CMS Posts Updated Five-Star Technical Users' Guide
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) posted an updated Five-Star Technical Users’ Guide after the April Care Compare refresh on April 24, 2024. The updates to the guide include the four quality measures that are frozen at their January 2024 performance rates, the three staffing level measures that are frozen at their January 2024 performance rates, and the new staffing turnover penalty introduced at the April 2024 refresh.
Quality measures frozen:
- Percentage of Residents Who Made Improvements in Function (short stay) – frozen until the October 2024 refresh
- Percentage of Residents Whose Need for Help with Activities of Daily Living Has Increased (long-stay) – frozen until the January 2025 refresh
- Percentage of Residents Whose Ability to Move Independently Worsened (long stay) – frozen until the January 2025 refresh
- Percentage of High-Risk Residents with Pressure Ulcers (long stay) – frozen until the January 2025 refresh
Staffing measures frozen until the July 2024 refresh:
- Adjusted RN Staffing (Hours per Resident per Day)
- Adjusted Total Nurse Staffing (Hours per Resident per Day)
- Adjusted Total Nurse Staffing on weekends (Hours per Resident per Day)
The turnover penalty imposed beginning at the April 2024 refresh would award providers that fail to submit staffing data or submit erroneous data the lowest score possible for corresponding staffing turnover measures.
Contact: Susan Chenail, schenail@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8383 ext. 116