As the dust finally began to settle in 2024 from the operational storm unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing home operators found themselves in a good position to turn to an issue that had not been so much ignored as largely postponed in the wake of the lasting damage. Closures along with mergers and acquisitions […]
Despite the sector continuing to grapple with staffing shortages, rising operational costs, and regulatory uncertainty, emerging trends have skilled nursing leaders gearing up for a positive 2025, with fewer challenges and more opportunities on the horizon. As we look ahead, several key trends are expected to shape the sector from regulatory shifts to financial turbulence, […]
The nursing home industry has been on a wild ride this past year, with major regulation up in the air and a flip in the White House leaving operators unsure of whether they should applaud or brace for impact. Rhetoric surrounding the federal minimum staffing mandate has changed drastically throughout the year, with leaders condemning […]
Nursing home leaders are anticipating big changes to the sector with President Donald Trump’s inauguration drawing closer. The federal staffing mandate is likely to be on the chopping block, as Republicans eye $22 billion in savings if it is delayed or stopped. However, operators must balance this win, among potential others, with the incoming administration’s […]
Last week’s finalized 2.83% cut to the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), which follows a series of payment reductions of recent years for rehab and therapy services for Medicare beneficiaries, is raising concerns about tightening access to such care in nursing homes, with physicians calling the situation unsustainable. For physicians, this particular cut in the PFS […]
Average payment rates are set to decrease by 2.93% under the proposed 2025 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), a change that incorporates the zero percent overall update required by statute. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the proposed rule on Wednesday. Cynthia Morton, executive vice president for Advion Advocates, said this amounts to […]
A component of the minimum staffing proposal that has received little notice thus far is that labor unions may have some weight in determining the staffing levels needed for a particular building. This feature was the source of discussion among attendees at the annual conference for the American Health Care Association and National Center for […]
A government shutdown has been temporarily averted – for 45 days at least – after Congress passed a stopgap bill Saturday evening. And while skilled nursing and other long-term care operators and their reimbursements would not have been immediately impacted, the industry could have seen indirect ramifications. So for now, the sector – whose members […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing to reduce payment for physician services under the fee schedule compared to last year, the federal agency announced late Thursday. The reductions would affect the provision of therapy in nursing homes. Indeed, the proposal represents a “significant cut” that will put nursing home “providers in […]
As the public health emergency (PHE) comes to an end on May 11, industry leaders point out that nursing home operators are still in pandemic recovery mode, and that adjusting to the old way of doing business will not be easy. The PHE was declared in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and accompanied a wide […]
Preparations for Minimum Data Set (MDS) changes vary from state to state, raising questions about how Medicaid reimbursements will be determined as the clock ticks down to the Oct. 1 start date. The key issue is the removal of Section G, which is used to measure the functional status of residents, from the nursing home […]
Over the last two years, skilled nursing providers have faced a pandemic and a labor crisis. As 2023 dawns, leaders across the industry are taking stock of their changed organizations and a reshaped business environment, and are preparing to execute strategies formulated in the COVID crucible. As Signature HealthCARE CEO Joe Steier puts it: “Every […]
As therapy providers in the nursing home setting brace for a 4.47% cut in the Physician Fee Schedule in 2023, Congress may not help bridge the gap as much as in the past. Currently, Congress is toying with a 2% to2.5% boost to help providers dealing with the 4.47% cut, panelists said during a webinar […]
As therapy providers in the nursing home setting, among other health care workers, are expected to absorb a finalized 4.4% cut to the 2023 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), those impacted aren’t so sure Congress will help offset the decrease like they’ve done in years past. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized the […]
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 […]
While the spotlight on skilled nursing continues to shine bright, an election year has advocacy groups certain that legislative efforts will be pared down to just a couple key pieces Congress aims to tackle this fall. Policy dedicated to boosting a floundering workforce, expanding telehealth beyond public health emergency (PHE) waivers, and streamlining authorization processes […]
The National Association for the Support of Long Term Care (NASL) kicked off its 33rd annual meeting in Nashville this week by announcing it would be operating under a new name: Advion. Complete with the tagline: “the next generation of NASL,” the new name recognizes the trade association’s position as both an advocate for patients, […]
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