The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced changes Friday to its often-critiqued five-star rating system for nursing home quality — changes that are likely to negatively affect the ratings for thousands of facilities, according to an article published by the Center for Public Integrity.

The agency is altering how it calculates the staffing figures that are one component of the all-encompassing quality score on the Nursing Home Compare website, among other adjustments. That website is widely used by the pubic in evaluating and comparing 15,000 nursing homes nationwide, and is thus crucial to family decisions about where to place a loved one who needs care. In all, about one in three, or about 5,000 nursing homes, will see their broader quality star rating decrease as a result of the changes, according to Conway.

In all, about one in three, or about 5,000 nursing homes, will see their broader quality star rating decrease as a result of the changes, according to Conway.

The change is welcomed by Morelli Law Firm, which specializes in litigating to protect the rights of victims of nursing home abuse.

Click here for the full article.