LeadingAge sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure on January 4 urging the agency to engage with LeadingAge and other stakeholders on survey reform. This should be an all hands effort with those who know the most—including providers—at the table.

CMS announced on a December 7 Skilled Nursing Facility Open Door Forum call that they would be testing new nursing home survey strategies over the next several months. LeadingAge reached out to CMS at that time for more information and requested the opportunity to provide feedback prior to any policy changes.

In the January 4 letter, LeadingAge requested a meeting with Brooks-LaSure to discuss the work currently being done with CMS and share ideas for additional changes. CMS responded to acknowledge receipt of the letter and we look forward to scheduling a meeting soon.