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Heads Up: CMS Posts New Draft MDS 3.0 Item Sets & Data Specs

Where you can find the October 2016 draft docs.

You can now get a sneak peek at the draft versions of the MDS 3.0 for October 2016. But keep in mind that these are only drafts and may change before finalized.

On Oct. 29, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new draft version 1.14.0 of the MDS 3.0 Item Sets, as well as a draft version 2.00.0 of the MDS 3.0 Data Specifications. When finalized, both drafts will become effective on Oct. 1, 2016.

The draft Item Sets includes the new Section GG, as well as two new item subsets for PPS Part A Discharge (End of Stay) assessments, one for nursing homes and the other for swing bed facilities. CMS also released a new draft of the MDS 3.0 Data Specifications, which includes many edit additions and revisions, as well as new Section S items.

And on Nov. 19, CMS issued an updated version of Appendix B to the RAI Manual, which contains changes to the list of State RAI Coordinators, MDS Automation Coordinators, RAI Panel members, and Regional Office contacts.

Links: You can find the draft MDS 3.0 Item Sets and Data Specifications documents at www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/NursingHomeQualityInits/NHQIMDS30TechnicalInformation.html. Scroll to the bottom of the webpage to the “Downloads” section and access the documents in two ZIP files. The revised Appendix B is available as a PDF document in the “Downloads” section at the bottom of the webpage: www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/NursingHomeQualityInits/MDS30RAIManual.html.