CMS has released its “2008 Action Plan for (Further Improvement of) Nursing Home Quality”. The major components of the plan include: increasing consumer awareness and assistance; improving the nursing home survey and enforcement processes; promoting quality improvement in key areas such as reducing the use of restraints and decreasing the prevalence of preventable pressure sores; expanding partnerships to promote quality care; and expanding value-based purchasing. In a related development, CMS announced that it is expanding its “Nursing Home Compare” website to designate whether a facility has ever been on CMS’s “special focus facility” (SFF) list. SFF facilities have been determined by CMS to have failed to improve quality significantly after being given the opportunity to do so.