Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Spotlights and Announcements
Updates
December 23, 2025
NEW RESOURCE AVAILABLE: Overview of the Data Validation Process for the SNF Assessment-Based Measures
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering a recorded presentation which describes the new data validation process.
This training can be accessed through the Data Validation Process webpage.
November 26, 2025
NOW AVAILABLE: Falls with Major Injury (FMI) SNF Technical Specification Report
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the official Technical Specification Report for the Falls with Major Injury (FMI) measure. This report incorporates feedback received during the cross-setting Technical Expert Panel (TEP) held on May 12 and 14, 2025. The report provides an overview of the measure, a high-level summary of the key features of the re-specified measure, a description of the methodology used to construct the FMI measure, and an overview of measure testing results. Additional guidance and related updates to the Quality Measure Calculations and Reporting User’s Manual and public reporting timelines will be provided at a future date.
The report is available in the Downloads section on the SNF QRP Measures and Technical Information webpage.
November 20, 2025
Because of the lapse in federal appropriations, scheduled data refreshes and other routine updates were temporarily paused. With the resumption of government operations on November 13, these updates are being released.
Public Reporting October 2025 Refresh of SNF QRP Data – Now Available
The October 2025 refresh of the SNF QRP data is now available on the compare tool on Medicare.gov and Provider Data Catalog (PDC).
For more information, please visit the SNF QRP Public Reporting website.
November 19, 2025
Because of the lapse in federal appropriations, scheduled data refreshes and other routine updates were temporarily paused. With the resumption of government operations on November 13, these updates are now being released.
SNF Provider Preview Reports – Now Available
The SNF Provider Preview Reports have been updated and are now available. These reports contain provider performance scores for quality measures, which will be published on the compare tool on Medicare.gov and the Provider Data Catalog (PDC) during the January 2026 release.
For more information, please visit the CMS SNF QRP Public Reportingwebsite.
November 14, 2025
Reminder of Upcoming Data Submission Deadline
The submission deadline for the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) is approaching. Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment data and data submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) for April 1 – June 30 (Q2) of calendar year (CY) 2025 are due with this submission deadline.
All data must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. on November 17, 2025.
It is recommended that applicable Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) reports and NHSN analysis reports are run prior to each quarterly reporting deadline to ensure that all required data were submitted. We encourage you to verify all facility information prior to submission, including CMS Certification Number (CCN) and facility name.
View the list of measures required for the November 17, 2025 deadline on the SNF Quality Reporting Program Data Submission Deadlines webpage.
For submission information, visit:
Swingtech sends informational messages to SNFs that are not meeting the Annual Payment Update (APU) threshold on a quarterly basis ahead of each submission deadline. If you need to add or change the email addresses to which these messages are sent, please email QRPHelp@swingtech.com and be sure to include your facility name and CCN along with any requested email updates.
September 24, 2025
UPDATED: Final MDS 3.0 RAI User’s Manual version 1.20.1
The posted final Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) User’s Manual version (v)1.20.1 has been updated to align with the revisions to item J1900 in the release of the MDS item sets v1.20.1v4. The updated version 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 v1.20.1 will be effective beginning October 1, 2025.
September 23, 2025
UPDATED: Final MDS 3.0 Item Sets version 1.20.1v4
The final Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Item Sets version (v)1.20.1v4 and Item Matrix v1.20.1v4 are now available in the Downloads section on the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual page. This revised final version (1.20.1v4) includes updates to the language in item J1900, which have been made in response to provider concerns; these are the only changes from the previous version. The MDS Item Sets v1.20.1v4 will be effective beginning October 1, 2025.
September 19, 2025
NOW AVAILABLE: SNF QRP Measure Calculations and Reporting User’s Manual V7.0 and Associated User's Manual Files
The Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Measure Calculations and Reporting User's Manual v7.0 and accompanying files are now available. The accompanying documents include a V6.0 to V7.0 Change Table, Risk Adjustment Appendix File, Imputation Appendix File, and HCC ICD-10 Crosswalks. These documents serve as an update to the specifications used to calculate quality measures that are included in the SNF QRP effective October 1, 2025.
The manual and associated files can be found in the Downloads section on the SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Measures and Technical Information webpage.
August 29, 2025
NOW AVAILABLE: Final MDS 3.0 RAI User’s Manual version 1.20.1
The final Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) User’s Manual version (v)1.20.1 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 v1.20.1 will be effective beginning October 1, 2025.
August 15, 2025
UPDATED: Final MDS 3.0 Item Sets version 1.20.1v3
The final Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Item Sets version (v)1.20.1v3 and Item Matrix v1.20.1v3 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 v1.20.1v3 will be effective beginning October 1, 2025.
August 11, 2025
NOW AVAILABLE: May 2025 Falls with Major Injury Technical Expert Panel (TEP) Summary Report
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) convened a Technical Expert Panel (TEP) on May 12 and 14, 2025, to obtain input on potential cross-setting updates to the Falls with Major Injury (FMI) measure. The TEP was held in response to concerns regarding potential underreporting on the current measure and recommendations from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) in its 2023 report. The OIG report recommended that CMS pursue measure respecification, including consideration of alternative data sources, such as claims-based data, and transitioning the measure to a hybrid model. CMS has released the official TEP Summary Report, which provides an overview of the panel’s discussion and feedback on proposed updates to the measure.
CMS intends to move forward with updates to the FMI measure based on input received during the TEP. Additional guidance related to updates to the Quality Measures User’s Manual, clinical guidance manuals, technical specifications, and public reporting timelines will be provided at a future date. In the interim, stakeholders are encouraged to review the TEP Summary Report for additional detail on the proposed updates and the rationale discussed by the TEP.
The TEP Summary Report can be found in the Downloads section on the SNF QRP Measures and Technical Information webpage.
July 31, 2025
Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program and Value-Based Purchasing Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026 (CMS-1827-F)
On July 31, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule (CMS-1827-F) that provides updates to the fiscal year (FY) 2026 Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP). In this final rule, CMS is finalizing the removal of four assessment items in the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) category: one item for Living Situation, two items for Food, and one item for Utilities. CMS is also amending the SNF QRP reconsideration policy and process. Finally, CMS is summarizing feedback on three Requests for Information (RFI)including future quality measure concepts for the SNFF QRP; potential revisions to the data submission deadlines for assessment data collected for the SNF QRP; and advancing digital quality measurement in SNFs that were in the proposed rule.
The Finalized rule went on display at the Federal Register and will be available at: https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection
July 30, 2025
Public Reporting July 2025 Refresh of SNF QRP Data – Now Available
The July 2025 refresh of the SNF QRP data is now available on the compare tool on Medicare.gov and Provider Data Catalog (PDC).
For more information, please visit the SNF QRP Public Reporting webpage.
July 21, 2025
SNF Quality Reporting Program: Non-Compliance Notifications
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is providing notifications to Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) and non-Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Swing Beds (SBs) that were determined to be out of compliance with SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP) requirements for calendar year (CY) 2024 which will affect their fiscal year (FY) 2026 Annual Payment Update (APU). Non-compliance notifications will be distributed by the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) and will be placed into facilities’ My Reports folders in the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) on July 21, 2025. If you receive a letter of non-compliance may submit a request for reconsideration to CMS via email no later than 11:59 pm,August 26, 2025.If you receive a notice of non-compliance and would like to request a reconsideration, see the instructions in your notification letter and on the SNF Quality Reporting Reconsideration and Exception & Extension webpage.
Please note: Any reconsideration containing protected health information (PHI) will not be processed. All PHI must be removed for a reconsideration to be reviewed.
Additionally, all submissions must be less than 20 MB overall (email message and attachments). Submissions that are greater than 20 MB in size cannot be processed.
July 15, 2025
SNF Provider Preview Reports – Now Available
The SNF Provider Preview Reports have been updated and are now available. These reports contain provider performance scores for quality measures, which will be published on the compare tool on Medicare.gov and the Provider Data Catalog (PDC) during the October 2025 release.
For more information, please visit the CMS SNF QRP Public Reporting webpage.
May 23, 2025
UPDATED: Draft MDS 3.0 Item Sets version 1.20.1v3-Section_R removed Now Available
The draft Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Item Sets version (v)1.20.1v3-Section_R_removed and Item Matrix v1.20.1v3-Section_R_removed are now available in the Downloads section on the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual webpage. This version reflects the changes proposed in the FY 2026 SNF PPS proposed rule (90 FR 18590).
IMPORTANT NOTE: The final MDS Item Sets v1.20.1 will be effective beginning October 1, 2025 and will be either this draft v3 which does not include items R0310, R0320, and R0330 and replaces item R0340 with item A1255 or the previously posted 1.20.1v2. The FINAL MDS Item Sets v1.20.1 will be posted in late summer, depending on the decisions finalized in rulemaking.
November 22, 2024
SUMMARY REPORT PUBLISHED: SNF QRP Listening Session: Possible Expansion of SNF Data Collection and Submission to All Residents Regardless of Payer
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a summary report on the virtual Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Listening Session that was held on October 1, 2024 by RTI International. This session was held to seek feedback from clinical staff, MDS coordinators, administration and management staff, and software vendors on the possible expansion of collection and submission of Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment data used for the SNF QRP to include all residents receiving short-term skilled care in a SNF regardless of their payer. The report presents a summary of the presentation for each discussion topic, input from interested parties for each of the discussion questions, and key findings. The summary report also includes the feedback received via email in the 30 days following the event. The report can be found in the Downloads section on the SNF QRP Measures and Technical Information webpage.