Imagine a nursing home resident with dementia falls and needs surgery, but there is no one to approve the care plan or foot the resulting bill, putting the nursing home in a bind. The responsibility usually falls upon family members, but given the increasing trend of an aging population without kin, this situation is becoming […]
Arnall Golden Gregory
Financial government support accompanying ongoing public health emergencies (PHEs) is considered a major factor in transaction activity, since so many facilities currently depend on such funding. What remains unclear is where that government support ship is headed as the industry continues into 2022. For operators, uncertain government funding could mean a continued rush of transactions […]
When the federal government announced the availability of $25.5 billion in COVID-19 relief funding earlier this month, it specifically noted that Provider Relief Funds should not be used for M&A activity. “To help ensure that these provider relief funds are used for patient care, PRF recipients will be required to notify the HHS Secretary of […]
Skilled nursing facility surveys have skyrocketed over the past year, with some worrying that surveyors have also grown more aggressive. Federal data indicates that the number of surveys conducted nationwide has risen 132% percent since 2020, leaving some wondering how fairly standards are being applied when COVID-19 is already forcing facilities to contend with staff […]
Newly inaugurated President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, will likely bring an uptick in enforcement and an increased focus on compliance from the agency as political scrutiny turns to long-term care facilities, where an estimated 40% of COVID-19 deaths have so far occurred. Becerra, the current […]
With COVID-19 forcing skilled nursing facilities to drastically restrict visitation, technology and virtual communication have emerged as critical tools to maintain social ties between residents and their loved ones. And there are federal funds — collected from facilities deemed to have run afoul of various rules — available to help SNFs bolster their technological offerings. […]
Health care providers across the continuum have grappled with major challenges in providing care for patients with COVID-19, and several states have taken steps to shield them from lawsuits related to care provided during the national emergency. Skilled nursing facilities are often included in those liability protections, but the extent to which the protections apply […]
Late last week, some operators of skilled nursing facilities — along with many other providers that perform Medicare-reimbursed health care services — woke up to a sudden influx of cash in their corporate bank accounts. But they may not necessarily be able to keep it. Without much fanfare, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services […]
After years of facing governmental and legal scrutiny over providing too many rehabilitation hours, both skilled nursing and therapy providers will soon find themselves with the completely opposite risk. As the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) shifts incentives away from the volume of therapy hours, providers could find themselves accused of not providing enough rehabilitation time […]
The state of Georgia this month implemented a new background check law for nursing home owners, who will now be subject to the same requirements as frontline caregivers and other employees who interact with residents. But the threshold for who qualifies as an owner remains unclear. Employees, owners, and administrators will be required to undergo fingerprint […]
As larger chains and real estate investment trusts (REITs) downsize, smaller buyers have taken center stage in the skilled nursing acquisitions arena. In particular, there’s been an uptick in smaller buyers of skilled nursing facilities who keep a lower profile, at least as defined by their web presence. It’s not uncommon for these individuals or […]