Five Star Reports
The Five Star provider preview reports are available via the iQIES system as of January 7, 2026. The reports are in the Provider Preview Reports folder within the Reports menu. CMS subsequently updated the Five Star rating information within the Nursing Home Compare website on January 14, 2026. Quick reminder, the Five Star health inspections domain updated with a shorter lookback period as of July 2025.
MDS 3.0 Quality Measures
CMS MDS 3.0 Quality Measures (QM) User’s Manual v18.0 is effective as of January 1, 2026. This includes updates to the following QMs:
- Percent of Residents who Received Antipsychotic Medication (long stay) – this will now include MDS and claims data with the goal to improve accuracy in reporting.
- Discharge Function Score (short stay) – the Risk Adjustor now reflects the October 1, 2025, changes in Section O of the MDS specific to Therapy Services.
NEW! SNF Data Validation Audit Process is Underway
Earlier this week, CMS announced the SNF Data Validation Process would begin this month with provider notification letters to be sent mid-January. On cue, as of Monday January 12th, providers are seeing the CMS notification letters in the iQIES system. The validation audits will impact approximately 1500 randomly selected skilled nursing providers each fiscal year. Of significance is the series of deadlines to be aware of for submitting key data to CMS with the most time sensitive deadline of notifying CMS of the facility’s Point of Contact (POC) within five business days of receiving the notification letter.
For more detailed information, please view this short recording compliments of BriggsNetNews.
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