The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a revised memorandum regarding the temporary pause in updates to the Nursing Home Care Compare website. The update, effective immediately, reaffirms that regular monthly data refreshes are paused as of July 30, 2025, and are expected to resume in October 2025. This pause supports CMS’s ongoing transition to a new cloud-based data system and aims to ensure the accuracy and reliability of publicly reported nursing home quality information.
This revised guidance clarifies that CMS will update certain specific data points on September 24, 2025, including:
- Findings from payroll-based journal staffing audits
- Schizophrenia coding audits
- Nursing homes’ Special Focus Facility (SFF) status
All other data on Nursing Home Care Compare, including Five-Star Quality Ratings and health inspection results, will continue to reflect the July 30, 2025, data refresh until regular updates resume.
The data reporting pause coincides with CMS’s July 14, 2025, transition from the legacy Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (QIES) to the new Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES). The transition is intended to support more consistent data collection and improve the overall reliability of survey and certification information.
Despite the pause in public reporting, nursing homes are still required to post their most recent CMS-2567 Statement of Deficiencies in a visible area of the facility. Members of the public can also request inspection reports and compliance records through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or by contacting their state survey agency.
As a reminder, CMS encourages providers to share this information with relevant staff within 30 days of the memo’s posting.
You can access the full revised memorandum here.
Compliance Perspective
Issue
CMS has revised its guidance regarding the temporary pause in monthly updates to the Nursing Home Care Compare website, including Five-Star Quality Ratings. The pause, which began July 30, 2025, follows CMS’s transition to the cloud-based iQIES. While most data will remain static until updates resume in October 2025, CMS will update the site on September 24, 2025, to reflect changes from payroll-based journal audits, schizophrenia coding audits, and changes to SFF status. All other data will continue to reflect the July 30 refresh. Although public updates are paused, survey activity continues, and facilities are still required to post CMS-2567 Statements of Deficiencies. The pause may affect how facilities monitor and respond to quality performance during this period.
Discussion Points
- Review policies and procedures related to quality tracking, survey readiness, and documentation. Although most Five-Star ratings will remain static until October, performance data from audits and SFF designations will be updated in September. Facilities should continue internal quality monitoring and maintain preparedness for standard and complaint surveys. Consider working with an external consultant to assess existing protocols and ensure continued compliance, particularly in areas affected by audits or recent Plans of Correction.
- Ensure that staff are informed about the temporary pause and understand that survey activity is ongoing despite delays in public data updates. Reinforce the importance of maintaining compliance and readiness. Med-Net Academy offers the course Understanding the 5-Star Rating Program, which covers the methodology behind the rating system, including the three performance domains, calculation of staffing measures, the impact of surveys (including focused infection control and complaints), and factors that can influence a facility’s rating. This type of training can help staff understand the system and support informed quality improvement.
- Conduct audits to evaluate recent survey outcomes, staffing data, and documentation practices in anticipation of the resumption of regular data updates. With targeted updates scheduled for September 24, focused reviews of payroll data, schizophrenia coding practices, and factors affecting SFF status may be especially timely. Consider engaging a consultant to conduct modified mock surveys or focused audits to identify and address areas of risk before public reporting resumes in full.
*This news alert has been prepared by Med-Net Concepts, Inc. for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice.*