News for MDS Experts

🚨This communication pertains to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2028 Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (SNF VBP) Program performance standards for the Discharge Function Score for SNFs measure which the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published in the FY 2026 SNF Prospective Payment System (PPS) Final Rule on August 4, 2025. The Discharge Function Score for SNFs measure is one of the eight measures included in the SNF VBP Program for the FY 2028 Program year.
This communication does not affect the current FY 2027 SNF VBP Program scoring and incentive payments, nor does it affect prior FYs. SNFs do not need to do anything at this time, or in the future.
The performance standards for each measure adopted by the SNF VBP Program consist of the achievement threshold and the benchmark. The achievement threshold is the 25th percentile of all SNFs' performance on a measure during the Program year's applicable baseline period, and the benchmark is the mean of the top decile of all SNFs' performance on a measure during the Program year's applicable baseline period. For the FY 2028 SNF VBP Program year, the baseline period is FY 2024, and the performance period is FY 2026, for the Discharge Function Score for SNFs measure. The performance standards are used together with each SNF’s performance on a measure during the baseline period and the performance period to calculate a measure score for each measure, for each SNF.
𝘾𝙈𝙎 𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙁𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙉𝙁𝙨 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝟭𝟱𝟱 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨. 𝘾𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙝𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙔 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟴 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙢 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧.
The table below displays the original performance standards published in the FY 2026 SNF PPS final rule and the updated performance standards for the FY 2028 Program year. The updated performance standards will be used in upcoming FY 2028 SNF VBP Program scoring and payment calculations. As mentioned above, this update does not affect SNF VBP Program scoring and incentive payments for the current FY 2027 SNF VBP Program, nor did it affect scoring and incentive payments in prior FYs. SNFs do not need to do anything at this time, and this process will not require any future action from providers.
FY 2028 Program Year Discharge Function Score for SNFs Performance Standards ... See MoreSee Less

𝗜𝗖𝗬𝗠𝗜: The Five-Star rating preview reports for nursing homes will be available in iQIES on May 20, 2026. Nursing Home Care Compare will update with the May Five-Star data on or around May 27, 2026.

Important Note: The Five-Star Helpline (800-839-9290) will be available May 26 – 29, 2026. For assistance logging into iQIES, please contact the iQIES Service Center via email (iQIES@cms.hhs.gov) or by phone (800-339-9313). ... See MoreSee Less

𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲?

Stop by 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗵 #𝟯𝟬𝟯 to connect with MDS Consultants and join us for our session:

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝟭𝟬 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

Presented by:
𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻, 𝗥𝗡, 𝗠𝗦𝗡, 𝗕𝗦, 𝗗𝗡𝗦-𝗠𝗧, 𝗥𝗔𝗖-𝗖𝗧, 𝗥𝗔𝗖-𝗖𝗧𝗔
𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗯 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗥𝗡, 𝗠𝗗𝗦, 𝗕𝗦, 𝗗𝗡𝗦-𝗠𝗧, 𝗤𝗖𝗣-𝗠𝗧, 𝗥𝗔𝗖-𝗖𝗧, 𝗥𝗔𝗖-𝗖𝗧𝗔

We look forward to seeing you in Dallas. Stop by our booth for a 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 resource to support your facility!

#nadona2026 #LTC #SNF #SurveyReadiness #MDS #MDSConsultants ... See MoreSee Less

𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘂𝗽𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗔𝗖-𝗖𝗧 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽!

MDS Consultants, an AAPACN Training Partner, is hosting a virtual RAC-CT Workshop designed for professionals who want to strengthen their MDS coding knowledge, regulatory understanding, and confidence in the assessment process.

This is more than training from a textbook. Attendees will learn from an AAPACN Master Teacher who works with facilities and understands the real challenges teams face with MDS accuracy, documentation, compliance, and reimbursement.

The MDS is too important to guess your way through. Strengthening your RAC-CT knowledge can help support more accurate coding, stronger documentation, and better confidence in the assessment process.

𝗥𝗔𝗖-𝗖𝗧 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽
June 2–5, 2026
Virtual
learner.aapacn.org/Public/Catalog/Details.aspx?id=FRoz0qQ%2fTArjt7%2bP9cKBsw%3d%3d&returnurl=%2fU...

𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗹𝘆.

𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆:
The Parties are not responsible for any fees incurred due to cancellations or postponements. Participant cancellations must be submitted in writing via email to workshops@AAPACN.org. Participants who are unable to attend may send a substitute in their place. Cancellations received more than thirty (30) business days prior to the start date of the workshop will receive a full refund. Cancellations received fourteen to thirty (14-30) business days prior to the start date of the workshop will receive a full refund, minus a two-hundred-and fifty-dollar ($250.00) processing fee, of which two-hundred and twenty-five dollars ($225.00) is paid to Training Partner and twenty-five dollars ($25.00) is paid to Association. No refunds will be issued for cancellations received thirteen (13) business days or less prior to the start date of the Training Workshop except for emergencies or a visit from state surveyors. State surveyors must be present in the Participant’s building in order for the Participant to receive a refund. Neither Party shall issue a refund for any Participant’s withdrawal due to weather unless the Training Workshop is cancelled.

#RACT #MDS #MDSCoordinator #SkilledNursing #LongTermCare #SNF #MDSConsultants #AAPACN #HealthcareCompliance #PDPM ... See MoreSee Less

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘁 𝗢𝗛𝗖𝗔!

MDS Consultants is at Booth #840, and our team would love to connect.

Stop by to say hello, learn more about how we support skilled nursing facilities, and grab one of our practical resources, including the High-Risk Medication Tool.

We’re enjoying the conversations so far and look forward to meeting more long-term care professionals tomorrow.

📍 Greater Columbus Convention Center
📅 OHCA 2026 | May 18–21

www.mds-consultants.com

#OHCA2026 #LongTermCare #SkilledNursing #MDS #Compliance #QualityImprovement #MDSConsultants ... See MoreSee Less

Quality Measures are more than numbers — they tell the story of care, outcomes, and facility performance.

Join us on May 26 for our Quality Measures Webinar Series with QM Basics: Understanding the Foundations.

This session will cover short-stay vs. long-stay measures, key QM components, and practical strategies for monitoring quality measures in the SNF setting.

Don’t see the Register button? Join MDS Experts to access this webinar and the full series.

www.mdsexpert.com/webinars-training/

#MDS #QualityMeasures #SNF #LongTermCare #MDSCoordinator #FiveStar #SNFQRP #SNFVBP ... See MoreSee Less

Happy Friday!

#happyfriday #fridaymood #MDSConsultants #mdsexperts #longtermcare #MDS #LTC ... See MoreSee Less

The April update of Appendix B to the MDS 3.0 RAI User’s Manual contains changes to the list of State RAI Coordinators, MDS Automation Coordinators, and CMS locations and contacts.
cstu.io/4a7a3e
cstu.io/7a75b9 ... See MoreSee Less

🚨The submission deadline for the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) is approaching. Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment data and data submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) for Oct 1 – Dec 31 (Q4) of the calendar year (CY) 2025 are due with this submission deadline. The annual NHSN Measure Influenza Vaccination among Healthcare Personnel is also due with this deadline.
𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝟭𝟭:𝟱𝟵 𝗽.𝗺. 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟴, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.
cstu.io/87bcd8
cstu.io/7ece83 ... See MoreSee Less