Policy & oversight
CMS Will Now Direct Nursing Home Inspections Based on Safety Risk, Not a Fixed Calendar
A new CMS policy reduces inspection frequency at high-performing nursing homes and concentrates limited state survey resources on facilities where resident safety may be at greater risk.
By the Goodsurance editorial teamJuly 13, 2026
CMS announced national implementation of a risk-based survey approach for Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing homes. Under the new system, nursing homes with consistently strong performance records will be inspected less frequently, while facilities with safety concerns will receive more intensive attention from state survey agencies.
CMS estimated that approximately 12 percent of nursing homes nationwide will qualify for the reduced-frequency approach, identified using existing Medicare certification and quality data. State survey agencies will receive training on the new risk-scoring process during August and September 2026 before broader rollout.
CMS is shifting nursing home inspections toward higher-risk facilities. About 12 percent of homes qualify for a lighter inspection schedule.
The agency tied the change to congressional survey budgets that have remained flat since 2015. Directing fewer inspection hours to lower-risk facilities allows states to conduct more complaint investigations and intensive reviews at higher-risk nursing homes without additional funding.
The policy also introduces a new icon on the CMS Care Compare website to help consumers identify higher-performing facilities. CMS said the icon will appear on Care Compare beginning September 30, 2026, and will be updated regularly. CMS framed the initiative as directing existing resources more effectively rather than reducing oversight standards.
Nursing home quality and inspection data are publicly available through Care Compare at medicare.gov.
In plain words
CMS changed how often nursing homes get inspected. Homes with good safety records will be checked less often. Homes with more problems will be checked more often. About 12 out of every 100 nursing homes will qualify for fewer inspections. State workers can use the extra time to look into complaints at riskier places. Starting September 30, 2026, a new symbol will appear on the Medicare website to show which nursing homes have the strongest records.
Understand the basics first
Source: CMS
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