News for MDS Experts

The Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP) Overview of Data Elements Used for Reporting Assessment-Based Quality Measures and Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements Affecting FY 2028 Annual Payment Update (APU) Determination has been updated. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’s) Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP) requires SNFs to submit quality measure and standardized resident assessment data elements to CMS. For a given data submission period, the Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments submitted by an SNF must meet the Annual Payment Update (APU) minimum data completion threshold of not less than 90 percent of the assessments having 100 percent completion of the required data elements. These are the standardized patient assessment data elements and the data elements needed to calculate the SNF QRP quality measures. Successful assessment completion means that the assessment does not contain non informative responses (i.e., “dash” [–]) for required data elements. Please note that while the coding of a “dash” is an optional response value for many of the data elements listed in this table, its use does not count toward meeting the APU minimum data completion threshold. Failure to meet the minimum threshold may result in a 2 percentage point reduction in the SNF’s APU.
www.cms.gov/medicare/quality/snf-quality-reporting-program/measures-and-technical-information/?ut...
www.cms.gov/files/document/fy2028-snf-qrp-apu-tableforreportingmeasuresanddata-revaug2026-508.pdf... ... See MoreSee Less

CMS updated the LTC Survey Resources to include Risk Based Survey and made updates to Chapter 7.
𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲:
𝗥𝗕𝗦 𝗜𝗣 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝘀
𝗥𝗕𝗦 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀
𝗥𝗕𝗦 𝗖𝗠𝗦 𝟴𝟬𝟮
𝗥𝗕𝗦 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺
𝗥𝗕𝗦 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗔𝗶𝗱
𝗥𝗕𝗦 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀
𝗥𝗕𝗦 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲
𝗥𝗕𝗦 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗔𝗶𝗱
www.cms.gov/medicare/provider-enrollment-and-certification/guidanceforlawsandregulations/nursing-... ... See MoreSee Less

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering a web-based training that provides an overview of Section K of the Minimum Data Set (MDS). The course reviews the purpose, assessment steps, coding instructions, coding tips, key definitions, and calculation methods for accurately assessing and coding Section K items.
To access the training, select the following link: www.cms.gov/medicare/quality/snf-quality-reporting-program/training/?utm_source=contentstudio.io&...
If you have questions about accessing resources or feedback regarding trainings, please email the PAC Training Mailbox.
Content-related questions should be submitted to the SNF QRP Help Desk. ... See MoreSee Less

🤝 We're excited to partner with Premier Therapy at LeadingAge Ohio!

Join Jessica Stucin and Julie Bellucci as they present:
The Pain Equation: Linking Assessments, Survey & Quality of Life

Pain impacts far more than comfort—it influences assessments, survey outcomes, quality measures, and ultimately a resident's quality of life. This session will explore practical strategies to help interdisciplinary teams connect the dots and improve both resident care and regulatory outcomes.

📅 Tuesday, August 25, 2026
🕜 1:30 PM – 2:45 PM

If you'll be attending LeadingAge Ohio, we hope to see you there!

#LeadingAgeOhio #MDSConsultants #PremierTherapy #ThePainEquation #PainManagement #LongTermCare #SkilledNursing #SNF #MDS #QualityMeasures #QualityImprovement #SurveyReadiness #ResidentCare #QualityOfLife #PostAcuteCare #HealthcareEducation #NurseLeadership #LongTermCareEducation ... See MoreSee Less

The Internet Quality Improvement & Evaluation System (iQIES) User Roles Matrix Job Aid Version 5.1 was updated on July 28, 2026. This update includes user roles for PBJ (Payroll-Based Journal), the PBJ View and the PBJ Submitter. Table 2 includes PBJ Roles and Privileges.
qtso.cms.gov/software/iqies/reference-manuals/?utm_source=contentstudio.io&utm_medium=referral ... See MoreSee Less

To: iQIES Users in Production
Due to scheduled maintenance, the internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) will be unavailable from Friday, August 14, 2026, at 8 PM ET to Monday, August 17, 2026, at 8 AM ET. All iQIES functionality, including Assessments, Survey & Certification, CLIA, Reports, Dashboards, and access to State views via the Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) will be disabled.
For additional assistance, email the iQIES Service Center at iqies@cms.https://cstu.io/c75ee5 or contact the iQIES Service Center at (800) 339-9313, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM–8:00 PM ET. You may also request assistance via secure chat or schedule a call through CCSQ Support Central. Please note that Chat support is currently limited to 9:00 AM-5:00 PM ET, Monday through Friday.
cstu.io/2695b9 ... See MoreSee Less

Directors of Nursing, take the next step in your leadership journey!

MDS Consultants, an AAPACN Training Partner, is hosting a virtual Director of Nursing Services–Certified (DNS-CT®) workshop.

📅 October 20–23, 2026
🕙 10:00 a.m.–5:15 p.m. ET daily
💻 Live virtual instruction
🎓 22.5 CE credits
👩‍🏫 Taught by Barbara Bates, MSN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT and Linda Winston, RN, MSN, BS, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-CT, RAC-CTA

Registration includes four days of instruction, digital workshop materials, and access to all 10 certification exams.

Learn more and register: cstu.io/e24962

#dnsct #directorofnursing #NursingLeadership #longtermcare #skillednursing #ProfessionalDevelopment #nurseleaders #AAPACN #MDSCONSULTANTS ... See MoreSee Less

𝗣𝗕𝗝 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀:
CMS has posted Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) resources for the internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) on the QIES Technical Support Office (QTSO) website. The links are provided below. You can find the iQIES Staffing Data Submission PBJ User Manual and the PBJ Error Message Reference Guide in the iQIES Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) Manuals topic under the Reference & Manuals section.
Available Resources:
iQIES Staffing Data Submission PBJ User Manual – Provides detailed explanations on how to upload PBJ files, review submission results, manage employee records, and manage staffing hours.
PBJ Error Message Reference Guide – Provides detailed explanations and troubleshooting guidance for PBJ system error messages.
PBJ Error Messages Spreadsheet – A downloadable spreadsheet for quick reference and filtering.
Links:
Provider: cstu.io/7a466a
Vendor: cstu.io/319b9a
iQIES Manuals: cstu.io/81767b
For additional assistance email the iQIES Service Center at iqies@cms.https://cstu.io/38f017 or contact the iQIES Service Center at (800) 339-9313, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM–8:00 PM ET. You may also request assistance via secure chat or schedule a call through CCSQ Support Central. Please note that Chat support is currently limited to 9:00 AM-5:00 PM ET, Monday through Friday. ... See MoreSee Less

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is providing notifications to Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) and non-Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Swing Beds (SBs) that were determined to be out of compliance with SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP) requirements for calendar year (CY) 2025 which will affect their fiscal year (FY) 2027 Annual Payment Update (APU). Non-compliance notifications will be placed in the facilities’ My Reports folders in the Internet Quality Improvement Evaluation System (iQIES) on August 5, 2026. Additionally, letters will be distributed by the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs). Facilities that receive a letter of non-compliance may submit a request for reconsideration to CMS via email no later than 11:59 pm, September 4, 2026. If you receive a notice of non-compliance and would like to request a reconsideration, see the instructions in your notification letter and on the SNF Quality Reporting Reconsideration and Exception & Extension webpage.
cstu.io/7501ca ... See MoreSee Less