The July 2026 OASIS Quarterly Q&As was released this week and include two important clarifications that supersede guidance currently found in the OASIS-E2 Guidance Manual.
CMS reminds agencies that OASIS guidance may be updated or refined over time. When new guidance supersedes previous instructions, agencies should follow the most recent CMS guidance and ensure that clinicians, reviewers, and educators are aware of the changes.
This month’s Q&As include new guidance for answering the following in specific scenarios:
- M1060 – Height and Weight
- M1311 – Current Number of Unhealed Pressure Ulcers/Injuries at Each Stage
M1060 – Height and Weight
What changed?
The OASIS-E2 Guidance Manual previously instructed agencies to enter a dash (“-”) when a patient’s height or weight fell outside the technical submission specifications.
However, using a dash does not allow risk adjustment to be made for a patient with a high BMI for the Discharge Function Score quality measure.
Question 6 in the July 2026 OASIS Quarterly Q&As asks whether there is a way to avoid this measure implication when a patient’s height or weight falls outside the specified parameters.
In response, CMS has issued new guidance that supersedes the previous instruction to enter a dash. Agencies should now enter the minimum or maximum allowable value instead.
The updated value ranges for M1060 are:
| Item | Minimum | Maximum |
| Height | 50 inches | 80 inches |
| Weight | 65 pounds | 440 pounds |
Example: If a patient weighs more than 440 pounds, enter 440 in M1060B – Weight.
M1311 – Current Number of Unhealed Pressure Ulcers/Injuries at Each Stage
What changed?
The OASIS-E2 Guidance Manual stated that: “If the patient has a pressure ulcer that was documented at SOC/ROC and at discharge is documented at the same stage, it would be considered as “present at the most recent SOC/ROC,” even if during the episode the original pressure ulcer healed and reopened.”
Question 7 in the July 2026 OASIS Quarterly Q&As asks whether a pressure ulcer that was present at SOC/ROC, completely healed, and later reopened at the same stage and location should still be considered “present at the most recent SOC/ROC” when coding M1311 at discharge.
In response, CMS has issued new guidance that supersedes the previous instruction. If the pressure ulcer completely healed during the episode and later reopened, it should NOT be considered present at the most recent SOC/ROC when completing the Discharge assessment.
This applies even if the ulcer reopened at the same stage and in the same location.
In Practice:
If a pressure ulcer:
- Was present at SOC/ROC,
- Completely healed during the episode,
- Reopened later during the episode, and
- Remained open at discharge,
it should not be considered present at the most recent SOC/ROC for M1311 discharge coding.
What This Means
Once the original ulcer has healed, a subsequent reopening is considered a new occurrence for M1311 discharge coding, even if it is in the same location and at the same stage.
The updated guidance reinforces the importance of accurately documenting wound healing and reopening to support correct M1311 discharge coding.
Key Takeaways
The July 2026 OASIS Quarterly Q&As provide two important updates that supersede previous guidance:
M1060 – Height and Weight
Do not enter a dash when a patient’s height or weight falls outside the specified range. Instead, report the applicable minimum or maximum value.
M1311 – Pressure Ulcers
A pressure ulcer that was present at SOC/ROC, completely healed, and later reopened should not be considered present at the most recent SOC/ROC for discharge coding.
Bottom Line
CMS guidance can change as new questions and situations arise. Agencies should ensure that clinicians, reviewers, and educators are working from the most recent CMS guidance, particularly when new Q&As supersede instructions in the OASIS-E2 Guidance Manual.
Staying current helps agencies avoid coding errors, support accurate quality reporting, and ensure OASIS assessments appropriately reflect the patient’s clinical status.
