Skilled Nursing News’ parent company, WTWH Media (WTWH), has rebranded as Arrowfly. The new name and identity reflect the company’s transformation from a specialized trade publisher into an omnichannel B2B media, events and marketing company where hard-to-reach professional decision-makers gather for trusted journalism, industry intelligence and high-impact experiences that move their markets forward. The company’s […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing a nationwide expansion of the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model, with the goal of driving more coordinated care for people receiving hip, ankle and knee replacements – including through skilled nursing facility services. This proposed expansion would build on the original CJR model, […]
Skilled Nursing News’ parent company, WTWH Media, has acquired HealthLeaders, a media and events platform serving hospital and health system executives – a move that expands the company’s health care portfolio and strengthens its ability to connect decisionmakers across an increasingly interconnected care continuum. The combination with HealthLeaders’ executive community and flagship Exchange events will […]
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has officially repealed most of the provisions of the federal nursing home staffing mandate. Facility assessment and Medicaid transparency provisions remain, however. Leaders in the sector maintain that these assessments, while meant to ensure appropriate staff support, are not meaningful in terms of improving resident care. […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking information related to dual-eligible enrollment in Medicare Advantage institutional special needs plans (I-SNPs). The agency is concerned that such plans have a high number of dual-eligible beneficiaries but are not designed specifically for this group, and is considering putting requirements in place that would align […]
Skilled nursing leaders are renewing calls to eliminate the three-day stay rule in light of a policy change that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized last week. Specifically, CMS is moving ahead with plans to phase out the inpatient-only (IPO) list, which details the procedures that Medicare covers only if the beneficiary […]
The former CEO of a skilled nursing facility provider has been sentenced to 90 months in prison and ordered to pay $146 million in restitution and $8.4 million in forfeiture, in a case involving fraud and conspiracy. The SNF company itself – KBWB Operations LLC, which did business as Atrium Health and Senior Living (KBWB-Atrium) […]
Senate Votes to Reopen Government, Reinstate Telehealth Policies Supported by Nursing Home Providers
The U.S. Senate on Monday night approved a funding measure that would reopen the federal government and address telehealth disruptions and other matters of concern to skilled nursing providers. The measure passed on a 60 to 40 vote, with seven Democratic senators bucking their party to vote with Republicans. One independent senator also voted in […]
Ballad Health has filed a federal lawsuit against UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) and its insurance arm, UnitedHealthcare, over Medicare Advantage practices, including practices related to beneficiaries’ post-acute care access. Johnson City, Tennessee-based Ballad is a nonprofit health system that operates 19 hospitals in Tennessee and Virginia. The organization alleges that the United entities have “systematically […]
The largest association of nursing home providers in the United States has a new chief medical officer. Liz Burns, M.D., will be filling the role at the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), effective Oct. 18, 2025. “Having seen the healthcare system from many perspectives — from the bedside to health plans, […]
The federal government shutdown that began on Oct. 1 is likely to cause minimal disruption to nursing home operations, but surveyors will be adhering to contingency plans and providers are concerned about reduced telehealth access. “Seniors, their loved ones, and their caregivers can rest easy that their long term and postacute care will be minimally […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is making several updates to the Civil Monetary Penalty Reinvestment Program (CMPRP), including changes to how nursing homes apply for funds and the types of projects that these funds are available to support. Among the changes, CMS is accepting applications for workforce enhancement projects that will “complement” […]
Aetna is scaling up a program to provide more support to Medicare Advantage beneficiaries who are transitioning from the hospital into skilled nursing facilities or to their homes. The Aetna Clinical Collaboration (ACC) program involves Aetna nurses who coordinate with hospital staff to provide more patient support during care transitions, with reduced hospital readmissions being […]
A proposal from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to phase out a list of inpatient-only hospital procedures threatens skilled nursing facility (SNF) access if the so-called three-day stay rule is not eliminated, and also should prompt bigger thinking about the role SNFs can and should play in the U.S. health care system. […]
Nursing homes are frequently failing to report when a resident falls and experiences a major injury. That’s according to findings posted Thursday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG). Nursing homes have poor compliance with fall reporting requirements mandated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services […]
A dispute related to roughly $1 billion in nursing home payments in Ohio has taken another turn, with the Ohio Department of Medicaid (DOM) asking the Ohio Supreme Court to reconsider its recent ruling that handed a victory to nursing home providers. Nursing home groups including LeadingAge Ohio and the Ohio Health Care Association (OHCA) […]
LTC Properties (NYSE: LTC) is poised to have the lowest concentration of skilled nursing assets in its portfolio in company history. The Westlake Village, California-based real estate investment trust (REIT) has been actively expanding its seniors housing operating portfolio (SHOP). As a result, its portfolio will shift from about an equal balance between private-pay senior […]
In their quest to reduce hospitalizations and improve patient outcomes, nursing home providers should not underestimate the difference that strong hydration and nutrition programs can make. This was one theme of the recent Skilled Nursing News RETHINK Conference in Chicago, where leaders with various providers spoke of their companies’ efforts and achievements in these areas. […]
Hospital length of stay has been increasing more dramatically for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries than traditional Medicare beneficiaries, and this trend is especially pronounced for people who are discharged to a skilled nursing facility. This is according to an article recently published in JAMA Internal Medicine. In the third quarter of 2023, hospital patients on Medicare […]
Leaders with PACS Group (NYSE: PACS) anticipate reporting record revenue and earnings for the first half of the year. “Over the last year, we have maintained strong employee retention levels in our operations, and our team has remained steadfast in its commitment to our mission of revolutionizing the delivery, leadership, and quality of post-acute care,” […]
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