Federal update · August 2026
Nursing Home Rating Changes: August 2026 Federal Update
In the August 2026 federal update, 1036 nursing homes in the U.S. changed their overall Medicare rating (530 lower, 506 higher), 60 were added to the federal Special Focus watch list, and 115 were newly flagged with the federal abuse indicator. These are factual changes in the U.S. federal (CMS) data, comparing the August 2026 release with July 2026.
Read the August 2026 roundup: what changed and why →
Newly added to the federal watch list 60 facilities
The Special Focus Facility program flags nursing homes with a persistent pattern of serious quality problems.
Newly flagged with the federal abuse indicator 115
Overall rating downgraded 530, showing top 250
Overall rating improved 506, showing top 250
Changes compare the August 2026 U.S. federal (CMS) nursing home release with the July 2026 release. The facts are CMS's; the presentation is Open Care Data's. Ratings and flags can change again in future updates. Open Care Data is not affiliated with CMS, Medicare, or any government agency. How we use this data.