CMS Releases Finalized MDS Item Sets and Matrix for Nursing Homes Effective October 1, 2025 8/27/2025 PolicyCMS Page ContentThe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have posted the final Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Item Sets version 1.20.1v3 and Item Matrix v1.20.1v3 in the Downloads section of their Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual page. The MDS Item Sets will be effective beginning October 1, 2025. The MDS item sets include the following notable changes: A0800, Gender, is changed to A0810, Sex. The transportation item A1250 has been updated and simplified under A1255. The removal of most therapy items under O0400, which are replaced with a simplified item O0390, Therapy Services. Section R (which included several items for social determinants of health) was removed as outlined in the FY 2026 SNF PPS Final Rule. Questions may be directed to regulatory@ahca.org. Related News Policy Management Important Compliance and Regulatory Reminders OIG released an audit report which reviewed compliance with background checks and abuse-registry requirements in skilled nursing facilities. The audit identified instances where staff began working before these required screenings were completed. READ MORE Policy Reminder MDS & Resident Assessments Roles and Responsibilities Regulations require nursing homes to initially and periodically conduct a comprehensive, accurate, standardized, reproducible assessment of each resident's functional capacity. READ MORE CMS Temporary Pause in Nursing Home Care Compare Updates CMS will temporarily pause Nursing Home Care Compare updates. They noted the pause is related to their recent transition to a cloud-based Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES). READ MORE View All News Related Articles Caregiving Policy 5/31/2025 EBP and MDROs Infection prevention and control involves numerous interconnected elements, all of which must work together to keep residents, staff, and others safe and ensure regulatory compliance. READ MORE CMS 10/31/2022 New PDPM LTC Trend Tracker Module Can Help with Medicare Compliance The reports, derived from MDS data, allow providers to compare and benchmark metrics on a quarterly basis against peers within their organization, state, or nationwide. READ MORE Policy COVID-19 5/31/2022 PDPM Data Trends Part III: PDPM Isolation Policy Hurt Providers that Followed Public Health Guidance The series will delve into questions related to patient care delivery, outcomes, and payment model implications informed by observed PDPM data trends. READ MORE