One of the hardest decisions to make is determining when a dear loved one needs long-term care<\/a>. Realizing that\u00a0families can no longer provide care at home and a nursing home is the practical option is difficult. Many turn to Medicaid to help with the financial toll of nursing home care.\u00a0However, selecting which home to trust with your family member’s care adds to the challenge. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced some revisions to its five-star rating system for nursing homes to help families with this decision.<\/p>\n Nursing homes are graded in three ways. First, trained surveyors perform inspections on site. These include annual inspections and those prompted by a complaint. Second, specific quality measures are assessed. Eleven quality measures are scored based on clinical data reported by the nursing home themselves. Lastly, the staffing of the home influences their grade. While the federal government requires (more…)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" One of the hardest decisions to make is determining when a dear loved one needs long-term care. Realizing that\u00a0families can no longer provide care at home and a nursing home is the practical option is difficult. Many turn to Medicaid…<\/span><\/p>\nHow Are Ratings Calculated?<\/strong><\/h1>\n