expected to reduce reported turnover rates.

New Staffing Level Case-Mix Adjustment Methodology:
Starting July 31, CMS will implement a new methodology for staffing level case-mix adjustment, which will be reflected in staffing measures on Care Compare. The staffing rating thresholds will be revised to maintain the current distribution of points for these measures.

Updated Quality Measure Risk-Adjustment:
CMS will update the risk adjustment methodology for claims-based quality measures, incorporating the most recent data available to ensure accuracy.

Facility-Level Data on Resident and Facility Characteristics:
Aggregate MDS data at the facility level will be posted on Data.CMS.gov, providing a more detailed view of resident and facility characteristics. This data expands upon the state and national-level MDS frequency data currently available.

Updated Nursing Home Guides on Care Compare:
New consumer guides will be posted on the Nursing Home Care Compare website.
 
More details on all of these updates can be found here.
 
Staff contact: mcarland@mehca.org