Beginning September 8, 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will implement the Risk-Based Survey, or RBS, process nationwide for qualifying nursing homes.
The new approach allows consistently higher-performing facilities to undergo a more focused standard recertification survey. CMS estimates that approximately 12% of nursing homes will initially qualify based on factors such as overall quality ratings, staffing performance, accurate data reporting and survey history.
Risk-Based Surveys will still evaluate all required areas of compliance, but they are expected to take approximately half the time of the traditional Long-Term Care Survey Process and require fewer surveyors. All nursing homes will continue to receive a standard recertification survey at least every 18 months, and CMS or State Survey Agencies may use the traditional survey process when resident health and safety concerns arise.
To help organizations understand the new process, the Functional Pathways Clinical Team developed a concise Risk-Based Survey Quick Sheet outlining eligibility requirements, disqualifying events and what facilities should monitor as implementation approaches.