CMS Delays by One Week Release of Preliminary Findings From Pilot Nursing Home Rating Project

Results from the CMS Nursing Home Quality Initiative will be released next week, rather than April 18 as had been expected, according to a spokesperson for the agency. BNA News Medicare Report does not indicate the reason for the delay (BNA News Medicare Report, 4/19). The results will include ratings for nursing homes in six states -- Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Ohio, Rhode Island and Washington -- as part of a pilot program that will allow patients to compare the quality of the facilities. The guide will rate nursing homes in nine quality areas, including treatment of pain and infections, whether physical restraints are used and whether patients have lost an inappropriate amount of weight. Although the guide will not rank the nursing homes, patients will be able to use the information to compare facilities with each other and state averages (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 4/8). CMS said it will post the results on its Web site and in "major daily newspapers" in the six states. CMS plans to expand the initiative nationwide by the end of the year (BNA News Medicare Report, 4/19).