Starting July 2025, CMS will recalculate Health Inspection star ratings using only the two most recent surveys—outdated data is out.
Effective July 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will implement a key change to the Care Compare Five-Star Quality Rating System by modifying how Health Inspection star ratings are calculated for nursing homes. This update reflects CMS’s goal to provide consumers and stakeholders with a more accurate and timely reflection of facility quality.
What’s Changing?
Currently, the Health Inspection rating is based on the three most recent standard surveys (known as survey “cycles”). Beginning in July 2025, CMS will calculate the Health Inspection rating using only the two most recent standard surveys, removing the oldest data from consideration.
Why the Change?
CMS explained that due to COVID-19-related disruptions and limited surveyor capacity, many facilities’ third-most-recent inspections are now more than 45 months old. These outdated inspections, CMS stated, no longer offer a meaningful representation of a facility’s current performance.
“Using outdated inspections in the star rating system can mislead consumers and unfairly impact providers. This change supports a more accurate and current snapshot of quality,” CMS noted in its announcement.
What This Means for Nursing Homes
- Approximately 20% of facilities may see a change in their Health Inspection star rating—either an increase or a decrease.
- Roughly 80% of facilities are expected to see no change as a result of this adjustment.
- Complaint and infection control surveys will continue to be evaluated over a three-year lookback period.
- The new calculation will weight the most recent survey more heavily (75%), with 25% weight placed on the second-most-recent survey.
Additional Changes to Expect
CMS also announced several other notable updates to the Care Compare platform:
- Average chain-level Five-Star ratings will be published for organizations that operate multiple nursing homes, adding a layer of transparency for large operators.
- The long-stay antipsychotic medication measure will be recalibrated in October 2025 to reflect updated national benchmarks and improve the measure’s ability to differentiate facility performance.
- Removal of COVID-19 vaccination data: Beginning July 30, 2025, CMS will eliminate the COVID-19 vaccination section from each facility’s profile on the Care Compare website. This section, introduced in 2021, displayed resident and staff vaccination rates but will no longer appear as a separately reported measure. This change reflects the evolving phase of pandemic-related public reporting.
Polaris Group Perspective
As regulatory expectations evolve, Polaris Group remains committed to helping providers navigate change and optimize quality performance.
“We are closely monitoring how this change will affect our clients’ Five-Star ratings,” said Stephanie Byrley, Consultant Department Manager at Polaris Group. “Our team will continue to support survey preparedness and quality measure management efforts to ensure our clients achieve the best possible outcomes under the updated methodology.”
Next Steps for Providers
Nursing home operators are encouraged to:
- Review recent survey outcomes and address any recurring issues.
- Engage in proactive quality improvement to enhance readiness for upcoming surveys.
- Partner with consultants who can provide expert guidance on Five-Star strategy and compliance.
Polaris Group offers tailored support to ensure your community remains competitive, compliant, and positioned for success—no matter how the landscape evolves. Want to know how this will impact your Five-Star rating? Connect with us to learn more.
