CMS Finalizes Reversal of Arbitration Ban in Nursing Homes, Proposes Partial Phase 3 RoP Delay

The federal government on Tuesday finalized a rule that allows skilled nursing operators to use arbitration agreements with their residents, while also proposing a new rule to reduce paperwork burdens that would delay certain aspects of the Requirements of Participation. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) struck something of a compromise with the […]

Parkinson: Releasing ‘Secret’ List Positive for Industry, But Nursing Homes Must Evolve — or Become a Commodity

The release of a so-called “secret” list of nursing homes considered for inclusion in a program for the nation’s worst properties sent shockwaves through the industry early last month — but the man in charge of the for-profit space’s primary trade group says the sunshine is ultimately a good thing for operators. As the skilled […]

Specialists Help Drive Skilled Nursing Usage Cuts in ACOs

Multiple analyses have demonstrated that accountable care organizations (ACOs) reduce the use of skilled nursing facilities and other institutional post-acute care settings, and a new study may have identified a subtle culprit for the trend: specialist physicians. ACOs with the highest proportion of specialist visits had demonstrably lower rates of hospital admissions, skilled nursing encounters, […]

Boehler, Proponent of Post-Acute Care Bundles, to Leave Role as CMMI Chief

Adam Boehler will leave his position as the chief of the federal government’s top incubator for new payment models after an appointment to another office. President Trump late Wednesday nominated Boehler — who has served as director of the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) since April 2018 — to become the CEO of […]

Proposed Mandatory Payment Model for Dialysis Could Have Skilled Nursing Promise

The federal government on Wednesday unveiled a new proposed payment model for certain kidney-related conditions, and several providers in the space say it could have serious potential for skilled nursing operators. Under the proposed End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Treatment Choices (ETC) model, Medicare would expand coverage of care for kidney diseases and offer financial incentives […]

How a Family-Owned SNF Operator Plotted a Post-Acute Network — from Senior Living to Hospice

As the skilled nursing industry continues to move toward higher-acuity residents, many senior living operators have abandoned the space entirely, preferring to leave the increasingly medical business to standalone buildings and rehab partners. But one family-owned operator in Northeast Ohio — which started out in the SNF world five decades ago — believes the future […]

Dwight Capital’s Two-SNF Deal for $7.75M; Pointe Group Expands in Mass.

Dwight Capital pulled off a $7.75 million bridge loan for a pair of skilled nursing facilities in northwestern Tennessee: Douglas Health and Rehabilitation Center in Milan, Tenn. and Palmyra Health Care Center in Palmyra, Tenn. The two-SNF portfolio consists of 145 total units, with 73 skilled nursing beds at the Palmyra facility and a mixture […]

Home Health Produces Worse Outcomes for Sicker Seniors Than Skilled Nursing

While governments and payers increasingly incentivize the provision of long-term care at home instead of in skilled nursing facilities, data about outcomes remains few and far between — with one group of researchers finding that some high-acuity patients fare worse in the community setting. Based on 2012 claims data, a team from the University of […]

Net Health to Acquire Rehab Software Provider Optima Healthcare Solutions

Outpatient software provider Net Health on Tuesday announced a plan to acquire Optima Healthcare Solutions, expanding its presence into the post-acute marketplace. The Pittsburgh-based Net Health — which offers software platforms for about 3,000 urgent care, physical therapy, and other outpatient clinics across the country — positioned the move as a strategic push to extend […]

CareTrust Picks Up Cascadia Facility for $12.8M; Ciena Healthcare’s $20M Construction

CareTrust REIT (Nasdaq: CTRE) expanded its existing relationship with operator Cascadia Healthcare with the $12.8 million purchase of a transitional care facility in Nampa, Idaho. Cascadia of Nampa, a 99-bed facility one block away from the Saint Alphonsus Medical Center, became the 12th building from the Eagle, Idaho-based operator to enter the CareTrust portfolio. “We […]

75% of Nursing Homes ‘Almost Never’ in Compliance with RN Staffing Levels

The gulf between self-reported and payroll-based staffing records for nursing homes continues to widen, with a new study showing a reality that vastly differs from government expectations. The amount of registered nurse (RN) coverage falls well below the standards set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for most skilled nursing facilities in the […]

Despite Scrutiny, HUD Lending ‘Essential for Nursing Homes to Function’

The federal government’s lending program for nursing homes has come under national scrutiny in the wake of a record-setting default, but financial leaders in the space say the initiative is vital to the overall health of the industry. The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Section 232 program gives skilled nursing operators and investors […]

Mass. AG Slaps Skyline Owners with 15 Citations for Unpaid Wages, Missing Pay Stubs

A month after the last Skyline Healthcare-operated nursing homes in Massachusetts closed their doors, the state’s attorney general hit the company with multiple citations over unpaid wages and missing payroll documentation. Skyline leaders Joseph and Michael Schwartz failed to pay nearly $65,000 owed to 106 employees in a timely fashion, AG Maura Healey’s office alleged […]

Berkadia’s $104M Nursing Home Financing; $11M Refi in New Jersey

Commercial real estate lender Berkadia landed a $104 million loan for a skilled nursing facility in the Bronx, N.Y., the company announced Monday. Berkadia secured the financing for the Workmen’s Circle Multicare Center, operated by the Woodbury, N.Y.-based Cassena Care, through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s 232/233 program; the loan closed just 13 […]

Bill Would Bring New Quality Measures to Skilled Nursing Value-Based Purchasing Program

A bipartisan pair of U.S. representatives late last week submitted legislation that would potentially bring new quality measures to the federal Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) program. HR 3406, introduced in the House of Representatives last Friday, would empower the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to roll out up to 10 additional metrics for inclusion […]