Must-Read Stories: Trumpcare’s Death, ManorCare’s Potential Breakup

First things first: We here at Skilled Nursing News won’t say that Trumpcare has officially died — it’s been revived multiple times so far— but after months of hand-wringing and dire projections about Obamacare repeal’s effect on the skilled nursing industry, it finally looks as though the former president’s cornerstone legislative victory is here to stay indefinitely.

Three Republican senators — Susan Collins of Maine, John McCain of Arizona, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — broke with their party and voted against a so-called “skinny” repeal of the Affordable Care Act early Friday morning, dashing the GOP’s last-ditch effort to pass a health care reform bill.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell didn’t indicate future plans, but as commentators have pointed out so far, his statement in the wake of the 51-49 vote indicated that this particular brand of Obamacare repeal has come and gone.

“So yes, this is a disappointment. A disappointment indeed. Our friends over in the House, we thank them as well,” McConnell said in a statement issued Friday morning. “I regret that our efforts were simply not enough this time.”

He concluded by knocking the ball back into the Democrats’ court.

“I think the American people are going to regret that we couldn’t find a better way forward,” McConnell said. “And as I said, we look forward to our colleagues on the other side suggesting what they have in mind.”

For a complete look at how we got here, as well as reactions from around the world of politics, check out the New York Times’ coverage.

Back in the world of skilled nursing, we took a peek into our crystal ball to see what the future could hold for HCR ManorCare, the troubled provider currently locked in battle with its landlord, Quality Care Properties (NYSE: QCP) over missed rent payments. That analysis came after the Toledo, Ohio-based operator reportedly received a $550 million private-equity loan, but declined to specify whether the cash would go toward covering its nearly $350 million tab with QCP.

In other real estate investment trust (REIT)-vs.-operator news, Omega Healthcare Investors (NYSE: OHI) missed rental income projections for the second quarter, blaming the shortfall on two delinquent operators — and, in the process, inadvertently identifying one as the Louisville, Ky.-based Signature HealthCARE.

Closer to the individual property level, we investigated how SNFs can make small upgrades that yield big dividends when trying to attract short-stay residents, and experts from LeadingAge discussed how providers can fight the perception of SNFs as the “minor leagues” of nursing.

Written by Alex Spanko