As occupancy gains slow and lower-reimbursing managed care plans continue to reshape patient admissions, skilled nursing providers must focus on right-sizing occupancy rather than simply filling beds, according to CliftonLarsonAllen’s 41st Annual SNF Cost Comparison and Industry Trends Report, released Friday. The report includes managed care data for the first time. And future profits for […]
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Skilled nursing margins and occupancy stabilized over the last year, but a looming issue for 2026 is the sizeable Medicaid cuts included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). As a result, experts say nursing homes will need to closely monitor policy changes and shifts in skilled nursing referrals. CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA), presented these and […]
The skilled nursing sector experienced a turbulent and transformative 2025, shaped by sweeping deregulation efforts, intensifying financial and policy pressures as well as volatile reimbursement dynamics. Meanwhile, rising M&A activity and renewed scrutiny of private equity ownership dominated markets and financial chatter. At the beginning of the year, the Trump administration’s approach to deregulation was […]
Demographic pressure, policy reform and digital advances mark 2025 as a defining moment for the skilled nursing sector, and winners will be defined by quality, data-driven decision making, and alignment with value-based care models, according to CliftonLarsonAllen’s (CLA) latest analysis. Operators would do well to realign with reimbursement models, understanding that quality is currency, and […]
Ballad Health has filed a federal lawsuit against UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) and its insurance arm, UnitedHealthcare, over Medicare Advantage practices, including practices related to beneficiaries’ post-acute care access. Johnson City, Tennessee-based Ballad is a nonprofit health system that operates 19 hospitals in Tennessee and Virginia. The organization alleges that the United entities have “systematically […]
It’s no surprise that the Biden administration’s minimum staffing mandate was the source of Skilled Nursing News’ most-read story of 2024. From the proposal stage to its final form, our stories on the staffing mandate covered all aspects of its requirements as well as the legal and legislative challenges against it. Our stories about the […]
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 […]
Of the many significant factors affecting the skilled nursing industry in the last five years, Medicare Advantage was named as a major disruptor, as cost reports show a shift in operating margins with more facilities struggling financially. Stephen Taylor, principal of senior living and care segment leader for CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA), said MA has had “one […]
The state-by-state comparisons of financial and operational metrics provided by CliftonLarsonAllen offer a glimpse into the wide regional variation in post-pandemic economic factors that are influencing the business performance of nursing homes across the U.S. Released Tuesday, the new additions to CLA’s 39th Cost Comparison report titled, “The Great Divergence,” which was issued last month […]
Nursing homes may incur an additional $25 million in fees annually and $164,900 in annual administrative costs to federal and state agencies as a result of expanded enforcement policies for civil monetary penalties included in the finalized Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System (SNF PPS). Meanwhile, value-based purchasing updates are expected to result in an […]
Skilled nursing assets at continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) have long been subject to downsizing for a variety of reasons, including operational challenges, the cost to care for skilled patients and regulatory hurdles. Add to this list: the severity of the nursing home survey process. Stu Almer, CEO of Gurwin Healthcare System in New York, […]
The staffing mandate will cost the industry $5.8 billion over ten years, creating the need for an additional 101,500 FTEs nationwide, with significant costs attributed to hiring nurse aides and registered nurses (RNs), according to analysis by CliftonLarsonAllen. In a recent webinar hosted by CliftonLarsonAllen, Deb Emerson, Principal at CLA, and Jennifer Boese, Director of […]
Since Diversicare named Steve Nee as CEO in February 2023, the provider has eliminated agency staff across its portfolio of 44 nursing homes and now is reentering growth mode, with a focus on adding new service lines, particularly in behavioral health. Nee took the helm at the Brentwood, Tennessee-based company at a time of difficult […]
As the nursing home industry finally gets a first look at the long-awaited proposed minimum staffing mandate released early Friday, leaders across the sector say that its most critical aspects deal with implementation timing, a “good faith” provision, and requirements for registered nurses (RNs). As it stands, the proposed rule has major implications for access […]
As nursing homes limit admissions due to ongoing labor challenges, residents can expect a mounting access crisis, with some U.S. counties being turned into “nursing home deserts.” This is according to a report released Wednesday by the American Health Care Association (AHCA), which notes that nearly 450,000 residents will be displaced if a potential minimum […]
Amid a banking and credit crisis, financial backers of the nursing home industry are seeing less stable assets, a product of volatility in the market. And even as some states are now responding with Medicaid reform and rebasing to mitigate the sector’s losses, many operators were struggling financially prior to the pandemic, and the sector’s […]
Leaders at nursing homes could create long-term value for their organizations if they adopted a population health focus, empowered local leaders and pursued actively value-based purchasing models. That’s according to a report published by CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) earlier this month. In an industry facing seismic changes, SNF operators should seize strategic opportunities, empower local leadership, and […]
As the staffing minimum mandate inches closer to an official release, associations with ties to the nursing home industry continue to meet this week with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) – the government agency currently reviewing the proposal. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) transferred the proposal to OMB for review […]
As Medicare Advantage continues to penetrate the nursing home market, leaders say that MA plans are depressing margins amid higher costs to run operations. This might lead some operators to contemplate closing, while others will be wiser to hire staff in designated roles to help them negotiate better rates – and exclusions – for managed […]
California nonprofit Eskaton, in line with other nonprofits and continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) in the space, is divesting its skilled nursing facility assets for $35.6 million after inflationary pressures, staffing shortages and wage increases caused overbearing losses. The three facilities – Eskaton Care Center Manzanita, Eskaton Care Center Greenhaven and Eskaton Care Center Fair […]
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