What is Payroll Based Journal Reporting?

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) considers staffing a crucial indicator of a nursing home’s ability to provide quality care. Utilizing staffing data for several reasons, the goal of CMS is to accurately and effectively gauge its impact on the quality of care in nursing homes.

In order for the CMS to continue its work, facilities are required to electronically submit direct care staffing information (including agency and contract staff) based on payroll and other auditable data. This is referred to as Payroll Based Journal (PBJ) Reporting.

Here is everything you need to know about PBJ Reporting.

What is PBJ Reporting?

Nursing home facilities and organizations are required to electronically submit direct care staffing information to CMS under Section 6106 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Reporting requirements first began in 2016.

In order to help facilitate this, CMS created the PBJ Reporting system. This system collects staffing information more frequently than before. It is also auditable to ensure accuracy, and all long-term care facilities have free access to this system.

Required Information for PBJ Data Reporting

Facilities are required to report the following information when it comes to PBJ Reporting:

• The category of work for each person on direct care staff (including, but not limited to, whether the individual is a registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, licensed vocational nurse, certified nursing assistant, therapist, or other type of medical personnel as specified by CMS)
• Resident census data
• Information on direct care staff turnover and tenure, and on the hours of care provided by each category of staff per resident per day (including, but not limited to, start date, end date (as applicable), and hours worked for each individual)

Some other key considerations / requirements for facilities when reporting data include:

• When reporting information about direct care staff, data must specify whether the individual is a regular employee or is employed by the facility under contract or through an agency
• Data must be submitted in the uniform format specified by CMS
  • A revised version of the PBJ Data Specifications (Version 4.10.0) was implemented in April 2026
• Direct care staffing information must be reported on the schedule specified by CMS, but no less frequently than quarterly

How to Submit PBJ Data

In order to submit PBJ data, facilities must register with the Quality Improvement & Evaluation System (QIES), which is used to submit the data. A CMSnet user ID is required.

Individuals at facilities, vendors (e.g., payroll vendors), and/or corporate staff must register as well to submit data into the PBJ system.

Once registered, facilities have two options for submitting data.

Option One: Information can be entered manually, but requires an individual(s) at a facility to manually enter information about employees, including hours paid to work, directly into the PBJ User Interface. While the system has been designed to be user-friendly manual entry can easily lead to errors.

Option Two: Data can be uploaded automatically and directly from your payroll or time and attendance system. This functions very similarly to how MDS data are submitted currently. However, the data must meet very specific technical specifications. A payroll company with experience serving senior living facilities can help facilitate this process for easy reporting.

Upcoming PBJ Deadlines

The deadlines for PBJ Reporting are the same each year. Reporting must be completed once for each fiscal quarter.

The table below breaks down the deadlines for PBJ Reporting:

What Types of Facilities Are Required to Complete PBJ Reporting?

All long-term care facilities are required to complete PBJ Reporting by submitting accurate and detailed quarterly information on how many hours direct care staff members work in specific job categories.

Direct care staff are defined as individuals who, through interpersonal contact with residents or resident care management, provide care and services to allow residents to attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being.

Here are some types of facilities that must report PBJ Data for direct care staff:

• Nursing Homes
• Alzheimer’s Facilities
• In-Home Nursing Agencies
• Residential Care Home Facilities
• Other Skilled Nursing Facilities

PBJ Job Codes

The PBJ Reporting system uses 40 different job codes across 15 categories. The table below breaks down the categories and the job descriptions within each:

Each labor description and job description has an identifying number. Together, these numbers make up the code. For instance, an administrator has the code: 1-1. Each job description has a description of services as well.

PBJ Reporting Services 

When it comes to the healthcare industry, workforce management is crucial. With so much room for error from things like employee burnout and turnover to penalties for non-compliance, there’s no margin to turn down advantageous solutions, like our Senior Living Dashboard.

Overall, Senior Living Dashboard is the perfect solution for senior living leaders who want to improve their business decisions and stay compliant. With our simple and easy-to-use interface and focus on results, you’ll be able to take your organization to the next level.

Contact us today to learn more.