Former Skyline Healthcare owner Joseph Schwartz on Monday was charged with Medicaid and tax fraud – more than three years after the nursing home chain collapsed. The Arkansas Attorney General’s office charged Schwartz, who lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., with eight counts of Medicaid fraud and two counts of tax fraud – all felonies – according […]
Operators are less optimistic that occupancy will return to pre-pandemic levels by 2022, with more than one-quarter, or 26%, now anticipating recovery in 2023. The latest National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC) executive survey saw leadership outlook change compared to its September survey – earlier in the year, four out of five […]
A Senate draft of the Build Back Better Act removed the teeth from a key nursing home provision – implementation of mandatory minimum staffing hours – a change eliciting mixed reactions from long-term care advocates. The change was coupled with an added $800 million toward staffing and infection control in nursing homes, to be disbursed […]
Nursing homes were among the main health care providers to drive spending growth in 2020, along with hospitals and physicians, contributing to a 9.7% increase to reach $4.1 trillion. The acceleration in spending was caused by a 36% increase in federal expenditures, according to a report published by peer-reviewed journal Health Affairs, in response to […]
In a partial win for the Biden administration, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday revived the health care worker vaccine mandate in 26 states. A three judge New Orleans-based panel ruled that a lower court injunction only had the authority to block the mandate in 14 states involved in the lawsuit: Alabama, […]
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Tuesday said it will be releasing $9 billion in Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Phase 4 payments to health care providers, including nursing homes. Payment will be disbursed later this week, HHS said in a statement. Small providers are expected to receive on average $58,000 – medium […]
Operators in the skilled nursing industry face unique challenges to company growth at this point in the pandemic, with buyers desperate to acquire facility licenses for understaffed buildings, while many continue to lag behind pre-pandemic occupancy levels. Mission Health Communities will continue to grow “where it makes sense,” CEO Stuart Lindeman told Skilled Nursing News, […]
An improved relationship between health systems and skilled nursing operators lies in improving clinical pathways – providing a game plan for residents transitioning from one part of the care continuum to another to avoid poor patient outcomes. Live data is key to improving performance across the continuum and coming up with the right pathway for […]
For operators feeling the excruciating slowness of the certificate of need (CON) route to expansion, or are hitting a roadblock with moratoriums on new skilled nursing beds, many are opting to acquire bed licenses from other operators. The option offers another way to grow across state lines, or in an existing market. Still, bed license […]
For an industry where slim profit margins are a widely discussed concern, a federal advisory board found 2020’s robust 25% margin in Medicare payments justification for a suggested cut to base payment rates in fiscal year 2023. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) said “rebounded” industry transactions informed its recommended 5% cut as well, thanks […]
Direct care workers in Ohio will receive $300 million in appropriated federal pandemic relief funding, with both legislative bodies passing the bill this week. The Ohio Senate and House greenlit the nursing home funding on Wednesday and Thursday respectively, as part of $4.18 billion in pandemic relief dollars. The majority of funds are earmarked for […]
Nursing home staffing provisions in the Build Back Better Act so far remain unchanged — and unfunded — as the bill works its way through the Senate. That’s according to panelists at a Tuesday telepress conference hosted by senior housing and care industry association LeadingAge. The Build Back Better Act (HR 5376), which broadly aims […]
After therapy providers endured deep cuts to Medicare reimbursement this year, Congressional lawmakers are taking steps to limit reductions in 2022. A bill introduced on Tuesday would prevent 2% in Medicare sequestration — or at least curb deep cuts associated with the Calendar Year (CY) 2022 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). The U.S. House of Representatives […]
CareTrust REIT Inc. (Nasdaq: CTRE) is considering a sale, among other strategic options, according to unnamed sources cited by Bloomberg. The San Clemente, Calif-based real estate investment trust (REIT) is working with an advisor to gauge interest from potential suitors, including competitors in the skilled nursing space and other real estate-focused investment firms, as reported […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has suspended its vaccine mandate for health care staff, including those who work in nursing homes, so long as court injunctions remain in effect. CMS announced the mandate suspension in a memo on Thursday, adding that it has appealed both court decisions and has filed motions for […]
After a seven-month streak in occupancy gains, skilled nursing facilities experienced a decline from August to September. Despite decreasing 27 basis points to 75% in September, overall occupancy is still 355 basis points above its low point in January at 71.5%, according to NIC MAP data, released by NIC MAP Vision. “There remains cautious optimism […]
Operators are walking a tightrope following a series of injunctions issued against the federal vaccine mandate, developing plans to have staff fully vaccinated by early next year while balancing compliance between the courts and federal agencies. Two preliminary injunctions were issued this week, most recently by Judge Terry Doughty of the U.S. District Court for […]
New leadership at a St. Louis, M.O.-based nursing home nonprofit aims to continue growth in the new year, while bringing a mix of financial and academic expertise to its top executive spot. Bill Holman will take the helm as CEO at St. Andrew’s Resources for Seniors System Inc. (STARSS) effective Jan. 1, 2022 — Holman […]
Marquis Health Services in early 2022 plans to launch a chronic illness initiative focused on nephrology, pulmonology, cardiology, pastoral, palliative and infectious disease services, in an effort to address what the operator considers gaps in post-acute and long-term care. Brick, N.J.-based Marquis is currently evaluating and qualifying facilities to participate in the initiative, according to […]
National Health Investors (NYSE: NHI) has collected 82.7% of tenant rent for November, with deferrals still in place for at least one of its tenants through the next several months. Bickford Senior Living, one of NHI’s seniors housing operators receiving rent deferrals, makes up 3.8% of the remaining balance for the month, the real estate […]
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