Resources

CMS compliance guides for nursing home teams

Practical, plain-language guides on Plans of Correction, enforcement, SFF designation, and CMS survey process — written for DONs and administrators.

AllCMS ComplianceSFFEnforcementQuality

CMS Compliance6 min read

What Is a Plan of Correction — and What Does CMS Actually Require?

A Plan of Correction is the formal written response a nursing home must submit to CMS after a survey finds deficiencies. Here's exactly what it must contain, the 10-day rule, and the four required elements for every F-tag.

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SFF8 min read

What Is a Special Focus Facility — and How Do Nursing Homes Get Removed?

The SFF list is CMS's watch list for the worst-performing nursing homes in the country. Facilities on the list face increased survey frequency and heightened enforcement. Here's how the designation works and what it takes to graduate off.

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Enforcement7 min read

Immediate Jeopardy Citations: What They Mean and How to Respond

An IJ citation means CMS found a situation that has caused or is likely to cause serious injury, harm, or death to a resident. The PoC timeline is accelerated, the stakes are highest, and the response must be immediate. This guide covers exactly what to do.

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Enforcement9 min read

Civil Money Penalties in Nursing Homes: How CMS Calculates and Imposes Them

CMPs are the most common CMS enforcement action against nursing homes. They can accrue per-day or per-instance — and the difference matters. This guide explains how they're calculated, how to appeal, and how corrective action documentation affects outcomes.

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CMS Compliance5 min read

The Four Required Elements of Every Plan of Correction

Every PoC response must address the same four things: what happened, what was done to correct it for affected residents, what will prevent it from happening again, and how you will monitor to ensure lasting compliance.

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Quality7 min read

QAPI in Nursing Homes: What CMS Requires and How to Document It

Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement is one of eight CMS-mandatory compliance programmes. CMS expects ongoing, data-driven PIPs — not one-off fixes. Here's what a defensible QAPI programme looks like.

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CMS Compliance6 min read

What Happens After a CMS Survey? A Timeline for Nursing Homes

The survey exit conference isn't the end — it's the beginning. From the 2567 delivery to PoC submission, CMS review, and potential revisit, this guide walks through every step and deadline after your survey concludes.

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Quality8 min read

Understanding the CMS Five-Star Quality Rating System

The Five-Star rating system scores nursing homes across three domains: health inspections, staffing, and quality measures. Each domain affects your overall star rating differently. Here's how the calculation works and what drives your score.

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