Gold Trophy Is Here! Care Compare Now Noting RBS Achievers

If you go on the CMS Care Compare website you will see that the gold trophy icon identifying skilled nursing facilities that qualify for the Risk-Based Survey (RBS) is alive, denoting high-performing nursing homes for all to see.

Steven Littlehale, chief innovation officer, Zimmet Healthcare Services Group, sees this as a good thing, but not without caveats for consumers.

SNFs qualifying for a streamlined RBS rather than the traditional comprehensive survey have to pass an eligibility test first, he noted.

“Eligibility is based on multiple criteria, including an overall Five-Star rating, at least three stars for staffing, favorable health inspection performance relative to state peers, and no recent citations involving actual harm, immediate jeopardy, or substandard quality of care,” Littlehale said.

“Additional criteria address staffing waivers, data integrity, ownership changes, and other regulatory indicators.”

Not a Freebie

He said it is important to stress that RBS is not a free pass as some consumer interest groups have said. “It is earned. All federal Requirements of Participation remain in effect, complaint investigations continue, and surveyors can expand their review when warranted. Eligibility is not permanent and must be maintained through continued regulatory performance,” Littlehale said.

There is caution, however, as he said he is concerned that consumers may misunderstand what the trophy represents.

“A trophy naturally suggests excellence and could be interpreted as a CMS endorsement or guarantee of future performance. It is neither. Rather, it recognizes that a facility has met specific eligibility criteria for a different survey methodology. While the designation appropriately recognizes past performance and encourages continued compliance, CMS must ensure consumers understand both what the trophy signifies and what it does not,” Littlehale said.

For more information on RBS, see this Park Place article and further links here.

Comments or questions? Contact Patrick Connole at pconnole@parkplacelive.com.