RFK Jr. Confirmed to Lead HHS Amid Concerns of Medicaid, Medicare Cuts

Nursing home leaders are hoping that the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) new chief, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was sworn in on Thursday, will commit to protecting Medicare and Medicaid and undoing the federal staffing mandate. Republican lawmakers are pushing for potential Medicaid cuts in their spending bill due to be finalized […]

Nursing Home Construction, Innovation Stymied By CON Laws and Tariff Threat

Existing and new roadblocks to construction and innovation in the nursing home sector are being felt across the country, with the repeal of certificate of need (CON) top of mind for providers in certain states, as higher tariffs are also expected to impose challenges down the road.  The CON law generally requires providers to receive […]

Skilled Nursing Outlook 2025: Expect More Deals, Private Equity Influence, Shifting Staff Dynamics, Tech Investment

While staffing dynamics are changing for nursing homes, labor issues still represent a significant pain point as facilities continue to rebuild. In the meantime, operators are prioritizing inorganic expansion and technology investments to tackle critical issues, including staffing shortfalls. Labor costs and inflation remain top challenges for the industry for 2025, but interestingly recruitment and […]

‘Nothing Draconian’: Omega Execs Foresee No Medicaid Funding Cuts for Nursing Homes Amid a Friendly Trump Administration

Executives at Omega Healthcare Investors (NYSE: OHI), which posted better-than-expected fourth-quarter results, foresee more positive developments ahead, given the Trump administration’s favorable stance toward the nursing home sector and the potential Medicaid cuts being considered by Republican lawmakers as largely a non-issue. “Coverages are the strongest they have been in years, which is reflective of […]

Staff Limitations, Acuity, New Service Uncertainty Define the Clinical Landscape for Nursing Homes

Staffing constraints are the single greatest challenge to maintaining clinical excellence in 2025, followed by insufficient reimbursement, and then rising operational costs and regulatory burdens. Meanwhile, operators are split on building new specialty clinical services. Workforce challenges are overwhelmingly top of mind for operators, with 45.5% saying these are hindering quality care, according to a […]

‘Infused with Foreign-Born Workers’: Inside Nursing Home Sector’s Push to Expand Programs for Refugees, Migrants

While the Trump Administration’s latest executive orders on immigration are expected to continue threatening fragile gains in the nursing home workforce, providers are successfully using refugee workers to bolster their staff. The nursing home workforce is “infused with foreign-born workers,” Janine Finck-Boyle, vice president of health policy at LeadingAge, said in an email to Skilled […]

Nursing Home Clinicians Need a Seat at the Policy Table to Address ‘Chronic Underfunding’ and Workforce Shortages

At a time when healthcare policy changes and potential Medicaid cuts create uncertainty for nursing homes, Signature HealthCARE is forging ahead with initiatives that will result in certain wins for providers. According to Kathy Gallin, vice president of legislative affairs and health policy at Signature HealthCARE, key legislative priorities for the organization include workforce solutions […]

Vaccines, Antivirals More Effective Than Preventative Measures in Nursing Homes, but Underused

Medicines, such as antivirals and vaccines, which had more solid evidence showing they were effective compared to other types of safety measures, were underutilized during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings are based on a JAMA study released Friday. Overall, pharmacologic measures including vaccination and antiviral treatment had a more robust efficacy than nonpharmacologic interventions like […]

Trump’s Executive Orders, Deportations Threaten Fragile Gains in Nursing Home Workforce

All across the U.S., from California to Massachusetts and Wisconsin and Minnesota, especially in states with large rural communities, experts are worried that President Donald Trump’s executive orders on immigration, along with his pledge to lead the largest deportation effort in history, will compound the worker shortage the nursing home sector currently faces. President Trump’s […]

Inside State Initiatives Boosting Immigrant Labor in Nursing Homes Amid Trump’s Deportation Threats

States and local associations haven’t given up on using policy changes to immigration as a major tool to combat the staffing crisis in nursing homes, despite the Trump administration launching the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history. Immigrant workers in nursing homes all across the U.S. have proven to be a strong solution to […]

Diakonos, Good Samaritan COOs: Nursing Home Investments in 2025 Will Focus on ‘Flexibility’ 

As providers focus on building up the nursing home workforce, and in turn protecting access to care, many leaders in 2025 are prioritizing shift flexibility for staff while also launching new programs to better support hiring and retention. At the same time, investments in integrated health services and behavioral health are top of mind for […]

Rising Viral Illnesses Point to Staffing Shortages at Nursing Homes and Failure to Follow Easy Infection Prevention Measures

Viral illnesses have been on the rise this winter across the U.S., with norovirus – or stomach bug – infections nearly doubling from a year ago. Nursing home infection prevention experts are suggesting bringing back certain common sense protocols to curb spread of disease in nursing homes. Each year, over half of all norovirus outbreaks […]

Legal Defeat Remains Key Even if Legislative, Administrative Barriers Make Repeal of the Nursing Home Staffing Mandate Inevitable

In the aftermath of the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) response to a pending lawsuit against the federal minimum staffing mandate, nursing home sector experts are stressing that legally defeating the mandate – and effectively canceling it – remains crucial. “The section [in HHS’s response] relating to the limitation on the relief is […]

[UPDATED] Judge Rejects Bid to Halt Nursing Home Staffing Rule

A federal judge has rejected a request to temporarily stop the implementation of the federal nursing home staffing mandate in a much-awaited ruling issued Thursday. Judge Leonard T. Strand of the U.S. District Court for Northern Iowa found that the preliminary injunction – sought by 20 states, 17 LeadingAge affiliates and two Kansas nursing home facilities […]

CMS’ Latest Guidance Plagued by Lack of Clarity on Infection Prevention and Staffing, Leading to Concerns of Unfair Survey Citations

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) compiled an ambitious checklist of changes for the nursing home industry as part of its 2025 mission and priorities document released this week, but a lack of details on staffing-related issues and infection protocols is raising concerns about a fair survey process. Surveyor guidance was a major […]

Executive Outlook 2025: While MA ‘Tightens the Screws’ on Nursing Homes, Sector Focuses on Reform, Workforce Solutions, I-SNPs

While 2025 remains a bit uncertain due to the federal staffing mandate and a new White House administration, leaders in the nursing home industry plan to continue working toward improving quality of care, addressing workforce challenges and advocating for fair regulation and reimbursements. Clif Porter, president and CEO of the American Health Care Association/National Center […]

Ensign Enters Oregon, Alaska with Providence Portfolio Acquisition

The Ensign Group (Nasdaq: ENSG) will be adding eight facilities from Providence Home and Community Care across four states: Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California. This marks the first time the San Juan Capistrano, California-based company is expanding into Alaska and Oregon, Ensign Chief Investment Officer Chad Keetch said in a statement. This brings Ensign’s growing […]

Final Argument in Staffing Rule Lawsuit Highlights Chevron Doctrine, But Appeals Could Drag On

The American Health Care Association, LeadingAge and other nursing home stakeholders involved in the lawsuit against the federal minimum staffing mandate filed their final argument against the rule late on Friday, asking a federal judge to deny the federal agency’s cross-motion for summary judgement. Given that a judgement is expected early in the new year, […]