On Friday, news broke that the Ohio House approved $615 million in funding for the state’s skilled nursing facilities. Also on Friday, stocks were roiled by a better-than-expected federal jobs report, which stoked expectations of further interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve. These dynamics — funding measures at the state level and rising interest […]
Category: Medicaid
As one of, if not the largest nursing home operator in the country, The Ensign Group (Nasdaq: ENSG) has quickly filled turnaround properties with a robust talent pipeline – including having 30 to 40 administrators-in-training at all times – despite a historic staffing shortage. Leadership also delved into why the Texas Medicaid rate is such […]
Wisconsin nursing home operators are the latest to see an increase to the state’s Medicaid rate at a time when providers across the country are still battling back from significant workforce shortages and historic inflation. Medicaid cost coverage will increase from 77% for fiscal year 2022 to 91% for fiscal year 2023. The new rate […]
Despite the federal government’s likely decision to keep the public health emergency (PHE) in place past January, the nursing home industry continues to prepare for operations without the safety net of certain waivers. Leaders in the space say any continuation of PHE waivers – temporary or permanent – should be dependent on cost and patient […]
As several states across the country have extended or made permanent nursing home Medicaid rate bumps tied to the pandemic, at least in part to stem the tide of high staffing costs and inflationary pressures, Texas operators are anxiously awaiting their fate ahead of next year’s legislative session. Focused Post Acute Care Partners CEO Mark […]
The nation’s top court heard arguments in a case this week involving a state-owned nursing home in Indiana. While it remains to be seen what the Supreme Court’s justices will decide, several members of the court were uncertain whether nursing home Medicaid residents could sue to enforce their rights or if they should pursue other […]
Nursing home operators continue to reevaluate their position at this stage of the pandemic, as the industry continues to tackle a historic workforce shortage – some, like North American Health Care Inc., have decided to downsize in order to better manage existing properties. This shift to a more conservative strategy serves as the backdrop to […]
Larger implications surrounding a nursing home case to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on Nov. 8 has both operators and civil rights activists anxiously awaiting a decision. For SNF operators, the case could determine whether state-owned nursing homes are shielded from federal lawsuits. Far-reaching questions regarding Medicaid beneficiaries and their rights in federal […]
Nursing home sector leaders and financial backers are basing their future plans heavily on Medicaid rate increases seen across the country, as some states meet the moment with substantial increases to combat inflationary pressures and staffing costs. Others, meanwhile, haven’t increased rates in a meaningful way and have not kept pace with increased costs that […]
As the seasons change and operators brace for a potential “tripledemic” this winter, the nursing home industry’s largest trade group is calling on the federal government to extend the public health emergency beyond its January 2023 end. The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living sent a letter to the U.S. Department […]
Therapy providers in the nursing home space believe their role in increasing mobility will contribute to upside in the sector – especially within the context of the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM), pandemic recovery and staffing challenges. It’s a draw for prospective residents and their families, both on the short-term and long-term side, as clinical improvements […]
Leaders with LTC Properties (NYSE: LTC) on Friday expanded more on the company’s joint venture with Georgia-based nursing home operator PruittHealth, while putting recent acquisitions in context of Medicaid rate increases – potential and finalized – across multiple states. The $62 million JV with PruittHealth to purchase three nursing homes in Florida is the real […]
The Ensign Group (Nasdaq: ENSG) kept busy during the third financial quarter, signing off on a whopping 17 new skilled nursing deals. Ensign COO Chad Keetch told listeners during the company’s latest earnings call on Thursday that it was “one of the biggest” acquisition quarters in several years. The San Juan Capistrano, Calif.-based operator is […]
An already risky move to turnaround a building on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Special Focus Facility list may become an even greater challenge. Those that have taken on the task say recent punitive restrictions could mean less operators will opt to purchase these types of facilities in future. In turn, especially […]
With major pressure coming down from government entities, further shaped by public perception as the nursing home industry faces a crushing staffing crisis, shared accountability among operators, their lobbying representatives and resident advocates has become even more important. Health Management CEO Debbie Meade has a seat at the table, with roles at the American Health […]
Despite the nursing home industry being in the grips of a staffing crisis – with more leverage in the hands of direct care workers – unionization in the space hasn’t taken off across the country like many were expecting. Instead, national unionization in the sector slowly increased from just under 10% in 2010 to 16.8% […]
Evans Senior Investments (ESI) arranged the sale of a 138-bed skilled nursing facility in Anaheim, Calif. for $25 million or $181,159 per bed. The buyer, an East Coast real estate holding company, structured the lease with a local owner/operator in the state, according to the real estate brokerage firm. Operating long-term care assets in today’s […]
It’s hard to pin down how nursing home operators should be feeling as the end of the year approaches. The best way I could describe it, one week after attending the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) conference in Nashville, is a combination of optimism and pessimism that fluctuates depending on the […]
In spite of current trends suggesting a skilled nursing ownership shakeup, particularly an uptick in nonprofit operators either closing completely or selling to for-profit operators, one leader in the space has a differing view on their role in the sector. Georgia-based nonprofit A.G. Rhodes CEO Deke Cateau thinks that amid all of this change coming […]
A lot of temporary measures will dry up or disappear when the public health emergency (PHE) comes to an end, but one thing that may become permanent is the Medicaid rate bumps states put in place to alleviate pressures nursing home operators face. At least that’s the hope for industry leaders and advocacy groups. Right […]