SFF List Posted on CMS Website

VHCA (2/15/2008)

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Kerry Weems and Senator Herb Kohl held a press conference this week to publicly release the Special Focus Facility (SFF) list of one hundred and thirty one active Special Focus Facilities separated into categories.  The categories include: facilities that are new to the list, facilities that have not shown significant improvement in at least one survey since being named to the SFF list, and facilities that have shown significant improvement but that CMS is waiting to see if the improvements are sustained. Two additional categories focus on facilities that have recently graduated off the list and the very small number of facilities that are no longer certified to participate in the Medicare/Medicaid programs.  The list will be updated quarterly.   According to CMS, approximately fifty percent of the nursing homes in the SFF program significantly improve their quality of care within 24-30 months.