On October 10, 2008 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a Survey & Certification Memorandum (S&C-09-05) entitled Special Focus Facility (SFF) Program Survey Scoring Methodology.  The formula used is the same formula that AHCA obtained more than a year ago and shared with members, and also includes additional clarification.  Following more than a year of persistent requests to CMS, including a Federal Freedom of Information Act request, AHCA is pleased that CMS has finally responded by making this critical information public.

The selection methodology is a five-step process:

1. Health Deficiencies: Health Deficiencies are scored and weighted.
2. Revisits: If the facility required more than one revisit to demonstrate substantial compliance, additional points are added to the SFF score.
3. Weighting by Year: results are totaled and weights are assigned to each period, with more recent results weighed more heavily.
4. List per State:The facilities are grouped within each state and the 15 facilities with the highest SFF scores (i.e. most serious and persistent health care deficiency histories) are presented to the state for consideration as SFF facilities.
5. State Recommendation and Selection: Each state reviews the candidate list, brings its state-specific knowledge and information to bear (e.g. results of state licensure surveys), and recommends a final selection to CMS.

The CMS memorandum is attached to this memo.  If you have additional questions, please contact Lyn Bentley at lbentley@ahca.org.