Washington, D.C. — Nursing homes nationwide are preparing for a major systems transition that will change how they submit critical staffing data to federal regulators. Beginning August 17, 2026, all Payroll-Based Journal submissions must go through iQIES, marking the end of the legacy QIES platform for PBJ reporting.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has been warning providers about the switch for months, but with the deadline now just over a week away, the agency is ramping up its outreach to ensure facilities do not get caught off guard.
What Is Changing
The PBJ system tracks daily staffing hours for every nursing home in the country, feeding directly into CMS’s Five-Star Quality Rating Program and federal compliance monitoring. Since its launch in 2016, facilities have submitted this data through QIES. That changes next Sunday.
Starting August 17, iQIES becomes the sole portal for PBJ submissions. The newer platform, which already handles Minimum Data Set submissions, offers a cloud-based interface that CMS says will streamline access and improve security.
Key Dates Facilities Cannot Miss
The transition creates a narrow window where no submissions will be accepted. CMS will stop accepting PBJ records in QIES after 11:59 p.m. ET on August 14. The system goes dark entirely for PBJ purposes until iQIES takes over three days later.
That means Quarter 3 2026 data — covering April through June — must be submitted by the August 14 deadline using the old system. Quarter 4 submissions, which begin July 1, cannot be filed until August 17 and must use iQIES exclusively.
Getting Staff Ready
CMS is urging administrators to verify that their PBJ coordinators have active iQIES access before the switchover. Staff who have not yet requested iQIES credentials or linked their existing accounts risk being locked out when the new system goes live.
The agency’s QIES Technical Support Office has published a user manual, error message guide, and downloadable reference spreadsheet to help facilities navigate the new interface. CMS will also provide live phone and email support through August 14 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Why This Matters
Missing a PBJ deadline is not a minor paperwork slip. Late or incomplete staffing data can trigger compliance flags, affect quality ratings, and create headaches during state surveys. With the industry already under pressure from workforce shortages and reimbursement constraints, the last thing operators need is a technical failure blocking their submissions.
The transition itself does not change what data facilities must report or when quarterly deadlines fall. But the new platform’s unfamiliar interface could trip up staff who have been using QIES for years.
Facilities with questions about PBJ policy can contact CMS at nhstaffing@cms.hhs.gov. Technical support is available at iqies@cms.hhs.gov or 800-339-9313.
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