CMS 2025 Updates: QSO-25-19 and QSO-25-20 Overview

Date: June 18, 2025

From: SMK Medical Compliance Team

To: Administrators, DONs, Clinical Leaders & Regional Teams

Subject: CMS Releases QSO-25-19 & QSO-25-20 – Major Changes to 2567 Access and Care Compare Ratings

CMS just dropped two major memos that impact transparency, quality measures, and how your facility is publicly rated. These changes are effective immediately or within weeks—and they are not optional.

🔗 QSO-25-20-NH Full Memo
🔗 QSO-25-19-All Full Memo

🔍 QSO-25-19-All – CMS-2567s Go Public Immediately

CMS Form 2567—the Statement of Deficiencies—is now publicly releasable the moment you receive it. Previously, there was a 90-day delay. That’s gone. CMS wants full transparency, and now the public, competitors, families, and attorneys can access your citations within 14 days.

Key Points:

• Applies to all providers and suppliers, not just nursing homes.
• CMS will no longer wait for your Plan of Correction (POC) to be accepted before releasing survey results.
• Accrediting Organization surveys remain exempt, except for Hospice and Home Health.

✅ SMK Tip: Don’t wait until surveyors walk in to get your house in order. If your survey history tells a story—make sure it’s the right one. We recommend a mock survey now, not later.

⭐ QSO-25-20-NH – Nursing Home Care Compare Just Got Sharper

CMS is upgrading the Nursing Home Care Compare system. Four big shifts are coming, and your star rating—and public perception—are on the line.

1. Chain-Level Star Ratings Posted Publicly
   Starting July 30, 2025, CMS will display average ratings for entire nursing home chains. Your company’s name now carries real performance weight.
2. Oldest Survey Dropped from 5-Star Rating
   CMS will only count your two most recent standard surveys. If your worst survey was three ago, good news. But if your performance is slipping now, your score may drop.
3. Tighter Antipsychotic Monitoring
   The new measure adds Medicare claims and encounter data to the current MDS-based system. Expect more accurate (and likely higher) reported usage rates. If your schizophrenia coding isn’t air-tight, now’s the time to clean it up.
4. COVID-19 Vaccination Data Removed
   Resident and staff COVID vax stats will no longer appear on your Care Compare profile as of July 30, 2025.

✅ SMK Tip: Don’t assume you’re safe because your last star rating was high. Review your data now. Clean up psych meds, check your survey cycles, and prep your teams.

📞 Call to Action:
Get ahead of this now. Schedule a mock survey, 2567 review, or full compliance check.
📍 MockSurvey.com | 📞 313-314-8267

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