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Fonteum Data GlossaryRegulatory

CMS Star Rating: Definition and Healthcare Context

Full name: CMS Quality Star Rating System

CMS Star Ratings are quality scores assigned to Medicare-participating providers, facilities, and health plans on a scale of 1 to 5 stars to help beneficiaries compare quality of care. Separate rating systems exist for nursing homes (Overall, Health Inspections, Staffing, and Quality Measures domains), home health agencies, dialysis facilities, hospices, and Medicare Advantage plans. Ratings are calculated from inspection results, staffing data, and quality measures reported to CMS. Methodologies are published annually in CMS technical documentation.

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Last updated: 2026-07-11Reviewed by: Dr. Jennifer Montecillo, MD — Gullas College of Medicine, 2019. Non-practicing medical reviewer.

How it’s used

  • CMS Care Compare — Dialysis Facility: each dialysis facility receives a 1–5 star overall rating and domain-specific ratings based on clinical quality measures.
  • CMS Care Compare — Home Health Care Agencies: home health agencies receive star ratings based on patient outcomes and CAHPS survey results.
  • CMS Care Compare (nursing homes): the five-star rating system is the primary quality signal for nursing home selection, drawing on PBJ staffing data.

Frequently asked questions

What is a CMS Star Rating?
A CMS Star Rating is a 1–5 star quality score assigned to Medicare-participating facilities (nursing homes, home health agencies, dialysis centers, etc.) based on inspections, staffing, and quality measures.
How are nursing home star ratings calculated?
Nursing home star ratings combine three domain scores: health inspections, staffing levels (sourced from PBJ data), and quality measures. The overall rating is derived from these components.
Where can I find CMS star ratings?
Star ratings are published on CMS Care Compare at medicare.gov/care-compare and are also available as bulk downloads through data.cms.gov.

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What’s on file, by the numbers

Platform snapshot · 2026-08-30

13.4Mproviders & companiesProviders, organizations, owners, and facilities on file
26.2Msource-linked factsSource-linked field facts in the dated platform snapshot
90sources with dataDistinct snapshot source IDs with at least one positive record count
16fresh sourcesDistinct source IDs whose latest positive-data snapshot falls within the preceding 45 days
111sources integratedActive registry rows; integration does not establish a load
13state Medicaid jurisdictionsDistinct states represented in the state-exclusions serving table

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Named medical review

Reviewed by Jennifer Montecillo, MD, medical reviewer. Non-practicing medical reviewer.

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