The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said the Skilled Nursing Facility- Value Based Purchasing Data Validation Process has begun. The first notifications have been forwarded to selected facilities via their Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Provider Preview Reports folders in the Internet Quality Improvement Evaluation System (iQIES).

Notifications began on Jan. 12.  

The SNF data validation process verifies the accuracy of MDS-based quality measures used in the SNF Value Based Purchasing and Quality Reporting Program.   

In a blog post on the subject, Amy Miller, director of clinical and regulatory services, American Health Care Association, said providers should begin routinely accessing their iQIES folders at least twice per week to check if they have received a selection notification for MDS data validation. 

“Once notifications are placed in iQIES, the clock begins. SNFs will have five business days to identify and submit information on who the main and secondary point-of-contacts are for communication,” she said.

“In addition, any selected SNF that fails to submit requested medical chart documentation within 45 calendar days of the audit notification will be considered noncompliant, resulting in the SNF losing 2 percent of Medicare reimbursement for the applicable fiscal year.”   

A CMS webpage provides additional information.

Separately, CMS has updated the SNF Provider Preview Reports in iQIES, which contains quality measure performance scores that will be published on Nursing Home Care Compare in April.

Miller said data contained within the Provider Preview Reports are based on: 

• MDS data submitted by SNFs from Quarter 3, 2024, through Quarter 2, 2025. 

  • The new COVID-19 Vaccine: Percent of Patients/Residents Who Are Up to Date measure is based on data only from Quarter 4, 2024.  
    
    
    

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Health Safety Network measures for: 

  • Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Healthcare Personnel (HCP) measure data from Quarter 4, 2024, through Quarter 1, 2025. 

  • COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage among HCP measure data from Quarter 2, 2025.  

• The claims-based measures reflect data from Quarter 4, 2022, through Quarter 3, 2024. 

• The SNF Healthcare-Associated Infections measure reflects data from Quarter 4, 2023, through Quarter 3, 2024. 

SNFs face a Feb. 14, 2026, deadline to review their performance data and submit corrections. Only updates/corrections to the data before the final data submission deadline will be included on Nursing Home Care Compare.

Questions or comments? Contact Patrick Connole at pconnole@parkplacelive.com.