Five-Star Quality Rating System
Definition: CMS's rating system for nursing homes that provides an overall rating of 1-5 stars based on health inspection results, staffing data, and quality measures. Published on Medicare's Care Compare website.
In Practice
The Five-Star system helps consumers compare nursing homes. The health inspection component is based on the three most recent standard surveys and complaint investigations. Staffing data comes from Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) submissions. Quality measures are derived from MDS assessments and Medicare claims data.