Skilled Nursing Members: Addressing Data Discrepancies in Survey Scores on Care Compare/Five Star

Dear Members:

WHCA/WiCAL staff received the important communication below from our national affiliate, American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living(AHCA/NCAL). The communication and embedded CMS memo addresses survey score reporting discrepancies arising from the transition to the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES). CMS will also be making improvements to Care Compare/Five Star including removing unsubstantiated complaints.

AHCA/NCAL Communication: 

AHCA has been in ongoing communication with CMS since hearing from some members over the last few weeks about discrepancies in survey scores that appeared to be related to the iQIES transition.  As AHCA has brought these concerns to CMS, we have seen correction made for the facilities that had discrepancies, but we have also urged CMS to address the underlying systemic issues and resolve any broader discrepancies that have not come to AHCA or CMS attention yet.

On January 9th, CMS released a Quality and Safety Special Alert Memo related to the impact of the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluations System (iQIES) on Nursing Home Care Compare reporting and acknowledged that some survey data did not transition correctly from the legacy system.

• CMS encourages facilities that note discrepancies with their survey score to email BetterCare@cms.hhs.gov.
• CMS also states that beginning February 25, 2026, CMS will be removing the number of complaint allegations and the number of facility-reported incidents from Nursing Home Care Compare.
  • Note, information related to official complaint surveys and complaint citations issued as a result of those investigations will continue to be available on Nursing Home Care Compare.
• CMS states it is evaluating how to better present complaint information to ensure it is clear, accurate, and useful for consumers making healthcare decisions.
  • AHCA is continuing communication with CMS on this to advocate for an accurate and fair presentation.

For awareness, an underlying reason for the data discrepancy with iQIES transition is that CMS no longer uses the term “substantiated” for complaints, thus CMS had removed the corresponding filter as part of the new iQIES system transition.  This caused the total number of complaints and facility reported incidents displayed on Nursing Home Care Compare to increase and includes all allegations and facility reported incidents over the past three years. CMS acknowledges that this includes duplicate allegations, unverified claims, and self-reported incidents that do not necessarily reflect validated quality concerns or regulatory violations.

In addition to the memo details, CMS informed AHCA that some corrections will be made with an off-cycle update on January 14, 2026. For facilities that are receiving this off-cycle update, their Five-Star Preview Reports are automatically placed in the SNF Provider Preview Folder in iQIES.  The routine update will also occur later this month and a Preview Report made available (around January 21^st) to all facilities per the standard refresh.

We are encouraging members to review their latest Five-Star Preview Report and check the survey score assigned to their facility to determine if it is accurate.  Similarly, facilities should review any updated Five-Star Preview Reports for accuracy, including any report issued for the off-cycle January 14^th update (if pertinent) and the standard report all facilities will receive around January 21^st.  

Please do not hesitate to contact Eric, ekoch@whcawical.org, or Rick, rick@whcawical.org , if we or AHCA/NCAL can be of further assistance.