CMS Implements Stricter Nursing Home Staffing Survey Rules for States

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Friday that it will use payroll-based journal (PBJ) data to bolster state oversight of nursing homes, effective immediately.

Specifically, CMS will use PBJ data to identify and provide state survey agencies with a list of nursing homes that have several days in a quarter without a registered nurse (RN) on site, or have a significant decline in staff on the weekends. The survey agencies will then have to conduct surveys on additional weekends based on the federal list, according to a memo released to providers.