Medicaid spending forms the cornerstone of long-term services and supports (LTSS) as the population ages, but is facing increasing constraints as states try to navigate tight budgets — and managed Medicaid is emerging as an increasingly attractive option for states to do more with less. To try to combat some of the challenges and learn […]
Category: Medicaid
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. […]
Despite the second straight year of declines in overall recoveries, the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) top watchdog arm took back nearly $50 million in Medicaid reimbursements from nursing homes in fiscal 2018. The HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) this week reported a haul of $48.7 million from nursing providers accused […]
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 […]
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 […]
After a high-profile bankruptcy in December of last year, Texas now has two bills that aim to provide some Medicaid reimbursement relief to skilled nursing providers in the state. The bills, Senate Bill 1050 and House Bill 3342, would establish a long-term care quality provider participation program (QPPP) in the state that provides additional compensation […]
The White House on Monday released a budget proposal that would substantially slash Medicare and Medicaid spending over the next decade. In part by adopting a site-neutral payment model for post-acute care under Medicare and converting the Medicaid system to block grants, the federal government would end up gutting more than $1 trillion from the […]
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 […]
Various industry stakeholders on Wednesday took to Capitol Hill for a hearing on safety standards at the country’s skilled nursing facilities, but one leading senator took the opportunity to sound the alarm over potential cuts to the Medicaid program. The Trump administration could move as soon as next week to publicly restart the fight over […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Tuesday announced stricter standards for its consumer-facing nursing home ratings, including a lower threshold for staffing penalties and new separate ratings for short-term and long-term stays. Starting April 24, CMS will automatically hand out one-star staffing ratings to buildings that have four or more days in […]
The New York Times covered the wave of rural nursing home closures, which come amid financial problems and aging Americans’ changing preferences, in a deep dive published Monday. The article zeroed in on the closure of a nursing home in Mobridge, S.D., which was taken over by Black Hills Receiver after former operator Skyline Healthcare […]
In an era of tight finances and legal caps on the number of beds, new skilled nursing developments are few and far between — with most of the action in recent years focused on higher-end, post-acute rehab facilities. The Diakonos Group’s latest development, a $15 million skilled nursing facility in Tulsa, Okla. with a total […]
A Tennessee-based skilled nursing provider this week agreed to pay the federal government $18 million in order to resolve claims of Medicare and Medicaid fraud. Vanguard Healthcare, LLC of Brentwood, Tenn. — along with several of its affiliated firms — reached the deal with the Department of Justice, which accused the provider of providing “grossly […]
Skilled nursing facilities are familiar with the headaches of dealing with managed Medicare. But the rise of managed Medicaid could cause just as many headaches for providers — if not pose outright threats to their financial wellbeing. That’s according to a panel of experts at the National Investment Center for Senior Housing and Care (NIC) […]
Public-private partnerships will form the basis of comprehensive Medicare reform as the baby boom population ages, former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan predicted Thursday morning in remarks at a major skilled nursing and senior housing industry conference. “I believe the future for Medicare is in the Medicare Advantage type of space,” Ryan, a Wisconsin […]
Total spending on nursing care facilities will grow by 5.4% through 2027, according to a new analysis from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) — but that figure still lags behind the rate increase for home health agencies. Overall spending on medical care at skilled nursing facilities and continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) […]
Nursing homes in Wisconsin are blaming the state’s low Medicaid reimbursements for a wave of nursing home closures and persistent financial struggles, Wisconsin Public Radio reported earlier this month. Nursing home advocates are asking lawmakers in the state to invest $83.5 million in the next two-year budget as a result, the media organization reported. The […]
A consulting firm that offers services across the health care spectrum sees opportunity for growth in skilled nursing, though the leader of its SNF practice believes that the industry must expand beyond short-term rehab to survive. The Wayne, Penn.-based McBee plans to look at both hires and potential acquisitions as it tries to bolster its […]
Three bills in the Oklahoma Legislature would increase funding for skilled nursing facilities while mandating a staffing increase, adding the Sooner State to a growing list of U.S. states that are trying to address funding shortfalls for nursing homes. The Oklahoman reported the news. On average, the state pays about $23 less than the cost […]
Nursing homes in the state of South Dakota are facing a $42 million annual shortfall in Medicaid reimbursement, which has led to the closure of several facilities. Without an increase, industry leaders said, the closings could lead to “statewide disaster.” The Argus Leader first reported the story. Nine nursing facilities have already closed, two are […]
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