If your business office submitted PBJ the same way for years, 2026 changed the routine. CMS moved Payroll-Based Journal submissions into iQIES, retired the old QIES system, and kept the same unforgiving deadline. The July to September 2026 file is due November 14, 2026, which falls on a Saturday.
Here is what changed, what did not, and the mistakes that most often turn a well-staffed building into a one-star staffing rating.
What Changed in 2026
- PBJ moved to iQIES on August 17, 2026. The old QIES PBJ system was retired on September 15, 2026.
- You need an iQIES PBJ role. Whoever submits for your building needs the right iQIES user role before the deadline week, not during it. Role approvals can take time.
- File specifications were updated. CMS requires files built to specification version 4.10.0, and files in older formats have been rejected since April 1, 2026. If your payroll or timekeeping vendor generates the file, confirm they are on the current spec.
What Did Not Change: The Deadline
PBJ is due by 11:59 PM Eastern on the 45th day after each quarter ends:
| Quarter (federal fiscal year) | Months | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | October to December | February 14 |
| Q2 | January to March | May 15 |
| Q3 | April to June | August 14 |
| Q4 | July to September | November 14 |
CMS is explicit that the system will not accept submissions after the deadline, with no exceptions. There is no weekend rollover, so plan as if this quarter's deadline is Friday, November 13.
Three Ways PBJ Drops a Staffing Rating to One Star
CMS builds the staffing star rating from PBJ data. Three submission problems override everything else and set the rating to one star:
- No data by the deadline. Miss the cutoff and the quarter's staffing rating is one star.
- Four or more days with no RN hours. If the file shows four or more days in the quarter with no registered nurse hours on days with residents, the rating drops to one star. Often the RN was there and the hours were simply coded wrong or left out.
- A failed or ignored audit. If CMS audits your data and you do not respond, or the audit finds significant differences between reported and verified hours, the staffing rating is set to one star for three months.
A one-star staffing rating also pulls one star off the overall rating. The good news: these are process problems, so they are usually the fastest rating improvements available.
You can see which facilities in your state are capped right now in our free state directories: Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and Rhode Island.
The Hours Mistakes We See Most
Missing agency and contract staff. Contract nurses and aides belong in PBJ, each with their own unique ID. Lumping agency hours under a shared ID is a common reason data fails an audit.
Meal breaks. CMS requires a 30-minute deduction for every full shift, for every type of staff, whether the break was taken or not. Longer breaks are deducted at their actual length.
Salaried staff. Report the hours actually paid. A salaried nurse manager who works 10 hours but is paid for 8 is reported at 8, unless the contract specifies more paid hours.
Wrong job codes. RN hours coded as LPN or administrative time make it look like no RN was on site. Job code mapping is worth checking every time you add a position or change payroll systems.
Hire and termination dates. PBJ feeds the turnover measures in the staffing rating. Missing or wrong dates distort turnover.
A Deadline-Week Checklist
- Confirm your iQIES PBJ role and a backup submitter
- Confirm your vendor exports spec 4.10.0 files
- Reconcile PBJ hours against payroll for the quarter, including agency invoices
- Scan for any day without RN hours and fix coding before submitting
- Check meal break deductions on every full shift
- Submit by Friday, November 13, and save the confirmation
Where King & Co. Helps
We review PBJ data before submission, fix job code mapping and agency hour gaps, and handle submissions for single buildings and groups. Billing is hourly, so a clean quarter costs very little.
- Look up any facility's staffing data
- PBJ reporting support
- Our original guide to PBJ reporting requirements
Book a free 15-minute call before the deadline and we will tell you what to check first.
Josh runs HR, payroll and PBJ support for employers across New England and New York, from five-person offices to multi-building nursing home groups. He works in every major payroll system and answers the phone personally.
Book 15 minutes with Josh