Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it is updating the Nursing Home Compare website to include facilities with instances of noncompliance related to abuse. Effective October 23, a red icon with an outstretched white hand will be added to facilities with instances of noncompliance related to abuse that meet either of these criteria:
1. Cited for harm-level abuse where residents were found to be harmed:
- Scope/severity G or higher on the most recent standard survey or a complaint survey within the last 12 months, or
2. Cited for repeat abuse citations where residents were found to be “potentially” harmed:
- Scope/severity D or higher on the most recent standard survey or a complaint survey in the last 12 months, and
- On the previous (second most recent) standard survey or on a complaint survey in the prior 12 months, from 12 to 24 months ago
The following tags define abuse:
- F600 protect each resident from all types of abuse, such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment and neglect by anyone
- F602 protect each resident from wrongful use of the resident’s belongings or money
- F603 protect each resident from separation from other residents, his/her room or confinement to his/her room
- F223 protect each resident from all abuse, physical punishment and involuntary separation from others
- F224 protect each resident from mistreatment, neglect and misappropriation of personal property
The icons will be updated monthly and an icon will be removed only when a nursing home no longer meets the criteria, and it has been determined that the circumstances leading to the citations was adequately remedied.
Nursing homes that receive the abuse icons will have their health inspection rating capped at a maximum of two stars with the best overall rating of four stars.
Additionally, CMS will be removing two quality measures (QMs) from the Nursing Home Compare website and the Five-star Quality Rating System in October 2019:
- Percentage of short-stay residents who report moderate to severe pain
- Percentage of long-stay residents who report moderate to severe pain
For more information go to the Five-star Quality Rating System Technical User Guide. Questions? Contact Joan McCarthy at joan.mccarthy@rsmus.com.
