06/05/2025
Section R Removed: CMS Releases Draft MDS 3.0 Item Sets in Alignment with SNF QRP Proposed Rule
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the draft Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Item Sets version 1.20.1v3-Section_R_removed, reflecting proposed changes in the FY 2026 Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System (SNF PPS) rule (90 FR 18590). These updates directly align with the proposed revisions to the SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP).
Key Changes Include:
- The draft version v1.20.1v3 removes items R0310, R0320, and R0330 and replaces item R0340 with A1255.
- These revisions correspond to CMS’s proposed removal of four standardized patient assessment data elements under the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) category:
- Living Situation (R0310)
- Food (R0320A and R0320B)
- Utilities (R0330)
Originally, these MDS data elements were scheduled for required reporting for residents admitted between October 1 and December 31, 2025 (for FY 2027 QRP compliance). However, CMS now proposes that these items will not be required starting with the FY 2027 SNF QRP. This proposal aims to reduce provider burden and align future data collection with the increasing interoperability of health information technology systems.
The final MDS Item Sets will take effect on October 1, 2025. The final MDS Item Sets will be either this draft v3 which does not include items R0310, R0320, and R0330 and replaces item R0340 with item A1255 or the previously posted 1.20.1v2. The FINAL MDS Item Sets v1.20.1 will be posted in late summer, depending on the decisions finalized in rulemaking.
For more details, including access to the draft MDS 3.0 Item Sets v1.20.1v3-Section_R_removed and the Item Matrix v1.20.1v3-Section_R_removed, visit the Downloads section on the MDS 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual webpage.
