While staffing shortages continue to create admission roadblocks, the demand for skilled nursing care is recovering.
From April to May, SNF occupancy decreased 3 basis points to end at 81%, according to the latest skilled nursing monthly report released by NIC MAP Vision. Pre-pandemic occupancy was 88.9%.
Still, occupancy is up 97 basis points compared to May 2022, the report found. The statistic is still recovering from a pandemic low of 74.7% in January 2021, but is still down 8 basis points from January 2023. The report, released last week, included monthly data points from January 2012 to May 2023.
Managed Medicare revenue mix increased 11 basis points from April to May, landing at 11.4%, the report found. However, Managed Medicare per patient day decreased 0.4% to end May at $483, decreasing $125 since January 2012.
Managed care beneficiaries continue to put pressure on some operators’ revenue as enrollment grows while others see it as an opportunity for growth in patient volume, according to the NIC MAP Vision report.
Revenue per patient day for traditional Medicare increased slightly from April to May, ending at $592. Fee-for-service Medicare increased 2.7% since September 2022 – likely as a result of an increase in Medicare rates as part of the SNF final rule.
Higher acuity patients would also increase revenue per patient day, according to NIC MAP data.
Meanwhile, revenue mix for FFS Medicare decreased for the second month in a row, declining 98 basis points to end May at 20.6%. It’s down from one year ago too, decreasing 34 basis points from May 2022, according to the report.
Finally, Medicaid patient day mix increased 52 basis points to land at 65.8% in May. It increased 268 basis points from 63.1% in February 2022, a pandemic low.
Medicaid revenue mix increased in February, representing over half of property revenue at 51.1%, the report found. It also increased 230 basis points from 48.8% in February 2022, also a pandemic low.
Medicaid revenue per patient day decreased from April to May to end the month at $269. It was $261 in May 2022, a 3% increase compared to a year ago.
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