Providers Can’t Lose Sight of ‘Where the Money Is’ Under PDPM

When it comes to the changes coming to Medicare reimbursement methodology, coding figures prominently in the discussion among skilled nursing providers. But while it’s important for SNFs to make sure staff education and training on that topic is up to date, there are several other components of reimbursement under the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) that […]

Turn-Key CEO: Why Palliative Care Must Soon Come to Skilled Nursing

Given their emphasis on rehabilitation and recovery, skilled nursing facilities aren’t typically places where patients receive palliative care. That’s despite the fact that only a small portion of nursing home residents who would benefit from such care usually receive it, according to one study published in 2017 by the Journal of the American Medical Association. […]

Skilled Nursing Bed Shortage Will Only Get Worse as Operators Chase Acuity

Despite industry headwinds, analyses have found that the nationwide supply of nursing home beds falls far below potential demand for the services — a trend that will only worsen as changing payment models knock some providers out of the business entirely. Writing in a commentary piece last week, Cain Brothers director Taaha Shaikh claimed that […]

PDPM 101: What Skilled Nursing Providers Need to Know Now

With a new Medicare payment model for skilled nursing facilities just months away, operators who haven’t started planning for the changes are already months behind. Skilled Nursing News has been reporting on the new Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) since the day it was finalized last July 31, and we’ve spent those eight months speaking to […]

Wave of Anticipated Skilled Nursing M&A Action Still Offshore for Now

Major real estate investment trusts (REITs) with stakes in the skilled nursing world almost universally expressed optimism about the coming change in Medicare Part A reimbursement — and several predicted changes in mergers and acquisitions as a result. But the expected wave of small mom-and-pops exiting the skilled nursing industry because the Patient-Driven Payment Model […]

Focus on Behavioral Residents Lands SNFs $10.5M to Expand Services

As the prevalence of behavioral health issues grows among the nursing home-aged population, one group of skilled nursing facilities received a major grant to help improve mental health care among its residents. CareChoice Cooperative, which is based in St. Paul, Minnesota, earlier this year received $10.5 million to bring the Resident Centered Behavioral Health (RCBH) […]

Aegis CEO Schram: Therapy Still Has Value Under PDPM, But Providers Must Be ‘On the Hook’ for Outcomes

With therapy minutes no longer driving reimbursement under the new Medicare reimbursement system taking effect on October 1, the relationship between skilled nursing facilities and rehabilitation companies is undergoing a significant metamorphosis. But the change runs deeper than the shift in revenue streams. The new system will drive new models of care and move. interactions […]

Scrutiny About Behavior Changes Under PDPM Will ‘Inevitably’ Come to Skilled Nursing

The changes in Medicare reimbursement taking effect in October will mean upheaval in more places than a skilled nursing facility’s billing department. It will mean changes in the nuts-and-bolts processes of patient care, and SNFs need to be preparing for this reality — with the knowledge that regulators will be watching closely. That’s according to […]

Doctors, Software, Training: Preparing for ‘Non-Negotiable’ PDPM Coding Pressures

Starting October 1, skilled nursing facility operators will have no choice but to become proficient with a specific type of medical coding that previously had no bearing on reimbursements — and leading industry voices say there are multiple paths to getting there. ICD-10 codes, specific diagnosis identifications long used by hospitals, will play a key […]

PDPM’s Effects Could Stretch Far Beyond Medicare for Skilled Nursing Facilities

On paper, the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) will only affect one pillar of the payment equation for skilled nursing facilities. But as players start to unpack the coming rule changes, PDPM’s reach begins to extend far beyond Medicare. Medicare Advantage and Medicaid frequently base rate calculations on the existing Medicare structure, a pair of experts […]

Avoiding Million-Dollar Medicaid Eligibility Mistakes in Nursing Facilities

Skilled nursing operators can’t control day-to-day Medicaid rates in their states, but they do have a broad toolbox that can help them avoid eligibility errors and oversights that can cause millions in losses. In an era of constricted Medicaid reimbursements, frontline staff can still play a crucial role in maximizing dollars, sb2 Inc. CEO and […]

HHC Finance Looks to Build on $1B Year of SNF Lending Despite Shutdown Backlog

Housing & Healthcare Finance rode strong demand for bridge financing to a record-setting 2018 for its skilled nursing and assisted living lending practice, and while the government shutdown may lead to a 2019 slowdown, the company’s chief investment officer still sees strong demand ahead. The North Bethesda, Md.-based HHC Finance clocked more than $1 billion […]

Greystone Courts Investors in India for New Skilled Nursing Development in FL

Investment in skilled nursing facilities has remained steady despite industry pressures, and one leading operational and investment firm has begun to look abroad for cash as it looks to expand. Greystone & Co., Inc. is pitching potential investors in India on a 180-bed skilled nursing development in the Orlando area under the federal government’s EB-5 […]

Short-Term Rehab Push Leads to Oversupply in Some Markets

New development in the skilled nursing world has increasingly taken the form of short-term rehabilitation centers, where providers see an opportunity to capture a higher share of the shrinking Medicare pool amid Medicaid and Medicare Advantage pressures. But in certain markets, that strategy may not be a recipe for success. In fact, in some states […]

CMS: Hundreds More Buildings Could Receive One-Star Staffing Ratings Under New Rules

The new, stricter skilled nursing staffing standards slated for implementation by the federal government next month weren’t entirely unexpected, but they raise questions about the broader problem of understaffed facilities — and hundreds of buildings could be in the crosshairs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced March 5 that it would overhaul […]

Invesque CEO White on Why It’s ‘Dangerous’ to Worry About Year-to-Year Changes in SNF Space

As real estate investment firm Invesque Inc. (TSX: IVQ.U) continues its diversification plan after a 2016 separation from skilled nursing operator Mainstreet, its CEO insists that the future for the SNF space remains bright. In fact, Scott White’s Invesque — known as Mainstreet Health Investments until late 2017 — continues to own buildings developed by […]

North Shore CEO: Amid SNF Changes, Regional Operators Poised for Future Success

North Shore Healthcare’s recent acquisition of a 72-bed skilled nursing facility in Ashland, Wis., presented an opportunity for the provider to expand its existing services in the town — and fit with the company’s ethos of growth. Specifically, the Glendale, Wis.-based operator isn’t looking to grow “for growth’s sake,” but it will look for opportunities […]

As Medicaid Rates Lag Behind Costs, Unpaid Nursing Home Bills Pile Up

Across the U.S., Medicaid rates tend to fall short of the cost of nursing home care for beneficiaries. In the state of Massachusetts, the financial pressures have rendered many skilled nursing facilities unstable — and forced many of them to close. The trend has also forced many of them to leave bills unpaid, which spreads […]

Real Time Medical Raises $10M to Expand Skilled Nursing Analytics Platform

The developer of a software platform that has brought substantial hospital readmission cuts to skilled nursing facilities now has a $10 million cash influx to expand its footprint. Real Time Medical Systems raised that haul in a successful funding round involving multiple investors led by SunBridge Capital, Real Time founder and executive chairman Scott Rifkin […]