May 15th Marks Two Important Deadlines for Nursing Homes
(May 7, 2024) LeadingAge NY urges nursing home members to make sure that they meet the May 15th deadlines for finalizing their Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) staffing reporting and submitting staff Influenza Vaccination data through the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN).
Nursing homes must finalize their PBJ data reporting covering Jan. 1st through March 31, 2024 by May 15th. We remind members that in addition to informing the Five-Star rating system, PBJ data are used to monitor compliance with State staffing level requirements. As of April 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has changed how missing data are considered when calculating staff turnover. The new approach will have a lasting negative impact on a facility’s Five-Star calculation if data are not submitted. Providers will receive the lowest possible score on their staffing turnover measures if data for one of the six quarters used in the calculation are missing.
The PBJ Policy Manual, along with related resources including a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), can be downloaded at the bottom of the dedicated CMS PBJ webpage here. Information from CMS describing the various PBJ reports that providers may access, including general and detailed Minimum Data Set (MDS) census reports that should be used to verify that discharged residents are not reflected in the census, is available here.
Nursing home providers should keep in mind that in addition to State requirements to submit the Healthcare Personnel (HCP) Influenza Vaccination Report by June 28th, they are required to file an annual report on HCP influenza vaccination rates by May 15th through NHSN. To meet Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) requirements, nursing homes must report the flu vaccination status of all HCP who worked for at least one day between Oct. 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024. The report must be submitted through the Healthcare Personnel Safety (HPS) Component of NHSN by May 15th. Reporting weekly influenza vaccination data through the NHSN Long Term Care Facility Component does not fulfill this QRP requirement. The most recent operational guidance that outlines the requirements is available here. A tip sheet for reporting is available here, and various other resources are on the NHSN webpage here. We strongly recommend that members ensure that they have the required access for submitting the reports as soon as possible.
Contact: Darius Kirstein, dkirstein@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8841