Design for Nursing Home Compare

Five-Star Quality Rating System:

Technical Users’ Guide

January 2017
Note: In July 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) made several changes to the
quality measure (QM) domain of the Five Star Nursing Home Quality Rating System. These include
the addition of five new measures and several methodological changes. The new measures are:

• Percentage of short-stay residents who were successfully discharged to the community (claims-
based)
• Percentage of short-stay residents who have had an outpatient emergency department visit
(claims-based)
• Percentage of short-stay residents who were re-hospitalized after a nursing home admission
(claims-based)
• Percentage of short-stay residents who made improvements in function (MDS-based)
• Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to move independently worsened (MDS-based)

These measures greatly expand the number of short-stay measures used on Nursing Home Compare
and add important domains not covered by other measures. The five new QMs will be phased in
between July 2016 and January 2017. As of January 2017, the five QMs incorporated into the rating in
July 2016 have the same weight as the other eleven QMs.

The methodological changes introduced in July include:

• Using four quarters of data rather than three for determining QM ratings.

• Reducing the minimum denominator for all measures (short-stay, long-stay, and claims-based)
to 20 summed across four quarters.

• Revising the imputation methodology for QMs with low denominators meeting specific criteria.
A facility’s own available data will be used and the state average will be used to reach the
minimum denominator.

• Using national cut points for assigning points for the ADL QM rather than state-specific
thresholds.

These changes are described in more detail in the Quality Measure Domain section of this document.
Introduction
In December 2008, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) enhanced its Nursing Home
Compare public reporting site to include a set of quality ratings for each nursing home that participates in
Medicare or Medicaid. The ratings take the form of several “star” ratings for each nursing home. The
primary goal of this rating system is to provide residents and their families with an easy way to
understand assessment of nursing home quality, making meaningful distinctions between high and low
performing nursing homes.

This document provides a comprehensive description of the design for the Nursing Home Compare Five-
Star Quality Rating System. This design was developed by CMS with assistance from Abt Associates,
invaluable advice from leading researchers in the long-term care field who comprise the Technical Expert
Panel (TEP) for this project, and numerous ideas contributed by consumer and provider groups. All of
these organizations and groups have continued to contribute their input as the rating system has been
refined and updated to incorporate newly available data. We believe the Five-Star Quality Rating System
continues to offer valuable and comprehensible information to consumers based on the best data currently
available. The rating system features an Overall Quality Rating of one to five stars based on facility
performance for three types of measures, each of which has its own five-star rating:

• Health Inspections - Measures based on outcomes from State health inspections: Facility
ratings for the health inspection domain are based on the number, scope, and severity of
deficiencies identified during the three most recent annual inspection surveys, as well as
substantiated findings from the most recent 36 months of complaint investigations. All deficiency
findings are weighted by scope and severity. This measure also takes into account the number of
revisits required to ensure that deficiencies identified during the health inspection survey have
been corrected.
• Staffing - Measures based on nursing home staffing levels: Facility ratings on the staffing
domain are based on two measures: 1) Registered nurse (RN) hours per resident day; and 2) total
staffing hours (RN+ licensed practical nurse (LPN) + nurse aide hours) per resident day. Other
types of nursing home staff such as clerical or housekeeping staff are not included in these
staffing numbers. These staffing measures are derived from the CMS Certification and Survey
Provider Enhanced Reports (CASPER) system, and are case-mix adjusted based on the
distribution of Minimum Data Set, Version 3.0 (MDS 3.0) assessments by Resource utilization
groups, version III (RUG-III) group.
• QMs - Measures based on MDS and claims-based quality measures (QMs): Facility ratings for
the quality measures are based on performance on 16 of the 24 QMs that are currently posted on
the Nursing Home Compare web site, and that are based on MDS 3.0 assessments as well as
hospital and emergency department claims. These include nine long-stay measures and seven
short-stay measures.
In recognition of the multi-dimensional nature of nursing home quality, Nursing Home Compare displays
information on facility ratings for each of these domains alongside the overall performance rating.
Further, in addition to the overall staffing five-star rating mentioned above, a five-star rating for RN
staffing is also displayed separately on the Nursing Home Compare website, when users seek more
information on the staffing component.

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An example of the rating information included on Nursing Home Compare is shown in the figure below.
Users of the web site can drill down on each domain to obtain additional details on facility performance.

A companion document to this Technical Users’ Guide (Nursing Home Compare – Five Star Quality
Rating System: Technical Users’ Guide – State-Level Cut Point Tables) provides the data for the state-
level cut points for the star ratings included in the health inspection. The data table in the companion
document will be updated monthly. Cut points for the staffing ratings have been fixed and do not vary

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monthly. Data tables giving the cut points for the staffing ratings are included in Tables 4 and 5 in this
Technical Users’ Guide.

Methodology for Constructing the Ratings

Health Inspection Domain

Nursing homes that participate in the Medicare and/or Medicaid programs have an onsite recertification
(standard) (“comprehensive”) inspection annually on average, with very rarely more than fifteen months
elapsing between inspections for any one particular nursing home. Inspections are unannounced and are
conducted by a team of health care professionals who spend several days in the nursing home to assess
whether the nursing home is in compliance with federal requirements. These inspections provide a
comprehensive assessment of the nursing home, reviewing facility practice and policies in such areas as
resident rights, quality of life, medication management, skin care, resident assessment, nursing home
administration, environment, and kitchen/food services. The methodology for constructing the health
inspection rating is based on the three most recent recertification surveys for each nursing home,
complaint deficiencies during the most recent three-year period, and any repeat revisits needed to verify
that required corrections have brought the facility back into compliance. The Five-Star Quality Rating
System uses more than 200,000 records for the health inspection domain alone.

Scoring Rules
CMS calculates a health inspection score based on points assigned to deficiencies identified in each active
provider’s three most recent recertification health inspections, as well as on deficiency findings from the
most recent three years of complaint inspections.

• Health Inspection Results: Points are assigned to individual health deficiencies according to their
scope and severity –more serious, widespread deficiencies receive more points, with additional
points assigned for substandard quality of care (see Table 1).. If the status of the deficiency is
“past non-compliance” and the severity is “immediate jeopardy” (i.e., J-, K- or L-level), then
points associated with a G- level deficiency are assigned. Deficiencies from Life Safety surveys
are not included in calculations for the Five-Star rating. Deficiencies from Federal Comparative
Surveys are not reported on Nursing Home Compare or included in Five Star calculations, though
the results of State Survey Agency determinations made during a Federal Oversight Survey are
included.
• Repeat Revisits - Number of repeat revisits required to confirm that correction of deficiencies
have restored compliance: No points are assigned for the first revisit; points are assigned only for
the second, third, and fourth revisits and are proportional to the health inspection score for the
survey cycle (Table 2). If a provider fails to correct deficiencies by the time of the first revisit,
then these additional revisit points are assigned up to 85 percent of the health inspection score for
the fourth revisit. CMS experience is that providers who fail to demonstrate restored compliance
with safety and quality of care requirements during the first revisit have lower quality of care than
other nursing homes. More revisits are associated with more serious quality problems.

CMS calculates a total health inspection score for each facility. The total score is calculated as the
facility’s weighted deficiency score (including any repeat revisit points). Note that a lower survey score
corresponds to fewer deficiencies and revisits, and thus better performance on the health inspection
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domain. In calculating the total weighted score, more recent surveys are weighted more heavily than
earlier surveys with the most recent period (cycle 1) being assigned a weighting factor of 1/2, the previous
period (cycle 2) having a weighting factor of 1/3, and the second prior survey (cycle 3) having a
weighting factor of 1/6. The individual weighted time period scores are then summed to create the total
weighted survey score for each facility.

Complaint inspections are assigned to a time period based on the most recent 12 month period in which
the complaint survey occurred. Complaint inspections that occurred within the most recent 12 months
preceding the current web site update date receive a weighting factor of 1/2; those from 13-24 months ago
have a weighting factor of 1/3, and those from 25-36 months ago have a weighting factor of 1/6. There
are some deficiencies that appear on both standard and complaint inspections. To avoid potential double-
counting, deficiencies that appear on complaint inspections that are conducted within 15 days of a
recertification inspection (either prior to or after the recertification inspection) are counted only once. If
the scope or severity differs between the two inspections, the highest scope-severity combination is used.
Points from complaint deficiencies from a given period are added to the health inspection score before
calculating revisit points, if applicable.

For facilities missing data for one period, the health inspection score is determined based on the periods
for which data are available, using the same relative weights, with the missing (third) survey weight
distributed proportionately to the existing two inspections. Specifically, when there are only two
recertification inspections, the most recent receives 60 percent weight and the prior receives 40 percent
weight. Facilities with only one standard health inspection are considered not to have sufficient data to
determine a health inspection rating and are set to missing for the health inspection domain. For these
facilities, no composite rating is assigned and no ratings are reported for the staffing or QM domains even
if these ratings are available.

Table 1
Health Inspection Score: Weights for Different Types of Deficiencies
Scope
Severity
Isolated Pattern Widespread
Immediate jeopardy to resident health or J K L
safety 50 points* 100 points* 150 points*
(75 points) (125 points) (175 points)
Actual harm that is not immediate jeopardy G H I
20 points 35 points 45 points
(40 points) (50 points)
No actual harm with potential for more than D E F
minimal harm that is not immediate jeopardy 4 points 8 points 16 points
(20 points)
No actual harm with potential for minimal A B C
harm 0 point 0 points 0 points
Note: Figures in parentheses indicate points for deficiencies that are for substandard quality of care.
Shaded cells denote deficiency scope/severity levels that constitute substandard quality of care if the
requirement which is not met is one that falls under the following federal regulations: 42 CFR 483.13 resident
behavior and nursing home practices, 42 CFR 483.15 quality of life, 42 CFR 483.25 quality of care.
* If the status of the deficiency is “past non-compliance” and the severity is Immediate Jeopardy, then points
associated with a ‘G-level” deficiency (i.e., 20 points) are assigned.
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

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Table 2
Weights for Repeat Revisits
Revisit Number Noncompliance Points
First 0
Second 50 percent of health inspection score
Third 70 percent of health inspection score
Fourth 85 percent of health inspection score
Note: The health inspection score includes points from deficiencies cited on the standard
health inspection and complaint inspections during a given survey cycle.

Rating Methodology
Health inspections are based on federal regulations, which surveyors implement using national
interpretive guidance and a federally-specified survey process. Federal staff train State inspectors and
oversee State performance. The federal oversight includes quality checks based on a 5% sample of the
health inspections performed by States, in which Federal inspectors either accompany State inspectors or
replicate the inspection within 60 days of the State and then compare results. These control systems are
designed to improve consistency in the survey process. Nonetheless there remains variation among states
in both inspection process and outcomes. Such variation derives from many factors, including:

• Survey Management: Variation among states in the skill sets of inspectors, supervision of
inspectors , and the inspection processes;
• State Licensure: State licensing laws set forth different expectations for nursing homes and affect
the interaction between State enforcement and Federal enforcement (for example, a few states
conduct many complaint investigations based on State licensure, and issue citations based on
State licensure rather than on the Federal regulations);
• Medicaid Policy: Medicaid pays for the largest proportion of long term care in nursing homes.
Nursing home eligibility rules, payment, and other policies in the State-administered Medicaid
program may be associated with differences in survey outcome.

For the above reasons, CMS bases Five-Star quality ratings in the health inspection domain on the relative
performance of facilities within a state. This approach helps control for variation among states. CMS
determines facility ratings using these criteria:

• The top 10 percent (with the lowest health inspection weighted scores) in each state receive a
health inspection rating of five stars.
• The middle 70 percent of facilities receive a rating of two, three, or four stars, with an equal
number (approximately 23.33 percent) in each rating category.
• The bottom 20 percent receive a one-star rating.

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Cut points are re-calibrated each month so that the distribution of star ratings within states remains
relatively constant over time. However, the rating for a given facility is held constant until there is a
change in the weighted health inspection score for that facility, regardless of changes in the statewide
distribution. Items that could change the health inspection score include the following:

• A new health inspection;

• A complaint investigation that results in one or more deficiency citations;
• A second, third, or fourth revisit;
• Resolution of an Informal Dispute Resolutions (IDR) or Independent Informal Dispute
Resolutions (IIDR) resulting in changes to the scope and/or severity of deficiencies;
• The “aging” of complaint deficiencies. Specifically, as noted above, complaint surveys are
assigned to a time period based on the most recent 12 month period in which the complaint
survey occurred; thus, when a complaint deficiency ages into a different cycle, it receives less
weight in the scoring process, resulting in a lower health inspection score and potentially a
change in health inspection rating.

In the very rare case that a state or territory has fewer than five facilities upon which to generate the cut
points, the national distribution of health inspection scores is used. Cut points for the health inspection
ratings can be found in the Cut Point Table in the companion document to this Technical Users’ Guide:
Five Star Quality Rating System State-Level Cut Point Tables available in the ‘downloads’ section at:
[Link]
certification/certificationandcomplianc/[Link].

Staffing Domain

There is considerable evidence of a relationship between nursing home staffing levels and resident
outcomes. The CMS Staffing Study found a clear association between nurse staffing ratios and nursing
home quality of care, identifying specific ratios of staff to residents below which residents are at
substantially higher risk of quality problems. 1

The rating for staffing is based on two case-mix adjusted measures:

1. Total nursing hours per resident day (RN + LPN + nurse aide hours)

2. RN hours per resident day

The source document for the reported staffing hours is the CMS form CMS-671 (Long Term Care
Facility Application for Medicare and Medicaid) obtained from CASPER. The resident census is based on
the count of total residents from the CMS form CMS-672 (Resident Census and Conditions of Residents).
The specific fields that are used in the RN, LPN, and nurse aide hours calculations are:

• RN hours: Includes registered nurses (tag number F41 on the CMS-671 form), RN director of
nursing (F39), and nurses with administrative duties (F40).

1
Kramer AM, Fish R. “The Relationship Between Nurse Staffing Levels and the Quality of Nursing Home
Care.” Chapter 2 in Appropriateness of Minimum Nurse Staffing Ratios in Nursing Homes: Phase II Final
Report. Abt Associates, Inc., Winter 2001.

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• LPN hours: Includes licensed practical/licensed vocational nurses (F42)
• Nurse aide hours: Includes certified nurse aides (F43), aides in training (F44), and medication
aides/technicians (F45)

Note that the CASPER staffing data include both facility employees (full time and part time) and
individuals under an organization (agency) contract or an individual contract. The CASPER staffing data
do not include “private duty” nursing staff reimbursed by a resident or his/her family. Also not included
are hospice staff and feeding assistants. The staffing hours reported on the CMS-671 form are for the
residents in the Medicare- and/or Medicaid-certified beds only.

CMS uses a set of exclusion criteria to identify facilities with highly improbable CASPER staffing data,
and neither staffing data nor a staffing rating are reported for these facilities (displaying “Data Not
Available” on the Nursing Home Compare website).

The resident census, used in the denominator of the staffing calculations uses data reported in block F78
of the CMS-672 form. This includes the total number of residents in Medicare- and/or Medicaid-certified
beds and the number for whom a bed is being maintained on the day the nursing home survey begins
(bed-holds). Bed-holds typically involve residents temporarily away in a hospital or on leave. The CMS-
671 form separately collects hours for full-time, part-time, and contract staff. These hours are converted
to full-time equivalents (FTE), which are summed across full time, part time, and contract staff and
converted to hours per resident per day (HRD) as follows:

This calculation is done separately for RNs, LPNs, and Nurse Aides as described above, and all three of
these are summed to calculate total nursing hours.

Case-Mix Adjustment
CMS adjusts the reported staffing ratios for case-mix, using Resource Utilization Group (RUG-III) case-
mix system. The CMS Staff Time Measurement Studies recorded the number of RN, LPN, and nurse aide
minutes associated with each RUG-III group (using the 53 group version of RUG-III). CMS calculates
case-mix adjusted hours per resident day for each facility for each staff type using this formula:

where Hours National Average is the mean across all facilities of the reported hours per resident day for a given
staff type. The expected values are based on the distribution of residents by RUG-III group in the quarter
closest to the date of the most recent standard survey (when the staffing data were collected) and
measures of the expected RN, LPN, and nurse aide hours that are based on data from the CMS 1995 and
1997 Staff Time Measurement Studies (see Table A1). The distribution of residents by RUG-III group is
determined using the most recent MDS assessment for current residents of the nursing home on the last
day of the quarter.

The data used in the RUG calculations are based on a summary of MDS information for residents
currently in the nursing home. The MDS assessment information for each active nursing home resident is
consolidated to create a profile of the most recent standard information for the resident. An active resident
is defined as a resident who, on the last day of the quarter, has no discharge assessment and whose most
recent MDS transaction is less than 180 days old (this allows for 93 days between quarterly assessments,
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plus time for completion and submission of the assessments). The active resident information can
represent a composite of items taken from the most recent OBRA-required and Scheduled-PPS
assessments. Different items may come from different assessments. The intention is to create a profile
with the most recent standard information for an active resident, regardless of source of information.
These data are used to place each resident in a RUG category.

For the Five-Star rating, a “draw” of the most recent RUG category distribution data is done for every
nursing facility on the last business day of the last month of each quarter. The Five-Star rating makes use
of the distribution for the quarter in which the staffing data were collected. For each facility, a “target”
date that is seven days prior to the most recent standard survey date is assigned. The rationale for this
target is that the staffing data reported for CASPER covers the two-week period prior to the survey, with
seven days being the midpoint of that interval. If RUG data are available for the facility for the quarter
containing that survey “target” date, that quarter of RUG data is used for the case mix adjustment. In
instances when the quarter of RUG data containing the survey target date is not available for a given
facility, the quarter of available RUG data that is closest to that target date - either before or after – is
selected. Closest is defined as having the smallest absolute value for the difference between the survey
target date and the midpoint of the available RUG quarter(s). If the RUG data for the quarter in which the
survey was conducted becomes available subsequently, the staffing rating will be recalculated to reflect
these more appropriate data, and this might change the staffing rating. The staffing rating calculated using
staffing data and RUG data from the same quarter will be held constant for a nursing home until new
staffing data are collected for the facility.

Expected hours are calculated by summing the nursing times in minutes (from the CMS Time Study
found in Appendix Table A1) connected to each RUG category across all residents in the category and
across all categories. The total minutes are then divided by the number of residents included in the
calculations. The number of minutes per resident is converted to hours by dividing by 60. The result is the
“expected” number of hours per resident day for each nursing category.

The “reported” hours are those reported by the facility on the CMS-671 form from the most recent
standard survey, while the “national average” hours (shown in Table 3) represent the unadjusted national
mean of the reported hours across all facilities for December, 2011.

Table 3
National Average Hours per Resident Day Used To Calculate Adjusted Staffing (as of April 2012)
Type of staff National average hours per resident per day
Total nursing staff (Aides + LPNs + RNs) 4.0309
Registered nurses 0.7472

The calculations of “expected”, “reported”, and “national average” hours are performed separately for
RNs and for all staff delivering nursing care (RNs, LPNs, and CNAs). Adjusted hours are also calculated
for both groups using the formula discussed earlier in this section.

A downloadable file that contains the “expected”, “reported” and “case-mix adjusted" hours used in the
staffing calculations is available at: [Link]
Certification/CertificationandComplianc/[Link]. The file, referred to as the “Expected and Adjusted
Staff Time Values Data Set,” contains data for both RNs and total staff for each individual nursing home.

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Scoring Rules

The two staffing measures (RN and total nursing staff) are given equal weight. For each of RN staffing
and total staffing, a 1 to 5 rating is assigned based on a percentile-based method (where percentiles are
based on the distribution for freestanding facilities 2) (Table 4). For each facility, the overall staffing rating
is assigned based on the combination of the two staffing ratings (Table 5).

The percentile cut points (data boundaries between each star category) were determined using the data
available as of December 2011. This was the first update of the cut points since December 2008 and was
necessary because of changes in the expected staffing due to MDS 3.0. The cut points were set so that the
changes in expected staffing due to MDS 3.0 would not impact the overall distribution of the five-star
ratings; that is, they were selected so that the proportion of nursing homes in each rating category would
initially (i.e. for April 2012) be the same as it was in December 2011. CMS will evaluate whether further
rebasing is needed on an annual basis. A major advantage of using fixed cut-points is that it allows the
distribution of staffing ratings to change over time. Nursing homes that seek to improve their staffing
rating, for example, can ascertain the increased levels at which they would earn a higher star rating for the
staffing domain.

Table 4
National Star Cut Points for Staffing Measures, Based on Case-Mix Adjusted Hours per Resident
Day (updated April 2012)
2 stars 2 stars 3 stars 3 stars 4 stars 4 stars
Staff type 1 star lower upper lower upper lower upper 5 stars

RN < 0.283 >0.283 < 0.379 >0.379 < 0.513 >0.513 < 0.710 >0.710
Total < 3.262 >3.262 < 3.661 >3.661 < 4.173 >4.173 < 4.418 >4.418

Note: Adjusted staffing values are rounded to three decimal places before the cut points are applied.

Rating Methodology
Facility ratings for overall staffing are based on the combination of RN and total nurse (RNs, LPNs, and
CNAs) staffing ratings as shown in Table 5. To receive an overall staffing rating of five stars, facilities
must achieve a rating of five stars for both RN and total staffing. To receive a four-star staffing rating,
facilities must receive at least a three-star rating on one (either the RN or total nurse staffing) and a rating
of four or five stars on the other.

2
The distribution for freestanding facilities was used because of concerns about the reliability of staffing data for
some hospital-based facilities.

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Table 5
Staffing Points and Rating (updated February 2015)
RN rating and hours Total nurse staffing rating and hours (RN, LPN and nurse aide)
1 2 3 4 5
<3.262 3.262 – 3.660 3.661 – 4.172 4.173 – 4.417 >4.418
1 <0.283 ★ ★ ★★ ★★ ★★★
2 0.283 – 0.378 ★ ★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★★
3 0.379 – 0.512 ★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★
4 0.513 – 0.709 ★★ ★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★
5 >0.710 ★★★ ★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★★
Note: Adjusted staffing values are rounded to three decimal places before the cut points are applied.

Quality Measure Domain

A set of quality measures (QMs) has been developed from Minimum Data Set (MDS) and Medicare
claims data to describe the quality of care provided in nursing homes. These measures address a broad
range of function and health status indicators. The facility rating for the QM domain is based on its
performance on a subset of 13 (out of 24) of the MDS-based QMs and three MDS- and Medicare claims-
based measures currently posted on Nursing Home Compare. The measures were selected based on their
validity and reliability, the extent to which facility practice may affect the measure, statistical
performance, and importance. Five additional measures (indicated below) were added to the Five-Star
rating system in July 2016.

Measures for Long-Stay residents (residents in the facility for greater than 100 days) that are derived from
MDS assessments:

• Percentage of residents whose need for help with activities of daily living has increased
• (ADDED JULY 2016): Percentage of residents whose ability to move independently worsened
• Percentage of high risk residents with pressure ulcers (sores)
• Percentage of residents who have/had a catheter inserted and left in their bladder
• Percentage of residents who were physically restrained
• Percentage of residents with a urinary tract infection
• Percentage of residents who self-report moderate to severe pain
• Percentage of residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury
• Percentage of residents who received an antipsychotic medication

Measures for Short-Stay residents that are derived from MDS assessments:

• (ADDED JULY 2016): Percentage of residents whose physical function improves from
admission to discharge

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• Percentage of residents with pressure ulcers (sores) that are new or worsened
• Percentage of residents who self-report moderate to severe pain
• Percentage of residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication

Measures for Short-Stay residents that are derived from claims data and MDS assessments:

• (ADDED JULY 2016): Percentage of residents who were re-hospitalized after a nursing home
admission
• (ADDED JULY 2016): Percentage of residents who have had an outpatient emergency
department visit
• (ADDED JULY 2016): Percentage of residents who were successfully discharged to the
community

Table 6 contains more detailed information on these measures. Technical specifications for the complete
set of MDS-based QMs are available at: [Link]
Assessment-Instruments/NursingHomeQualityInits/Downloads/[Link]
Technical specifications for the claims-based measures are available at:
[Link]
Certification/CertificationandComplianc/Downloads/New-Measures-Technical-Specifications-DRAFT-
[Link].

Values for five of the MDS-based QMs (mobility decline, catheter, long-stay pain, short-stay functional
improvement, and short-stay pressure ulcers) are risk adjusted, using resident-level covariates that adjust
for resident factors associated with differences in the performance on the QM. For example, the catheter
risk-adjustment model takes into account whether or not residents had bowel incontinence or pressure
sores on the prior assessment. Additionally, all three of the claims-based measures are also risk adjusted
using both items from Medicare Part A claims that preceded the start of the nursing home stay and
information from the first MDS assessment associated with the nursing home stay.

The risk-adjustment methodology is described in more detail in the technical specification documents
referenced above. The covariates and the coefficients used in the risk-adjustment models are reported in
Table A-2 in the Appendix.

CMS calculates ratings for the QM domain using the four most recent quarters for which data are
available. This time period specification was selected to increase the number of assessments available for
calculating the QM rating. This increases the stability of estimates and reduces the amount of missing
data. The adjusted four-quarter QM values for each of the MDS-based QMs used in the five-star
algorithm are computed as follows:

Where QM Q1, QM Q2, QM Q3, and QM Q4 correspond to the adjusted QM values for the four most recent
quarters and DQ1, DQ2, and DQ3 DQ4 are the denominators (number of eligible residents for the particular
QM) for the same four quarters.

Values for the three claims-based measures are calculated in a similar manner, except that the data used to
calculate the measures use a full year of data rather than being broken out separately by quarter.
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Table 6 Quality Measures Used in the Five-Star Quality Measure Rating Calculation
Measure Comments
MDS Long-Stay Measures
Percentage of residents This measure is a change measure that reports the percent of long-stay residents
whose ability to move who have demonstrated a decline in independence of locomotion when comparing
independently worsened the target assessment to a prior assessment. Residents who lose mobility may also
lose the ability to perform other activities of daily living, like eating, dressing, or
getting to the bathroom.
Percentage of residents This measure reports the percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help
whose need for help with with late-loss Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) has increased when compared to the
activities of daily living has prior assessment. This is a change measure that reflects worsening performance
1
increased on at least two late loss ADLs by one functional level or on one late loss ADL by
more than one functional level compared to the prior assessment. The late loss
ADLs are bed mobility, transfer, eating, and toileting. Maintenance of ADLs is
related to an environment in which the resident is up and out of bed and engaged
in activities. The CMS Staffing Study found that higher staffing levels were
associated with lower rates of increasing dependence in ADLs.
Percentage of high-risk This measure captures the percentage of long-stay, high-risk residents with Stage
residents with pressure II-IV pressure ulcers. Residents at high risk for pressure ulcers are those who are
ulcers impaired in bed mobility or transfer, who are comatose, or who suffer from
malnutrition.
Percentage of residents who This measure reports the percentage of residents who have had an indwelling
have/had a catheter inserted catheter in the last seven days. Indwelling catheter use may result in complications,
and left in their bladder like urinary tract or blood infections, physical injury, skin problems, bladder stones,
or blood in the urine.
Percentage of residents who This measure reports the percentage of long-stay residents who are physically
were physically restrained restrained on a daily basis. A resident who is restrained daily can become weak,
lose his or her ability to go to the bathroom without help, and develop pressure
ulcers or other medical complications.
Percentage of residents with This measure reports the percentage of long-stay residents who have had a urinary
a urinary tract infection tract infection within the past 30 days. Urinary tract infections can often be
prevented through hygiene and drinking enough fluid. Urinary tract infections are
relatively minor but can lead to more serious problems and cause complications
like delirium if not treated.
Percentage of residents who This measure captures the percentage of long-stay residents who report either (1)
self-report moderate to almost constant or frequent moderate to severe pain in the last five days or (2) any
severe pain very severe/horrible pain in the last 5 days.
Percentage of residents This measure reports the percentage of long-stay residents who have experienced
experiencing one or more one or more falls with major injury reported in the target period or look-back period
falls with major injury (one full calendar year).
Percentage of residents who This measure reports the percentage of long-stay residents who are receiving
received an antipsychotic antipsychotic drugs in the target period. Reducing the rate of antipsychotic
medication medication use has been the focus of several CMS initiatives.
MDS Short-Stay Measures
Percentage of residents This measure assesses the percentage of short-stay residents whose
whose physical function independence in three mobility functions (i.e., transfer, locomotion, and walking)
improves from admission to increases over the course of the nursing home care episode.
discharge
Percentage of residents with This measure captures the percentage of short-stay residents with new or
pressure ulcers that are new worsening Stage II-IV pressure ulcers.
or worsened
Percentage of residents who This measure captures the percentage of short-stay residents, with at least one
self-report moderate to episode of moderate/severe pain or horrible/excruciating pain of any frequency, in
severe pain the last 5 days.

12
Table 6 Quality Measures Used in the Five-Star Quality Measure Rating Calculation
Measure Comments
Percentage of residents who This measure reports the percentage of short-stay residents who are receiving an
newly received an antipsychotic medication during the target period but not on their initial
antipsychotic medication assessment.
Claims-Based Short-Stay Measures
Percentage of residents who This measure reports the percentage of all new admissions or readmissions to a
were re-hospitalized after a nursing home from a hospital where the resident was re-admitted to a hospital for
nursing home admission an inpatient or observation stay within 30 days of entry or reentry.
Percentage of short-stay This measure reports the percentage of all new admissions or readmissions to a
residents who have had an nursing home from a hospital where the resident had an outpatient ED visit (i.e., an
outpatient emergency ED visit not resulting in an inpatient hospital admission) within 30 days of entry or
department (ED) visit reentry.
Percentage of short-stay This measure reports the percentage of all new admissions to a nursing home from
residents who were a hospital where the resident was discharged to the community within 100 calendar
successfully discharged to days of entry and for 30 subsequent days, did not die, was not admitted to a
the community hospital for an unplanned inpatient stay, and was not readmitted to a nursing
home.
1
Indicates ADL QM as referenced in scoring rules
Sources: Based on information from the AHRQ Measures Clearinghouse and the NHVBP Draft Design Report and
the MDS 3.0 Quality Measures User’s Manual.

Missing Data and Imputation

Consistent with the specifications used for Nursing Home Compare, MDS-based measures are reported if
the measure can be calculated for at least 20 residents’ assessments (summed across four quarters of data
to enhance measurement stability) for both the long- and short-stay QMs. The claims-based measures are
reported if the measure can be calculated for at least 20 nursing home stays over the course of the year.

For facilities with missing data or an inadequate denominator size for one or more QMs, meeting the
criteria described below, all available data from the facility are used. The remaining assessments (or
stays) are imputed to get the facility to the minimum required sample size of 20. For example, if a facility
had actual data for 12 resident assessments, the data for those 12 assessments would be used and the
remaining eight assessments would be imputed using the state average to get to the minimum sample size
to include the measure in the scoring for the QM rating. Missing values are imputed based on the
statewide average for the measure. The imputation strategy for the missing values depends on the pattern
of missing data.

• For facilities that have an adequate denominator size for at least five of the nine long-stay QMs,
values are imputed for the long-stay measures with fewer than 20 assessments as described
above. Points are then assigned for all nine long-stay QMs according to the scoring rules
described below.
• For facilities that have an adequate denominator size for at least four of the seven short-stay QMs
(including at least one of the three claims-based measures), values are imputed for the short-stay
measures with smaller denominators as described above. Points are then assigned for all seven
short-stay QMs according to the scoring rules described below.
• For facilities with adequate denominator sizes on four or fewer long-stay QMs, the QM rating is
based on the short-stay measures only. Values for the missing long-stay QMs are not imputed,
and no long-stay measures are used in determining the QM rating.

13
• Similarly, for facilities with adequate denominator sizes for three or fewer short-stay QMs or no
claims-based QMs, the QM rating is based on the long-stay measures only. Values for the
missing short-stay QMs are not imputed, and no short-stay measures are used in determining the
QM rating. One exception to this is for a small number of nursing homes that have adequate
denominators for all four of the MDS-based short-stay measures but none of the claims-based
measures. For these nursing homes, values are not imputed for the claims-based measures;
however, the points assigned for the MDS-based short-stay measures are used in generating the
QM rating according to the scoring rules described below.

Scoring Rules for the Individual QMs

For each measure, 20 to 100 points (50 points for the new QMs in July 2016) are assigned based on
facility performance relative to the national distribution of the QM. Points are assigned after any needed
imputation of individual QM values, with the points determined in the following way:

• For long-stay ADL worsening, long-stay pressure ulcers, long-stay catheter, long-stay urinary
tract infections, long-stay pain, long-stay injurious falls, and short-stay pain: facilities are
grouped into quintiles based on the national distribution of the QM. The quintiles are assigned 20
points for the poorest performing quintile, 100 points for the best performing quintile, and 40, 60
or 80 points for the second, third and fourth quintiles respectively.
• The long-stay physical restraint and short-stay pressure ulcer QMs are treated slightly
differently because they have low prevalence – specifically, substantially more than 20 percent
(i.e. a quintile) of nursing homes have zero percent rates on these measures.
o For the long-stay physical restraint QM, facilities achieving the best possible score on
the QM (i.e. zero percent of residents triggering the QM) are assigned 100 points; this is
about 60 percent of facilities (or three quintiles). The remaining facilities are divided into
two evenly sized groups, (each with about 20 percent of nursing homes); the poorer
performing group is assigned 20 points, and the better performing group is assigned 60
points.
o The short-stay pressure ulcer QM is treated similarly: facilities achieving the best
possible score on the QM (i.e. zero percent of residents triggering the QM) are assigned
100 points; this is about one-third of nursing homes. The remaining facilities are divided
into three evenly sized groups, (each with about 23 percent of nursing homes) and
assigned 25, 50 or 75 points.
• For measures that were added to the QM rating beginning in February 2015, the following
scoring rules use used:
o For the long-stay antipsychotic medication, long-stay mobility decline, short-stay
functional improvement, and the three claims-based measures, facilities are divided
into five groups based on the national distribution of the measure. The top-performing 10
percent of facilities receive 100 points; the poorest performing 20 percent of facilities
receive 20 points; the middle 70 percent of facilities are divided into three equally sized
groups (each including approximately 23.3 percent of nursing homes) and receive 40, 60
or 80 points.
o The short-stay antipsychotic medication QM is treated similarly; however, because
approximately 20 percent of facilities achieve the best possible score on this QM (i.e.
zero percent of residents triggering the QM), these facilities all receive 100 points; the
14
poorest performing 20 percent of facilities receive 20 points; the remaining facilities are
divided into three equally sized groups (each including approximately 20 percent of
nursing homes) and receive 40, 60 or 80 points.

Note that, for all of the measures, the groupings are based on the national distribution of the QMs, prior to
any imputation. For each of the MDS-derived QMs, the cut points are based on the QM distributions
averaged across the four quarters of 2015. For the claims-based QMs, the cut points are based on the
national distribution of the measures calculated for the period of Quarter 3 of 2014 through Quarter 2 of
2015.

Rating Methodology
After any needed imputation for individual QMs, the points are summed across all QMs based upon the
scoring rules above to create a total score for each facility. The total possible score ranges between 325
and 1,600 in January 2017.

Facilities that receive a QM rating are in one of the following categories:

• They have points for all of the QMs.

• They have points for only the nine long-stay QMs (long-stay facilities).
• They have points for the nine long-stay QMs and the 4 MDS-based short-stay QMs
• They have points for only the seven short-stay QMs (short-stay facilities)
• They have points for only the four MDS-based short-stay QMs
• No values are imputed for nursing homes with data on fewer than five long-stay QMs and fewer
than four short-stay QMs. No QM rating is generated for these nursing homes.

To ensure that all facilities are scored on the same scale, the total score is rescaled for long and short-stay
facilities:

• If the facility has data for only the nine long-stay measures, the average of these point values is
assigned for each of the seven (missing) short-stay measures and the total score is recalculated.
• If the facility has data for the nine long-stay QMs and the four MDS-based short-stay QMs but
not the claims-based QMs, the average of the point values for the MDS-based short-stay QMs is
assigned for each of the three (missing) claims-based measures and the total score is recalculated.
• If the facility has data for only the seven short-stay measures, the average of these point values is
assigned for each of the nine (missing) long-stay measures and the total score is recalculated.
• If the facility has data for only the four MDS-based short stay QMs, but none of the long-stay
QMs or the claims-based QMs, the average of the point values for the MDS-based short-stay
QMs is assigned for each of the nine (missing) long-stay measures and each of the three (missing)
claims-based measures and the total score is recalculated.

Once the summary QM score is computed for each facility as described above, the five-star QM rating is
assigned, according to the point thresholds shown in Table 7. These thresholds were set so that the overall
proportion of nursing homes would be approximately 25 percent five-star, 20 percent for each of two-,
three-, and four-star and 15 percent one-star, which was the distribution in February 2015 (the previous
time that new measures were added and rebasing was required). The cut points associated with these star
15
ratings will be held constant for a period of one year (from January 2017), allowing the distribution of the
QM rating to change over time.

Table 7
Star Cut-points for Quality Measure Summary Score
(updated January 2017)

QM Rating Point Range July 2016 Point Range January 2017

★ 275 – 669 325 – 789

★★ 670 – 759 790 – 889

★★★ 760 – 829 890 – 969

★★★★ 830 – 904 970 – 1054

★★★★★ 905 – 1350 1055 – 1600

Overall Nursing Home Rating (Composite Measure)

Based on the star ratings for the health inspection domain, the staffing domain and the MDS quality
measure domain, CMS assigns the overall Five-Star rating in three steps:

Step 1: Start with the health inspection rating.

Step 2: Add one star to the Step 1 result if the staffing rating is four or five stars and greater than the
health inspection rating; subtract one star if the staffing rating is one star. The overall rating cannot be
more than five stars or less than one star.

Step 3: Add one star to the Step 2 result if the quality measure rating is five stars; subtract one star if
the quality measure rating is one star. The overall rating cannot be more than five stars or less than
one star.

Note: If the health inspection rating is one star, then the overall rating cannot be upgraded by more
than one star based on the staffing and quality measure ratings. If the nursing home is a Special Focus
Facility (SFF) that has not graduated, the maximum overall rating is three stars.

The rationale for upgrading facilities in Step 2 that receive a rating of four of five stars for staffing (rather
than limiting the upgrade to those with five stars) is that the criteria for the staffing rating is quite
stringent. However, requiring that the staffing rating be greater than the health inspection rating in order
for the score to be upgraded ensures that a facility with four stars on health inspections and four stars on
staffing (and more than one star on the quality measure rating) does not receive an overall rating of five
stars.

The rationale for limiting star rating upgrades is that two self-reported data domains should not
significantly outweigh the rating from actual onsite visits from trained surveyors who have found very

16
serious quality of care problems. Since the health inspection rating is heavily weighted toward the most
recent findings, a health inspection rating of one star reflects both a serious and recent finding.

The rationale for limiting the overall rating of a Special Focus Facility (SFF) is that the health inspection
rating is weighted toward more recent results and may not fully capture the long history of “yo-yo” or “in
and out” of compliance with federal safety and quality of care requirements that some nursing homes
exhibit. That type of history can be characteristic of the SFF nursing homes. The Nursing Home
Compare web site should reflect the most recent data available so consumers can monitor facility
performance, however, the overall rating will be capped out of caution that the prior “yo-yo” pattern
could be repeated. Once a facility graduates from the SFF initiative by sustaining improved compliance
for about 12 months, the cap will be removed for the former SFF nursing home.

The method for determining the overall nursing home rating does not assign specific weights to the health
inspection, staffing, and QM domains. The health inspection rating is the most important dimension in
determining the overall rating, but, depending on the performance on the staffing and QM domains, the
overall rating for a facility may be increased or decreased by up to two stars.

If a facility has no health inspection rating, then no overall rating is assigned. If a facility has no health
inspection rating because it is too new to have two standard surveys, then no ratings for any domain are
displayed.

Change in Nursing Home Rating

Facilities may see a change in their overall rating for a number of reasons. Since the overall rating is
based on three individual domains, a change in any one of the domains can affect the overall rating.

Provided below are some potential reasons that a change in a domain could occur:

New Data for the Facility

Any new data for a facility could potentially change a star rating domain.

Events that could change the health inspection score include:

• A new health inspection,

• New complaint deficiencies,
• A second, third, or fourth revisit,
• Resolution of an Informal Dispute Resolutions (IDR) or Independent Informal Dispute
Resolutions (IIDR) resulting in changes to the scope and/or severity of deficiencies, or
• The “aging” of complaint deficiencies.

The data will be included as soon as they become part of the CMS database. The timing for this can vary
by state and depends on having the complete survey package for the State Survey Agency to upload to the
national database. Additional inspection data may be added to the database at any time because of
complaint investigations, outcomes of revisits, Informal Dispute Resolutions (IDR), or Independent
Informal Dispute Resolutions (IIDR). These data may not be added in the same cycle as the standard
inspection data.

17
Another reason the health inspection data (and therefore the rating) for a facility may change is the
“aging” of one or more complaint deficiencies. Specifically, complaint investigations are assigned to a
time period based on the most recent 12 month period in which the complaint investigation occurred.
Thus, when a complaint deficiency ages into a prior period, it receives less weight in the scoring process
and thus the weighted health inspection score may change and be compared to the state distribution at that
time.

CASPER staffing data are collected at the time of the health inspection, so new staffing data will be
added for a facility approximately annually. The case-mix adjustment for the staffing data is based on
MDS assessment data for the current residents of the nursing home on the last day of the quarter in which
the staffing data were collected (i.e. the quarter closest to the standard survey date). If the RUG data for
the quarter in which the staffing data were collected are not available for a given facility, the quarter of
available RUG data closest to the survey target date - either before or after – is selected. If the RUG data
for the quarter in which the survey was conducted becomes available subsequently, the staffing rating will
be recalculated to reflect these more appropriate data, and this might change the staffing rating. The
staffing rating calculated using staffing data and RUG data from the same quarter will be held constant
for a nursing home until new staffing data are collected for the facility.

Quality Measure data for the MDS-based QMs are updated on Nursing Home Compare on a quarterly
basis, and the nursing home QM rating is updated at the same time. The updates occur mid-month in
January, April, July, and October. The claims-based QM data will update every six months (in April and
October). Changes in the quality measures may change the star rating.

Since the cut-points between star categories for the health inspection rating are based on percentile
distributions that are not fixed, those cut-points may vary slightly depending on the current facility
distribution in the database. However, while the cut-points for the health inspection ratings may change
from month to month, the rating for a given facility is held constant until there is a change in the weighted
health inspection score for that facility.

18
Appendix

Table A1
RUG Based Case-Mix Adjusted Nurse and Aide Staffing Minute Estimates
1995-1997 Time Study Average Times (Minutes)
RUG-53 Resident Specific Time + Non-Resident Specific Time Minutes

Group STAFF TYPE Total Minutes

RN LPN Nurse Total AIDE All Staff Types
REHAB &
EXTENSIVE
RUX 160.67 84.89 245.56 200.67 446.22
RUL 127.90 59.19 187.10 134.57 321.67
RVX 137.28 58.33 195.61 167.54 363.15
RVL 128.93 47.75 176.67 124.30 300.97
RHX 130.42 48.69 179.12 155.39 334.50
RHL 117.25 69.00 186.25 127.00 313.25
RMX 163.88 91.36 255.24 195.76 450.99
RML 166.61 62.68 229.29 147.07 376.36
RLX 116.87 55.13 172.00 132.63 304.63
REHABILITATION
REHAB ULTRA
HIGH
RUC 100.75 46.03 146.78 174.86 321.64
RUB 84.12 34.94 119.06 123.13 242.19
RUA 64.98 39.49 104.47 97.91 202.38
REHAB VERY
HIGH
RVC 93.31 50.21 143.52 163.59 307.10
RVB 85.90 42.54 128.44 138.37 266.81
RVA 72.04 26.53 98.56 103.49 202.05
REHAB HIGH
RHC 94.85 45.04 139.89 166.48 306.37
RHB 100.85 34.80 135.65 130.40 266.05
RHA 89.76 27.51 117.27 102.59 219.85
REHAB MEDIUM
RMC 78.01 49.35 127.37 172.16 299.53
RMB 88.69 38.05 126.73 140.23 266.96
RMA 94.15 34.41 128.55 116.54 245.10
REHAB LOW
RLB 69.38 46.52 115.91 196.33 312.24
RLA 60.88 33.02 93.89 124.29 218.18

19
Table A1
RUG Based Case-Mix Adjusted Nurse and Aide Staffing Minute Estimates
1995-1997 Time Study Average Times (Minutes)
RUG-53 Resident Specific Time + Non-Resident Specific Time Minutes

Group STAFF TYPE Total Minutes

RN LPN Nurse Total AIDE All Staff Types

EXTENSIVE
SE3 143.56 101.33 244.89 193.50 438.39
SE2 108.52 86.06 194.58 163.54 358.12
SE1 80.79 57.68 138.47 191.79 330.26
SPECIAL
SSC 72.9 64.3 137.20 184.1 321.30
SSB 70.9 55.0 125.90 172.4 298.30
SSA 91.7 41.7 133.40 130.4 263.80
CLINICALLY
COMPLEX
CC2 85.2 42.50 127.70 191.1 318.80
CC1 55.7 57.70 113.40 176.9 290.30
CB2 61.5 41.80 103.30 159.0 262.30
CB1 59.0 36.20 95.20 147.3 242.50
CA2 58.8 43.30 102.10 130.3 232.40
CA1 59.7 37.60 97.30 103.3 200.60
IMPAIRED
COGNITION
IB2 40.0 32.0 72.00 137.2 209.20
IB1 39.0 32.0 71.00 130.0 201.00
IA2 38.0 27.0 65.00 100.0 165.00
IA1 33.0 26.0 59.00 96.0 155.00
BEHAVIOR
BB2 40.0 30.0 70.00 136.0 206.00
BB1 38.0 28.0 66.00 130.0 196.00
BA2 38.0 30.0 68.00 90.0 158.00
BA1 34.0 25.0 59.00 73.5 132.50

20
Table A1
RUG Based Case-Mix Adjusted Nurse and Aide Staffing Minute Estimates
1995-1997 Time Study Average Times (Minutes)
RUG-53 Resident Specific Time + Non-Resident Specific Time Minutes

Group STAFF TYPE Total Minutes

RN LPN Nurse Total AIDE All Staff Types
PHYSICAL
FUNCTION
PE2 37.0 32.0 69.00 184.8 253.80
PE1 37.0 29.4 66.40 181.6 248.00
PD2 36.0 25.0 61.00 170.0 231.00
PD1 36.0 27.6 63.60 160.0 223.60
PC2 25.6 32.8 58.40 154.4 212.80
PC1 45.1 20.6 65.70 124.2 189.90
PB2 28.0 36.8 64.80 80.6 145.40
PB1 27.5 27.7 55.20 93.9 149.10
PA2 31.9 30.6 62.50 72.9 135.40
PA1 28.2 29.8 58.00 72.8 130.80

21
Table A2
Coefficients for Risk-Adjustment Model

Quality Measure/Covariate Constant

(Intercept) Coefficient
Percentage of long-stay residents who had a catheter inserted and left in
their bladder -3.645993
1. Indicator of frequent bowel incontinence on prior assessment 0.545108
2. Indicator of pressure sores at stages II, III, or IV on prior assessment 1.967017
Percentage of long-stay residents who self-report moderate to severe pain -2.428281
1. Indicator of independence or modified independence in daily decision
making on the prior assessment 1.044019
Percentage of short-stay residents with pressure ulcers that are new or
worsened -5.204646
1. Indicator of requiring limited or more assistance in bed mobility on the
initial assessment 1.013114
2. Indicator of bowel incontinence at least occasionally on initial
assessment 0.835473
3. Indicator of diabetes or peripheral vascular disease on the initial
assessment 0.412676
4. Indicator of low body mass index on the initial assessment 0.373643

Source: [Link]

22
Table A3
Ranges for Point Values for Quality Measures, Using Four Quarter Average
Distributions1, 4
Number of QM points
2
For QM values is…
July 2016 January
Quality measure between... and... 2017
ADL Decline (long-stay) 0.00000000 0.10049021 100 100
0.10049022 0.13483145 80 80
0.13483146 0.16778523 60 60
0.16778524 0.20794393 40 40
0.20794394 1.00000000 20 20
Moderate to Severe Pain (long-stay) 0.00000000 0.02201134 100 100

0.02201135 0.04988420 80 80
0.04988421 0.08311380 60 60
0.08311381 0.13081113 40 40
0.13081114 1.00000000 20 20

High risk pressure Ulcers (long-stay) 0.00000000 0.02654868 100 100

0.02654869 0.04453437 80 80
0.04453438 0.06181819 60 60
0.06181820 0.08633095 40 40
0.08633096 1.00000000 20 20

Catheter (long-Stay) 0.00000000 0.01073927 100 100

0.01073928 0.02094371 80 80
0.02094372 0.03178361 60 60

0.03178362 0.04745521 40 40
0.04745522 1.00000000 20 20
Urinary Tract Infection (long-stay) 0.00000000 0.01851851 100 100
0.01851852 0.03423682 80 80
0.03423683 0.05128203 60 60
0.05128204 0.07598784 40 40
0.07598785 1.00000000 20 20
Physical Restraints (long-stay) 0.00000000 0.00000000 100 100
0.00000001 0.01424503 60 60
0.01424504 1.00000000 20 20

23
Number of QM points
2
For QM values is…
July 2016 January
Quality measure between... and... 2017

Injurious Falls (long-stay) 0.00000000 0.01315789 100 100

0.01315790 0.02403848 80 80

0.02403849 0.03511052 60 60
0.03511053 0.05035973 40 40
0.05035974 1.00000000 20 20
Antipsychotic Meds (long-stay) 0.00000000 0.06843265 100 100
0.06843266 0.12704916 80 80
0.12704917 0.17391305 60 60
0.17391306 0.23979592 40 40
0.23979593 1.00000000 20 20

Moderate to Severe Pain (short-stay) 0.00000000 0.07359305 100 100

0.07359306 0.13229570 80 80

0.13229571 0.18827161 60 60
0.18827162 0.26041665 40 40

0.26041666 1.00000000 20 20
New or Worsening Pressure Ulcers (short- 0.00000000 0.00000000 100 100
stay)
0.00000001 0.00692691 75 75

0.00692692 0.01566247 50 50
0.01566248 1.00000000 25 25

Antipsychotic Meds (short-stay) 0.00000000 0.00000000 100 100

0.00000001 0.00999998 80 80
0.00999999 0.01912567 60 60
0.01912568 0.03486237 40 40
0.03486238 1.00000000 20 20
3
Mobility decline (long-stay) 0.00000000 0.08022493 50 100
0.08022494 0.14454544 40 80
0.14454545 0.19333225 30 60
0.19333226 0.24905966 20 40
0.24905967 1.00000000 10 20

24
Number of QM points
2
For QM values is…
July 2016 January
Quality measure between... and... 2017
3
Functional Improvement (short-stay) 0.81666872 1.00000000 50 100
0.70966590 0.81666871 40 80

0.62861965 0.70966589 30 60
0.52015014 0.62861964 20 40
0.00000000 0.52015013 10 20
3
Hospital readmission (short-stay) 0.00000000 0.13839278 50 100
0.13839279 0.18716279 40 80
0.18716280 0.21886203 30 60
0.21886204 0.25689121 20 40
0.25689122 1.00000000 10 20
3
ED Visits (short-stay) 0.00000000 0.05488714 50 100
0.05488715 0.08944665 40 80

0.08944666 0.11696705 30 60
0.11696706 0.15529003 20 40

0.15529004 1.00000000 10 20
Successful community discharge (short- 0.66448731 1.00000000 50 100
3
stay)
0.59926791 0.66448730 40 80

0.54906047 0.59926790 30 60
0.47667646 0.54906046 20 40

0.00000000 0.47667645 10 20
1
For the claims-based measures (hospital readmission, ED visit, community discharge), points are based on data from 2014Q3 –
2015Q2. For the MDS-based measures (all others), points are based on data from 2015Q1 – 2015Q4. A higher QM value
corresponds to better performance for all measures except functional improvement and successful community discharge where
lower QM values correspond to better performance.
2
The five new QMs (functional improvement, mobility decline, hospital readmission, ED visit, and community discharge) are
being phased into the QM rating. In July 2016 each contributed half the points of the other measures. In January 2017, the
thresholds will remain the same but the points associated with each will double.
3
Indicates one of the five new QMs as of July 2016 contributing half the points of the other 11 QMs. Starting in January 2017,
the new QMs will contribute the same number of points as the other measures.
4
Thresholds for three quality measures were slightly changed on July 20, 2016 to correct errors in the earlier version of the TUG
that was published on July 7, 2016. The thresholds that appeared in the July 7, 2016 version of the TUG were never used to
calculate ratings that were publicly reported.

25