Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual

This web page includes the current version of the MDS 3.0 RAI Manual and associated documents. This page will be updated when:

• An update is made to the MDS RAI 3.0 Manual
• A newer version of the MDS RAI 3.0 Manual becomes available; or
• Important information regarding the MDS 3.0 RAI Manual needs to be communicated.

Older versions of the MDS 3.0 RAI Manual are available for reference on the Archived: MDS 3.0 RAI Manuals web page.

On this web page you will also find the most current MDS 3.0 Item Sets and Appendix B which lists all of the State RAI and Automation Coordinators.

What's New –

May 24, 2023

The May update of Appendix B to the RAI 3.0 User’s Manual contains changes to the list of State RAI Coordinators, MDS Automation Coordinators, RAI Panel members, and CMS locations and contacts. To ensure accurate formatting, use a current version of Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this PDF. Web-based or mobile browser plug-ins may affect how the file is displayed. The file is located in the Downloads section below.

April 24, 2023

NOW AVAILABLE: Optional State Assessment (OSA) Item Set and OSA Manual

The Optional State Assessment (OSA) Item Set, OSA Manual, and OSA Change History table are now available in the Downloads section on the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual page. The OSA is not a Federally required assessment; rather, it may be required in some States for payment purposes. Each State determines whether the OSA is required and if so, when the assessment must be completed. For questions regarding completion of the OSA, please contact your State Survey Agency.

April 3, 2023

NOW AVAILABLE: Final MDS 3.0 Item Sets version 1.18.11

The final Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Item Sets version v1.18.11 are now available in the Downloads section on the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual page. The MDS Item Sets v1.18.11 will be effective beginning October 01, 2023.

April 3, 2023

NOW AVAILABLE: Draft MDS 3.0 RAI User’s Manual version 1.18.11

The draft Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) User’s Manual version (v)1.18.11 is now available in the Downloads section on the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual page. The MDS 3.0 RAI User’s Manual v1.18.11 will be effective beginning October 01, 2023.

This version of the MDS 3.0 RAI Manual contains substantial revisions related to the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014 (IMPACT Act), which requires that standardized assessment items be collected across post-acute care (PAC) settings. Standardized data will enable cross-setting data collection, outcome comparison, exchangeability of data, and comparison of quality within and across PAC settings. Additionally, the language of the manual has been updated throughout to be gender neutral. Guidance and examples in numerous chapters and appendices have been revised for clarification and to reflect current regulations and best practices. Due to the scope of the revisions, CMS will not issue Replacement Pages for v1.18.11; those wishing to continue using a physical copy of the manual are encouraged to print the new version.

February 23, 2023

Subject: iQIES for Minimum Data Set (MDS) Submission Release on April 17, 2023

CMS is excited to announce that the transition of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment submission and reporting functionality to the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) will occur on April 17, 2023.

To properly prepare for the transition, the QIES Assessment Submission and Processing (ASAP) system for MDS submissions will be turned off on Thursday, April 13 at 8:00 pm EST. Providers should submit completed MDS records prior to 8:00 pm EST on April 13th to QIES (ASAP) or wait until 8:00 am EST on April 17th to submit data in iQIES. Providers are expected to take into account all requirements when determining the date they submit completed MDS records, including but not limited to, submission timeliness, claims processing, and care planning requirements.

CMS will provide additional information through various email notifications regarding training, technical guidance, details on what to expect, and more.

Register for an iQIES Account

Please note that failure to obtain access to iQIES prior to April 17, 2023 will impact your ability to submit MDS records. As mentioned in previous communications, nursing home and swing bed providers who are required to submit data to CMS must have at least one staff person assigned and approved as the facility Provider Security Official (PSO), who works for the provider and is responsible for approving all other users for their facility. For information and instructions to register for an iQIES account, please visit: https://qtso.cms.gov/news-and-updates/action-required-register-iqies-account

December 23, 2022

NOW AVAILABLE: Draft MDS 3.0 Item Sets v1.18.11

The draft Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Item Sets version (v)1.18.11 are now available in the Downloads section on the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual page. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plans to release the final version of the MDS Item Sets in early 2023.  The MDS Item Sets v1.18.11 will be effective beginning October 1, 2023.

September 1, 2022

NOW AVAILBLE-Draft Nursing Home Comprehensive (NC) Item Set

The draft Minimum Data Set (MDS) Nursing Home Comprehensive (NC) Item set version 1.18.11 is now available in the Downloads section below. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plans to release the final version of the MDS Item Sets later in 2022, which will be effective beginning October 1, 2023.

July 18, 2022

MDS 3.0 RAI Manual

The PDF file labeled “MDS3.0RAIManualv1.17R.Errata.v2,” available in the Downloads section below, contains revisions to pages in Chapter 3, Section I, of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual v1.17.1R that clarifies the need for a detailed evaluation and appropriate diagnostic information to support a diagnosis, such as for a mental disorder, prior to coding the diagnosis on the MDS, and the steps that may be necessary when a resident has potentially been misdiagnosed. An example of when a diagnosis should not be coded in Section I due to lack of a detailed evaluation and appropriate diagnostic information to support the diagnosis has also been added to this section.

Changed manual pages are I-12 and I-16 and are marked with the footer “October 2019 (R).”

The errata document begins with a table that lists all identified revisions and the pages to which they have been applied. Following the table are the actual corrected replacement pages for insertion into the printed manual.