Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

National list to provide public with choices, agency says Poor-performing nursing homes will undergo stringent enforcement until they make significant improvements or they will be terminated from Medicare or Medicaid. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the national list of poor-performing nursing homes Nov. 29, identifying those listed as special focus facilities (SFF) in need of extra scrutiny because of significant quality lapses or repeated failed surveys. "Nearly three million Americans, most of whom are enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid, depend on the nation's 16,000 nursing homes at some point during each year to provide life-saving care," said Kerry Weems, CMS' acting administrator. This list reinforces CMS' commitment in providing beneficiaries and their families needful information when making long-term care choices, Weems added. State survey agencies will monitor whether SFFs are making necessary improvements, according to the release. The SFF list is one of several CMS initiatives to improve quality of care in the nation's nursing homes. Other plans include tightening criminal background checks for facility staff and applicants, new emphasis on pressure ulcer prevention, and improving the state survey process. To avoid choosing the wrong nursing home, CMS recommends that consumers consult the SFF list and take the following additional steps: check a nursing home's progress through the most recent state or CMS survey; ask nursing home staff about steps taken for improvement in quality of care; and contact a local state nursing home representative, the US Administration on Aging (AoA), and local groups to learn more about the nursing home. Resources: For details, visit: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp.