Nursing Homes Settle $24M Medicaid Lawsuit in Rhode Island

Rhode Island reached a settlement with 59 nursing homes that sued the state over Medicaid reimbursement cuts, averting a potential $24 million cost to the state over three years. Under the terms of the consent order, Medicaid rates paid to the state’s nursing facilities — for both managed care and fee-for-service — will increase by […]

Skilled Nursing Investors See Stark State-by-State Cost Differences

Long-term health care is an inherently local service, and in that context, it’s not surprising that the cost of investing in a skilled nursing facility — as measured on a per-bed price basis — varies wildly from state to state and region by region. But another factor is timing, according to Ben and Brandon Bohland, […]

Florida Operators Face Stiff Competition, Steep Costs to Meet Emergency Rules

As the Atlantic hurricane season kicks off, skilled nursing providers in Florida have been working to meet the requirements of the state’s new nursing home generator law. There have been hurdles along the way. The law, first proposed in the wake of the deaths that followed Hurricane Irma at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, became […]

131-Bed Building Planned for $28M; Maryland Facility Changes Hands

Outcome Health Group Buys Maryland LTC Facility The University of Maryland Shore Nursing and Rehabilitation Center at Chestertown, a long-term care (LTC) and rehabilitation facility, changed hands effective June 1, The Kent County News reported. Outcome Health Group purchased the facility, which used to be part of the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health network […]

Eight-Building Skilled Nursing Portfolio in Missouri Sells for $88.2M

Griffin-American Healthcare REIT IV, Inc. announced an agreement to buy a portfolio of eight skilled nursing facilities in Missouri for $88.2 million. The portfolio includes facilities in Kansas City, Salisbury, Florissant, Sedalia, Milan, Trenton, Moberly, and St. Elizabeth, Mo., with a total of 1,112 licensed beds. The SNFs offer skilled nursing, residential care and other ancillary […]

Operators Report Rising Length of Stay Pressure Under New Payment Models

Skilled nursing facilities are feeling pressure from several fronts to discharge patients within a specified time to meet strict length-of-stay (LOS) goals, according to a study recently published in Health Services Research. Those include Medicare policy changes and market-based pressures, particularly from Medicare Advantage (MA) plans and hospitals participating in accountable care organizations (ACOs) and bundled […]

$55.4M Skilled Nursing Refi in Brooklyn, $29M Loan in Upstate New York

Allure Secures $55.4M Refinance Loan for Brooklyn Nursing Home Allure Group secured a $55.4 million refinancing loan for a nursing home in Brooklyn, N.Y., The Real Deal reported. Popular Community Bank assumed the existing unpaid $29 million balance at King David Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, the publication said, citing property records filed this week. Popular […]

Nursing Homes Fight Back Against Medicaid Cuts with Lawsuit

A group of Montana nursing homes and assisted living facilities sued the state Monday to stop cuts to Medicaid reimbursements, The Associated Press reported. As part of spending decreases throughout the state government intended to address a budget shortfall, Montana’s Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) cut Medicaid provider reimbursement rates in January. In […]

Shifting List of Top-Paid Skilled Nursing CEOs Shows Industry Volatility

What a difference a year makes. In 2017, Skilled Nursing News profiled the salaries of the seven highest-paid CEOs at the biggest skilled nursing companies for the previous year. Of those executives, three didn’t make it to the 2018 roundup of the highest-paid CEOs — but that’s mainly a function of the upheaval that’s shaken […]

Elmcroft Data Breach May Have Affected Skilled Nursing Residents, Employees

Former skilled nursing and senior care operator Elmcroft Senior Living late last week revealed a data breach that may have exposed the personal information of former patients, residents, clients, and employees. The Louisville, Ky.-based company became aware on May 12 of an unauthorized third-party that had accessed its services in Louisville two days before, according […]

Four-Building Portfolio Sells for $35M; Centers Adds Kansas City Facilities

Liberty Village of Rochelle to Hold Groundbreaking for New Facility Liberty Village of Rochelle in Illinois will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Manor Court Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on June 20, the Rochelle News-Leader reported. The skilled nursing facility is planned for 64,000 square feet and 92 beds, and is scheduled to open […]

Signature HealthCARE to Pay $30M to Resolve FCA Claims Related to Rehab

Signature HealthCARE will pay more than $30 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by knowingly submitting false claims to Medicare for rehabilitation therapy services. The settlement resolves allegations leveled in a lawsuit by Kristi Emerson and LeeAnn Tuesca, former Signature therapy employees, filed in federal court in Nashville, Tenn., and […]

What Bleak Medicare Predictions Mean for Skilled Nursing

The Medicare fund that helps pay for skilled nursing care is projected to run out of funds for full benefits three years sooner than predicted last year, according to a financial review by the Social Security and Medicare boards of trustees. The situation isn’t quite as dire as some headlines have made it sound (one […]

Ensign Grows in Arizona; Operator Gets Break for Skilled Nursing Expansion

Ensign Group Acquires Arizona SNF The Ensign Group (Nasdaq: ENSG) acquired the operations of Sun West Choice Healthcare and Rehabilitation, a 140-bed skilled nursing facility in Sun City West, Ariz. The Mission Viejo, Calif.-based provider has a long-term lease on the facility, which was effective June 1, and the deal brings the number of skilled nursing […]

New Nursing Care Units Take Longest to Fill After Opening

Despite a surprisingly high median occupancy number, the lease-up rate for nursing care units lags behind the other three key asset classes in the seniors housing and care space. The National Investment Centers for Senior Housing & Care (NIC) found that median occupancy at nursing care units in new properties sat at 92% after 16 quarters of operation — […]

Therapy Providers Agree: PDPM Improves Upon Old Payment Models

A new survey of therapy providers found broad support for the new Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM), with respondents citing it as an improvement over the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) earlier attempts at payment reform. Specifically, the new survey of 134 therapy professionals — including a mix of contract therapy providers and skilled […]

Providers Strike Back at Lawmakers’ Call for Tighter Regulations

The skilled nursing industry pushed back strongly against the idea that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has reduced federal oversight of nursing homes, as argued recently by 17 state attorneys general. “There was no rollback of anything,” Dr. David Gifford, senior vice president of quality and regulatory affairs at the American Health […]

Skilled Nursing Operators Demand Rehab Renovations as PDPM Looms

With the advent of the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) new Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM), rehabilitation and therapy in the skilled nursing space has come under intense scrutiny. When CMS introduced PDPM in late April, it touted incentives to treat the needs of the whole patient. One side effect of that focus, however, is […]

New Law Allows Video Monitoring in Louisiana Nursing Homes

A new Louisiana law allows nursing home residents and their family members to set up video monitoring devices in nursing home rooms under certain conditions. The law was signed by Gov. John Bel Edwards on May 31. The Louisiana Nursing Home Association (LNHA), the state’s American Health Care Association (AHCA) affiliate, expressed support for the […]