‘Republican Trifecta,’ Federal Budget Negotiations Could Have a Positive Impact on the Nursing Home Sector 

Nursing home leaders are anticipating big changes to the sector with President Donald Trump’s inauguration drawing closer. The federal staffing mandate is likely to be on the chopping block, as Republicans eye $22 billion in savings if it is delayed or stopped. However, operators must balance this win, among potential others, with the incoming administration’s […]

EF Senior’s Expansion of Nursing Home Footprint Centers on Ongoing ‘Disruption and Owner Fatigue’ 

Heading into 2025, EF Senior Care continues to seek opportunities for expansion after acquiring nursing homes in the last two years, signaling a positive trend for smaller-sized outfits in the sector, especially those looking to leverage their consulting experience. The Massachusetts-based provider, which started out solely as a consulting firm before purchasing two skilled nursing […]

Judge Pledges to ‘Work as Quickly as I Can’ After Hearing Arguments to Pause Nursing Home Staffing Mandate

In the litigation against the federal nursing home staffing mandate, in which state attorneys general from 20 states are seeking a temporary halt, a federal judge heard oral arguments from both the government and the states on Thursday. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) urged the federal judge to deny the injunctive relief requested by […]

Top and Bottom States for Nursing Home Sector Dealmaking in 2025: A Regional Breakdown

Sufficient reimbursement, less regulation and adequate staffing are all attractive features for dealmaking, impacting operator decisions on which states and regions offer the path of least resistance when it comes to expanding their footprint. It may boil down to price per bed and the ease of the change of ownership (CHOW) process when determining desirability […]

OIG Guidance Has Nursing Home Corporate Compliance – And ‘Tunneling’ – in its Crosshairs

Federal agencies are honing in on ownership transparency and corporate-level compliance, most recently with the Office of Inspector General (OIG) citing concerns about certain practices that allow nursing homes to hide profits. OIG’s latest guidance focuses on the practice of “tunneling,” which refers to the misrepresentation or concealment of profitability in payments to related parties, […]

How Better Onboarding is Improving Nursing Home Staff Retention

Frontline staffing has gotten a bit easier for nursing home providers, with a stronger influx of job candidates. But competition in the sector is so strong that a new hire might leave for a better opportunity before long. With this as the backdrop, onboarding has become a particularly crucial time for operators to implement retention […]

Last Gasp or Reckoning: Making Sense of 2025 Nursing Home Survey Changes

Surveyors will be evaluating for compliance in new ways, as a result of nursing home survey changes for 2025. While significant, these changes reflect federal initiatives that associations and operators have been seeing for some time now. Nursing home providers are parsing through recent, significant changes to the survey process and trying to grasp the […]

[Updated] CMS Issues ‘Guardrails’ to Improve Medicare Advantage Access and Transparency

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is taking new steps to improve Medicare Advantage (MA) access and transparency, including reforms to prior authorizations and the use of AI tools to deny coverage, as outlined in the 2026 Medicare Advantage and Part D proposed rule, officials said during a call on Tuesday. The Contract […]

Inside Tailormade Leadership Programs as Nursing Homes Face Rapid Administrator Turnover

Programs to cultivate leaders in the nursing home space, including the administrator-in-training program (AIT), are being challenged by rapid turnover and the need for better reimbursement and support systems. But, a focus on company culture, offering of diverse pathways for those seeking leadership positions, and a willingness to show prospective leaders a behind-the-scenes look, makes […]

‘A Significant Positive’: Ensign Execs Share 2025 Nursing Home Outlook Amid Trump Win, Health Care Picks

Ensign Group (Nasdaq: ENSG) executives offered an optimistic outlook for the sector and the company’s future, driven by operational improvements, disciplined acquisitions, and the potential easing of regulations and steady reimbursement rates under President-elect Donald Trump, with the minimum staffing mandate likely never seeing the light of day. “Our overall take on [the incoming administration] […]

CMS Unveils Major Changes for Nursing Home Surveys for 2025

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is set to implement a series of major revisions to its long-term care survey guidelines, effective February 2025. The changes, which were shared in an advance copy of a 900-page document, focus on a variety of areas, ranging from admission agreements and medication management to infection control […]

Medicare Advantage Proves To Be the ‘Most Profound’ Disruptor for Nursing Homes, Reshaping Payer Dynamics

Of the many significant factors affecting the skilled nursing industry in the last five years, Medicare Advantage was named as a major disruptor, as cost reports show a shift in operating margins with more facilities struggling financially. Stephen Taylor, principal of senior living and care segment leader for CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA), said MA has had “one […]

Inside the Balance That Makes These States Easier for Nursing Home Operators and Better for Dealmaking

As the skilled nursing industry looks ahead to 2025, analysts are better positioned to project which states are easiest and most difficult to navigate for providers, especially in the wake of political shifts following the election of Donald Trump. Factors such as Medicaid reimbursement rates, regulatory complexity, and labor challenges determine whether a state is […]

American Healthcare REIT Unpacks Trilogy Acquisition, Plans for Nursing Home Staff Training

American Healthcare REIT’s (NYSE: AHR) third financial quarter was defined by executing on several key initiatives that have set up the company for future growth. Moreover, leaders unpacked Medicare Advantage contract negotiations and shared plans for staff training among its operating partners, including Trilogy REIT Holdings. One such initiative involved Irvine, Calif.-based AHR acquiring its […]

PruittHealth CEO: Transformations in 2025 Focused on Bigger Footprint, Staffing Initiatives, MA Products

The Georgia-based PruittHealth has had a year of many challenges, ranging from the fallout of several hurricanes to ongoing staffing issues. Yet, it has been able to position itself for continued growth and transformation as it heads into 2025, according to CEO Neil L. Pruitt, Jr. From deepening its footprint across several states in the […]

Even With Extension, Nursing Homes Concerned CMS Medicare Revalidation Will Be Burdensome, Confusing, Pull Resources Away from the Bedside

Uncertainty surrounding the information required for the new nursing home Medicare revalidation process has led to high levels of concern, particularly among for-profit operators, who view it as yet another punitive measure. Following letters from nursing home advocates about the rushed timing of the off-cycle revalidations, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has […]

‘Band Aids Don’t Work’: Nursing Home Physicians, Therapy Providers Decry Medicare Payment Cuts, Impact on Care

Last week’s finalized 2.83% cut to the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), which follows a series of payment reductions of recent years for rehab and therapy services for Medicare beneficiaries, is raising concerns about tightening access to such care in nursing homes, with physicians calling the situation unsustainable. For physicians, this particular cut in the PFS […]

Nursing Homes Cautiously Optimistic Post-Election, Reflecting on ‘Industry Friendly’ CMS Under Previous Trump Admin

Finance and operator voices alike are cautiously optimistic about prospects for the nursing home sector as the Trump administration prepares to enter the White House in January, alongside a Republican majority in the U.S. Senate that has historically been sympathetic to nursing home issues. When it comes to the federal minimum staffing mandate, Cascadia Healthcare’s […]