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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services today announced it will soon launch a ground-breaking ranking system of America’s nursing homes, giving each a “star” rating. CMS is requesting comments on the system designed to provide patients and their families an easy to understand assessment of nursing home quality, making meaningful distinctions between high performing and low performing homes. This will be the first time that CMS will offer such a rating system for the fee-for-service, or traditional Medicare program. Currently, through the Compare Web site, CMS assists beneficiaries and their families in making nursing home choices by providing information on individual measures of quality of care, staffing, and survey inspection information. The ratings will be posted on the agency’s Nursing Home Compare Web site by the end of this year. A sample screen shot of the proposed star ratings is available at www.cms.hhs.gov/PressContacts/10_PR_fivestar.asp. Medicare Compare can be found at www.medicare.gov. CMS will also publish the Fire Safety Requirements for Long-Term Care (LTC) Facilities final regulation that requires all nursing homes in the country to install sprinkler systems throughout their buildings if they wish to continue to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. To read the CMS press releases issued today please click here: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp |
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