September 2026 | Audit 1 Star posting & Care Compare trophies (CURRENT)

Five Star Technical Users’ Guide: Revised September 2026

Clarifies that when a SNF fails a PBJ audit, the One Star downgrade on Care Compare “…will occur with the monthly update to Nursing Home Care Compare that occurs after [audit findings | audit deadline if no response]…”

No change to Five Star point ranges for staffing measures.

Here are the active Point Ranges for Staffing Rating:

September 2026 Changes (not Staffing related)
Facilities with High Performance

Nursing homes that perform highly, in addition to the traditional 5-star rating, have a trophy icon. These nursing homes have fewer citations (safety violations), higher staffing levels, and other quality indicators.

Please refer to the CMS Memorandum QSO-26-14-NH for more information.

View the current Technical Users Guide on CMS.gov

Or click to open the PDF Guide: