July 16, 2026 Washington, DC — Statement from Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO, LeadingAge, the association of nonprofit and mission-driven providers of aging services, including nursing homes, on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) revised approach to nursing home surveys announced today:
“CMS’ decision to implement a Risk-Based Survey (RBS) process nationally following years of careful testing and evaluation is a significant win–for nursing home residents and families; for providers, including our nonprofit and mission-driven members; and for state regulators. Risk based survey is a critical step and a component of our regulatory reform agenda that we’ve asked for continuously in recent years, in comments to and in meetings with CMS; we fully support the agency’s goals of focusing survey resources where they are most needed and recognizing the commitment to care and excellence demonstrated by providers with strong quality records.”
Sloan noted that the RBS approach aligns with the association’s policy priorities and advocacy efforts on survey process reform by utilizing nursing home data and metrics to more effectively focus survey activities.
She also welcomed the introduction of a new icon calling out high performers. “Highlighting the qualifying nursing homes on Care Compare is a meaningful and positive recognition beyond the traditional star ratings for high performers. Our members share CMS’ goal of ensuring quality care; those who meet high standards deserve praise.
We also welcome the agency’s commitment to transparency. Making relevant materials, including training information, survey resources, and details on qualifying risk-based survey nursing homes, all publicly available ensures that all stakeholders–providers, consumers, and policymakers–have the ability to explore nursing home quality standards and surveys, and better understand how the program works and how quality is being measured.
Today’s news provides a solid foundation for building a better approach to survey and certification. To be sure, there’s more work to be done as the risk-based survey rolls out. Specifically, a critical element of the qualification and disqualification criteria is survey process consistency. Our members and state partners frequently describe differences, both between states and even in regions within a state, in how noncompliance is identified and cited. Ensuring that surveyors consistently and appropriately identify resident harm will be essential to maintaining confidence in the program, accurately assessing risk, and directing oversight resources to nursing homes where they can have the greatest impact.”
