In the skilled nursing world, a steady chorus of voices has warned that the new Patient-Driven Payment Model will not stay budget-neutral, as the federal government intended — and new findings from the consulting firm BKD back up their assertions. To get a snapshot of operator performance during the first quarter under the new Medicare […]
The consulting firm Avalere Health, based in Washington, D.C., has had a front-row seat for the changes shaping the health care world, including the post-acute sphere. For skilled nursing facilities, many of those changes have felt like one punch after another, ranging from the rise of Medicare Advantage enrollment to the federal government’s encouragement of […]
The federal government has proposed a rule governing the use of Medicaid supplemental payments for nursing homes that could have drastic effects on the reimbursement they receive. But the ripples of the rule don’t stop there. They could also overhaul the taxes that providers pay in several states — taxes that in turn contribute to […]
Early returns for the new Medicare Part A reimbursement system for nursing home operators appear positive, but some industry advocates warn that more Part B pain could be coming over the next few years, both for therapists and skilled nursing providers. And although the exploding senior population represents heavy demand for therapy services, some leaders […]
Though the early days of 2020 have brought some optimism around the state of the post-acute and long-term care industry, executives in the space continue to emphasize that the coming 12 months could bring make-or-break decisions for operators and their partners. One day after American Health Care Association (AHCA) CEO Mark Parkinson told SNN that […]
Early analyses of the new Medicare payment model for nursing homes indicate that operators may be pulling in more money than the federal government intended — leading to widespread speculation that adjustments could be coming sometime in 2020. American Health Care Association (AHCA) president and CEO Mark Parkinson agrees with the idea that the Patient-Driven […]
With skilled nursing facilities in multiple states facing significant shortfalls in their Medicaid reimbursement, supplemental payment programs used to bolster rates have become a lifeline. This is especially true for Texas and Indiana, both of which employ programs designed to get SNFs a higher rate for Medicaid services through varying mechanisms. Both states are motivated […]
A proposed paperwork change could have a major impact on nursing homes’ ability to bill for Medicaid services. The decision to eliminate Section G from the Minimum Data Set (MDS), a move by the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) set for October 1, is being met with apprehension and confusion in the industry […]
Among the many early takeaways from the new Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM), perhaps the most immediate was its effect on rank-and-file therapists who work at skilled nursing facilities. Almost instantly after the PDPM shift on October 1, Skilled Nursing News received a flurry of e-mails from therapists who were laid off or saw their hours […]
With the federal government looking to crack down on the programs used for shoring up Medicaid reimbursements for nursing homes and other care facilities, billions of dollars could soon be in the balance. States are going to have to take a closer look at their programs, both for the sake of their SNFs and overall […]
Bed prices at nursing homes have remained robust in recent years despite industry upheaval, and while it’s impossible to paint the state of the market with a broad national brush, the coming year could bring even higher figures as owners and operators pull off turnaround projects. A snapshot from the third quarter of 2019 revealed […]
The acquisition of the skilled nursing operator HCR ManorCare by the non-profit health system ProMedica rocked the skilled nursing world when it was announced in 2018, and many eyes have been on the marriage since. Most industry observers took a wait-and-see approach to how the deal would play out, but some commented soon after the […]
Fighting opioid addiction has been a major health care priority over the last decade, and at least one provider in the skilled nursing space says there are options for care at the state level — options that the SNF could help provide. But, at least for now, the regulatory landscape hasn’t caught up to the […]
The new year is barely a few days old, but leaders across the post-acute and long-term health care space have already predicted an active — and potentially distress-filled — 2020. As the industry adapts to a new Medicare payment model, the pressures that have bogged operators down over the last few years will continue, from […]
As skilled nursing facilities work to establish their position in an increasingly value-based health landscape, many are looking at the world of Medicare Advantage as more than a pressure point for billing. They see it as an opportunity to take control of the premium dollar, moving into the business of providing insurance for their patients. […]
In the lead-up to the new year, Skilled Nursing News took a look back at the top stories of 2019, and made our best predictions about the trends that will shape — and potentially rock — the post-acute and long-term care space in 2020. For these first business days of 2020, we decided to let […]
For the skilled nursing profession, 2019 will be synonymous with the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM), and the top stories of the year reflect the importance of this shift. But PDPM is one of many moving parts in the skilled nursing world, and operators, landlords, and regulators alike made splashes in ways that had nothing to […]
In perhaps the least surprising news of the year, the new Medicare payment model for nursing homes dominated the list of most-read stories on Skilled Nursing News in 2019. But the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM), for all its impact on the post-acute and long-term care space over the last 12 months, wasn’t the only story […]
As we prepare to close the door on the 2010s, we’re also about to say goodbye to a year that probably felt like a full decade for operators and investors in the post-acute and long-term care space. With a new Medicare payment model, continued Medicaid pressures, and a raft of regulatory attention from Washington, D.C., […]
Lenders who offer Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) loans consider skilled nursing financing to be a long-term relationship, so choosing clients carefully — and thinking about deals as partnerships for the long haul — is crucial for good-decision making. Because the federal government backs these products, which feature low interest rates and a […]