Scripps Howard Analyzes Five Star Rating System

Scripps Howard conducted an analysis of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services‰Ûª Nursing Home Compare after Five Star introduction. Some nuggets:

For-profit corporations, which account for about two-thirds of all nursing homes, generally get lower scores than those run by nonprofits groups.

Homes with more nursing staff per patient, which also tend to be run by nonprofit groups, generally do better in the ratings.

Homes with more than 100 beds tend to get lower scores in all categories, including health of residents and levels of nursing care.

Ratings are lowest in Southern states, particularly for nursing care and registered-nurse staffing, and highest for homes in the Northeast.

Slightly more than 20 percent of nursing homes nationwide have been regularly given the lowest ratings, and 12 percent to 13 percent have received the top rating.

More at Scripps here.