< Back to Thought Leadership

CMS Releases Updates to MDS 3.0 Technical Information

In response to State Medicaid Agency and stakeholder requests, CMS has updated the MDS 3.0 item sets (version 1.17.2) and related technical data specifications.  These changes will support the calculation of PDPM payment codes on OBRA assessments when not combined with the 5-day SNF PPS assessment, specifically the OBRA comprehensive (NC) and OBRA quarterly (NQ) assessment item sets, which was not possible with item set version 1.17.1.  This will allow State Medicaid Agencies to collect and compare RUG-III/IV payment codes to PDPM ones and thereby inform their future payment models.

The changes to the technical data specifications that support these modifications are contained in the Errata v3.00.4 which can be accessed in the file: MDS 3.0 data specs errata (v3.00.4) Final 04-30-2020 in the Downloads section of the link below. Supporting materials including the 1.17.2 Item Change History report and the revised 1.17.2 Item Sets can be accessed in the file:  MDS 3.0 Final Item Sets v1.17.2 for October 1 2020 zip also posted in the Downloads section of the link below.

Please confirm with your State Medicaid Agency if your State will be requiring the calculation of the PDPM payment codes on the OBRA assessments when not combined with a 5-day SNF PPS assessment.”

See CMS link for downloads and detailed MDS.

If you have further questions, please contact one of our team members.

Share this article

quality of earnings

Why a Quality of Earnings Report Matters Before You Buy

By Jonah Gjertson, CVA, Senior Consultant at Blue & Co. Buying a business is a complicated process with material financial implications each step of the way. There are many decisions […]

Learn More

6 Considerations for Navigating Restricted Fund Changes in Not-for-Profit Organizations

By Caroline Paulus, CPA, Manager and Beth Anne Akers, CPA, Manager at Blue & Co. When circumstances shift and a not-for-profit needs to repurpose restricted funding, balancing donor intent with […]

Learn More
A wooden gavel resting on a courtroom desk with a judge in the background, representing the federal court ruling that vacated CMS's Medicare DSH rule

CMS 2023 Medicare DSH Ruling Vacated

On August 28, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia vacated CMS’s 2023 rule addressing the treatment of Medicare Advantage (Part C) inpatient days in the Medicare […]

Learn More
Share this article
Share this article