LTC Clarified: Weekly News, Insights & Connections

Capturing Required Transfer/Discharge Documentation

Appendix PP places significant emphasis on the need for comprehensive documentation to support that resident transfers/discharges are justified and in compliance with the regulations. Are you consistently addressing these key elements of documentation?

Q: Why is monitoring enteral feedings important in LTC?

Our expert mock survey team helps to identify and correct potential compliance gaps before they become deficiencies. Harvest the benefits of a Proactive approach-- schedule your mock survey today.

NOVEMBER: Check out these upcoming November webinars!

OIG Finds Special Focus Facility Program Ineffective

The OIG recently reported that most Special Focus Facilities (SFF) did not sustain improvements post-graduation from the program. Other findings included:

• SFF serves only a very small number of the worst-performing nursing homes with just 88 nursing homes participating at any one time.
• SFFs continued to receive high-level deficiencies while in the program but fewer than at selection.
• From 2013-2022, 92 percent of SFFs (591 of 645) received 6,296 total complaint surveys while in the program. Twenty-six percent of complaint surveys with noncompliance had a deficiency of high scope and severity.
• Of the 429 nursing homes that entered and exited in 10 years, 96 spent more than 2 years (24 months) in the SFF program. In most States, SFFs' average time to graduation was less than 2 years.
• Within 3 years of graduating from the SFF program, 64 percent of nursing homes received a serious deficiency from 2013-2022.



View the full report here.

Medicare Part B Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule Issued

CMS issued the Medicare Part B Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule effective January 1, 2026. Access the fact sheet and press release.

Revised Memo on State Survey & Certification Activities During Federal Government Shutdown

Additional revisions were made to QSO-26-01-ALL REVISED on 10/31/25 which addresses (1) revisit surveys approved by exception and necessary to prevent termination and (2) surveyor training

Access up-to-date policies & procedures, tools & resources, workshops & NAB approved on-demand training all in one affordable subscription. Learn more here.