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Tips

Tips from AAPACN

Stay up-to-date and informed by reviewing the latest tips from AAPACN. Our experts will keep you updated with the latest news from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other news sources. Want access to all the tips from AAPACN? Learn more about AAPACN and AAPACN membership.

  • TIP: Updated MDS 3.0 RAI User’s Manual Changes – New Definitions for Fall, Injury, and Major Injury
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final version of the RAI User’s Manual, version 1.20.1, which went into effect Oct. 1, 2025. CMS made several changes, including a new definition for …
  • TIP: CMS Released Additional Updates to RAI User’s Manual v1.20.1
    On Sept. 24, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an updated RAI User’s Manual version 1.20.1 and updated MDS item sets v1.20.1v4. The last-minute updates aligned the MDS item sets with …
  • TIP: CMS Delayed Long-Stay Antipsychotic Measure Changes
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a revised memo, QSO-25-20-NH REVISED, on Sept. 10, 2025, delaying the changes to the long-stay (LS) Antipsychotic Measure. CMS had previously announced the measure would be …
  • TIP: CMS Released Final RAI User’s Manual for Oct. 1, 2025
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the final version of the RAI User’s Manual, version 1.20.1, which goes into effect Oct. 1, 2025. While the draft version has been available for …
  • TIP: SNF VBP Performance Score Reports Available
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced the August 2025 Performance Score Reports for the fiscal year (FY) 2026 Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (SNF VBP) Program are available for download via …
  • TIP: CMS Expires or Revises Multiple COVID-19 Waivers
    The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently expired or revised multiple waivers and QSO memos related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The following are included: This AAPACN resource is copyright protected. AAPACN individual …
  • TIP: CMS Finalizes Removal of Section R
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) noted in the FY 2026 SNF PPS Final Rule, “After consideration of the public comments, we are finalizing our proposal to remove four standardized patient assessment data …
  • TIP: Updated Five-Star Manual Available
    Effective with the July 2025 refresh, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is implementing a change to the methodology for calculating the Health Inspection domain, shifting from using the three most recent standard …
  • TIP: CDC Releases LTCF COVID-19 Module Facility Dashboard
    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) recently released the NHSN COVID-19 Dashboard for long-term care facilities. This user-friendly tool offers customizable, interactive charts and a clear summary of …
  • TIP: New Non-Pressure Chronic Ulcer Codes Effective Oct. 1, 2025
    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released the updated codes for fiscal year (FY) 2026. These updates include the addition of the following locations to the category L98.4, non-pressure chronic ulcer of …
  • TIP: CMS Released QSO Memo Impacting Five-Star
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a memo that will have a significant impact on the health inspection star rating and how the long-star antipsychotic measure is calculated, among other changes:  Health …
  • TIP: CDC Changes Up to Date Definition for COVID-19 Vaccinations
    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has changed the National Healthcare Safety Network’s (NHSN) reporting definition of Up to Date. Individuals aged 65 years and older are Up to Date when they have: …
  • TIP: CMS Released Updated Draft MDS Item Sets for Oct. 2025
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the updated draft Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Item Sets version (v)1.20.1v3-Section and updated Matrix. The newly added section R has been removed with this …
  • TIP: SNF Value-Based Purchasing Fact Sheets Released
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the FY 2026 Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) fact sheet. This fact sheet details the program, measures used, case-minimums, the process for making correction, …
  • TIP: New CMS Survey Resource
    As part of their ongoing commitment to ensuring quality care and compliance with federal health and safety regulations, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) developed an informational provider resource about the survey process. …
  • TIP: CMS Revised F641, Accuracy of Assessment, Among Other Tags
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently confirmed the revisions to the State Operations Manual (SOM), Appendix PP, which went into effect April 28, 2025. The revisions are redlined here. While many revisions …
  • TIP: CMS Released Draft RAI User’s Manual for Oct. 2025
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a draft of the Long-Term Care Facility Resident Assessment Instrument 3.0 User’s Manual (RAI User’s Manual) v1.20.1, which is planned to become effective Oct. 1, 2025. This …
  • TIP: Moving Forward Coalition Webinar, Videos, and Resources
    The Moving Forward Coalition is hosting a webinar, “Engaging Family Members and Care Partners Meaningfully” on April 14. It will provide practical strategies to build trust, gather meaningful input, and create collaborative systems that reflect …
  • TIP: Deadline to Submit QRP Data Approaches
    The deadline is quickly approaching for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP). Deadlines are detailed on the fiscal year (FY) 2026 SNF QRP deadlines file. …
  • TIP: CMS Announces Training Plan for iQIES for Long-Term Care Survey and Certification
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a revised memo, QSO-25-07-NH, which detailed a launch plan to transition the long-term care survey process to the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) platform. …
  • TIP: QIO Nursing Home Quality Essentials Spotlight: Infection Control
    Telligen QI Connect™ has an attend-as-you-can series focusing on infection control topics relevant to SNFs and aimed at enhancing infection control efforts. Each session provides guidance, relevant tools, and helpful interventions to support quality improvement …
  • TIP: Understand Why Discharged Residents Trigger QMs 
    A common question regarding MDS 3.0 Quality Measures (QMs) is why a discharged resident continues to trigger after leaving the facility. This is explained in section two of the MDS 3.0 Quality Measures User’s Manual, …
  • TIP: April 2025 ICD-10-CM Update
    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the April diagnosis code update files on the CDC ICD-10 webpage. For the first time in several years, there are no new ICD-10-CM codes effective April …
  • TIP: The COE-NF Is Releasing New In-Service Toolkits
    The Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities (COE-NF) is releasing new in-service toolkits. These toolkits address essential topics such as de-escalation, substance use disorder, and major depressive disorder. Designed to guide facility …
  • TIP: QM User’s Manual GG Footnotes Clarified
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provided guidance on which section GG column will be used for new measures in the MDS 3.0 Quality Measures User’s Manual (v17.0), effective Jan. 1, 2025. The …
  • TIP: CMS Will Begin Posting Staffing Data on the Care Compare Website
    Weekend Staffing: The level of total nurse and registered nurse (RN) staffing on weekends provided by each nursing home over a quarter. Staff Turnover: The percent of nursing staff and number of administrators that stopped …
  • TIP: New Resource to Improve Healthcare Safety
    Lucian Leap just released a new book called Making Healthcare Safe. This free, downloadable book discusses ways a skilled nursing facility can implement a culture of safety by changing processes, working conditions, and communication in …
  • TIP: CMS Scheduled Care Compare Refresh with Revised Discharge to Community Measure Data
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) discovered an error in the calculations for the Discharge to Community measure and will be updating the Care Compare website with the corrected data on Sept. 29, …