June 30 deadline for the Medicare Occupational Mix survey
Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) hospitals are required to submit the occupational mix survey (OMS) to CMS every three years. This data must be compiled on a calendar year basis; not the hospital’s actual fiscal year. The Federal Fiscal Year 2028 OMS is based on calendar year 2025.
The OMS directly impacts a hospital’s wage index and therefore Medicare and Medicare Advantage payments. The OMS is designed to weigh the occupational levels of nursing healthcare professionals employed and contracted by the hospital.
The nursing professionals are grouped into the following four categories:
- Registered Nurses (RN)
- Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN), and Surgical Technicians
- Nursing Assistants and Orderlies
- Medical Assistants
The occupational mix survey calculates an adjusted average hourly wage for these nursing categories by hospital. Using those averages, CMS calculates a national average for each category.
The OMS directly impacts Medicare reimbursement for up to three years. As such, it is very important to ensure the OMS is accurately completed and submitted by the deadline.
The upcoming occupational mix survey deadline is June 30, 2026, and should be sent directly to your Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) via email.
Want to learn more?
BNN’s Healthcare Advisory team specializes in cost report and Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement across the continuum of care and can support your hospital through collecting and reporting their data and projecting the potential impacts of current performance. If you have questions or would like to discuss these matters further, please contact Marc Levy. If your healthcare organization is experiencing challenges with reimbursement, or you are interested in learning more about improving your processes, technology, and strategy, get in touch with our healthcare industry specialists today!
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