Don't forget: The Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP) deadlines for 2017 reporting have been extended and are now due May 15, 2018. "However, providers are encouraged to verify their MDS submissions on at least a quarterly basis," says the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on its skilled nursing facility quality reporting program announcements website. "It is recommended that the applicable CMS CASPER validation reports are run prior to each quarterly reporting deadline to ensure that all required data were submitted. We encourage you to verify all facility information prior to submission, including CCN and facility name." If your facility is in a geographic location affected by the natural disasters and considered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to be a "designated area," special protocols may apply. Head over to https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/NursingHomeQualityInits/Skilled-Nursing-Facility-Quality-Reporting-Program/SNF-QR-Reconsideration-and-Exception-and-Extension.html for more informationon any special exemptions or extensions that may be applicable. The frequently asked questions section of the quarterly update for the third quarter of 2017 is now available, and can be found here: https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/NursingHomeQualityInits/Downloads/SNF-QRP-Quarterly-FAQ-Q3-2017.pdf.