The January 2025 Care Compare refresh will contain new data for four quality measures that were frozen last year due to the the elimination of section G and the replacement of the related portions of the technical specifications with section GG items.
The 4 quality measures are:
- Percent of Residents Who Made Improvements in Function (SS) (CMS ID: N037.03) replaced by GG Equivalent Measure: Discharge Function Score
- Percent of Residents Whose Ability to Move Independently Worsened (LS) (CMS ID: N035.03), replaced by GG Equivalent Measure: Percent of Residents Whose Ability to Walk Independently Worsened (LS) (CMS ID: N035.05)
- Percent of Residents Whose Need for Help with Activities of Daily Living Has Increased (LS) (CMS ID: N028.02), replaced by GG Equivalent Measure: Percent of Residents Whose Need for Help with Activities of Daily Living Has Increased (LS) (CMS ID: N028.04)
- Percent of High-Risk Residents With Pressure Ulcers (LS)24 (CMS ID: N015.03), replaced with GG Equivalent Measure: Percent of Residents With Pressure Ulcers (LS) (CMS ID: N045.02 )
To address these changes in measure specifications, the scoring cut points for each of these four measures were recalculated to achieve an even distribution across scores.
Also, to minimize the potential disruption associated with these changes, the QM rating cut points were adjusted to maintain the same overall distribution. The tables below show just how dramatic these adjustments are
(Performance in the GG replacement measure, Jan. ’25, declined compared to the G related measure, Oct. ’22)
(Performance in the GG replacement measure, Jan. ’25, improved compared to the G related measure, Oct. ’22)
(Performance in the GG replacement measure, Jan. ’25, declined compared to the G related measure, Oct. ’22)
(Performance in the GG replacement measure, Jan. ’25, declined compared to the G related measure, Oct. ’22)
In other words, for three of these new measures, overall performance on dropped compared to their prior “equivalents”. The only measure where performance seemed to improve is the Percent of Residents Whose Ability to Walk Independently Worsened.
Consequently, it now requires fewer points overall to achieve a stronger quality measure star rating than it did prior to these changes.
But, don’t get complacent. Even though the cut points have been adjusted to reflect performance under the new measures, i.e., even or same overall ratings distribution, these new measures are unique and will require the same attention that the old measures did in order to maintain an accurate 5-star rating.
