American Senior Communities (ASC) is coming off a strong 2025 focused on quality care and is building on that success to weather industry challenges while executing on key initiatives, including the growth of a provider-led institutional special needs plan (I-SNP). ASC has 114 properties in Indiana, 94 of which are focused on skilled nursing. The […]
Skilled nursing is an increasingly active sector for real estate investors due to several factors, including an increased appreciation that SNFs are part of the United States’ “social infrastructure,” according to Jonathan Slusher, Partner and Head of Senior Living and Healthcare at Northwind Group. Northwind is a private equity firm specializing in mezzanine capital in […]
Building closer relationships with facility staff and health care partners of nursings homes, such as hospital providers and pharmacies, is going to be key for the sector as providers navigate new and old compliance challenges in 2026. Updates to the MDS and antipsychotic medication rules are creating new compliance challenges for nursing homes, even as […]
The shrinking footprint of nonprofit nursing homes can be a source of concern for certain cash-strapped communities, especially in rural counties. However, one recent sale demonstrates how private ownership is often judged by its reputation, even when it proves to be a good option. The takeover of county-owned nursing homes – including those sought by […]
Long-term exposure to certain components of fine particulate air pollution was associated with a higher risk of developing depression among older adults. This is according to a study published Monday in JAMA Network Open. The study measures the impact of fine particulate pollution, or PM2.5, matter that is 2.5 micrometers or smaller in diameter and […]
The United States’ nearly 15,000 nursing homes could see big changes to reimbursement in 2026 due to the reconciliation law, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). This is according to a KFF Health News analysis, which recently dove into the implications and broke down nursing home characteristics. The analysis covers 10 […]
Nursing home residents in facilities without air conditioned rooms faced higher odds of death on extreme heat days, while nursing homes with AC did not see a statistically significant increase – suggesting AC can be protective during heat events. This is according to a study in JAMA Internal Medicine. The researchers analyzed more than 73,000 […]
Skilled nursing margins and occupancy stabilized over the last year, but a looming issue for 2026 is the sizeable Medicaid cuts included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). As a result, experts say nursing homes will need to closely monitor policy changes and shifts in skilled nursing referrals. CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA), presented these and […]
Families who have sued Genesis HealthCare over neglect or abuse charges may never see their settlement amounts due to the company’s bankruptcy, with the nursing home giant estimating $259 million in liability from nearly 1,000 settled and pending lawsuits. A recent report from KFF Health News detailed a few of the claims and how Genesis […]
Next year is bringing many changes to the regulatory landscape for skilled nursing. With new payment rules, coding changes and heightened scrutiny on the horizon, industry leaders are urging providers to enforce strong, facility-wide quality and compliance programs in order to keep pace – and stay solvent – as regulatory expectations intensify. For starters, having […]
The GUIDE (Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience) model is proving difficult to implement for some providers who initially were excited about it, with one large nursing home provider already exiting the program. An official with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said that lessons learned from early experiences in the program will inform […]
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) is once again beating the drum for reducing Medicare payment rates for skilled nursing facilities. Specifically, the commission’s draft recommendation calls for a 4% cut to the Medicare base payment rate to SNFs for fiscal year 2027. In the commission’s Dec. 5 public meeting, analysts presented on the payment […]
Artificial intelligence and technology are making a difference for skilled nursing operators as they navigate a changing payer landscape. This comes amid the Trump Administration’s greater focus on managed Medicare and the anticipated impact from recent legislative changes. For providers with facilities in multiple states, having technology that can highlight the differences in Medicaid models […]
Nearly one in six nursing home residents in the United States, who were admitted under Medicare or private pay, ended up enrolling in Medicaid during their stay after depleting their financial assets. This is according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open. The findings, based on a national sample of nearly 200,000 traditional […]
The Ensign Group (Nasdaq: ENSG) announced that it is expanding its operations in Arizona, Colorado, and Kansas. Meanwhile, Capital Funding Group closed a $253.2 million bridge loan to support the refinancing of seven skilled nursing facilities. Ensign Acquisitions in 3 States Bring Total Portfolio to 373 Facilities The Ensign Group announced Dec. 2 that it […]
Medicare overpaid for optometry services to nursing homes, the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) audit report released Thursday found. In OIG’s sample, Medicare paid 200 optometrists $4.7 million between 2021 and 2023 for high-level evaluation and management services not usually billed by optometrists for beneficiaries in nursing homes. Out of that 200, 15 optometrists represented […]
Gary Blake regrets that Creative Solutions in Healthcare did not bring on more nurse practitioners sooner, saying the decision has been a turning point for the skilled nursing provider. “I’m not too proud to say I stand corrected on the use of nurse practitioners,” he said. “I actually can’t say enough great things about them […]
Genesis HealthCare announced Monday that an insider bid had won an auction for all its assets. CPE 88988 LLC, an affiliate of Genesis owner Pinta Capital Partners, submitting the winning bid, according to a news report. The bid was for $40 million in cash as well as an agreement to take on certain debts and […]
Adoption of artificial intelligence tools in health care lags other industries; within health care, nursing and residential care is even further behind. This is a finding of an analysis recently published in JAMA Health Forum. The study compared AI use in health care to other sectors from 2023 to 2025. The authors examined the U.S. […]
Achieving financial stability and growth in the current reimbursement environment is no small task for nursing home providers. Three particular challenges relate to value-based purchasing (VBP) program changes, effects of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and the continued rise of Medicare Advantage, leaders with Ignite Medical Resorts and ArchCare said during a recent […]
