Letters notifying nursing home operators of their facilities rating, according to a new CMS ‘five star’ system, were mailed today. Beginning on December 18th, the public will be able to access individual nursing home’s ratings on the CMS website ‘Nursing Home Compare.’ In addition to learning about the nursing home’s actual rating on a five star scale, the website will allow users to access each facilities staffing level, compared to other facilities. The nursing home rating will be updated on a monthly basis as an incentive for facilities to consistently improve their care. I am all for this new system. Hopefully, this will enable nursing home residents and their families to learn which facilities are providing poor care before they learn on a firsthand basis.
Read more about the nursing home ‘five star’ rating system here.