2021 Will See ‘Many Facilities Fail’ Without Federal, State Help

Nursing home and senior living providers in the not-for-profit sector are facing significant strains from the surge in COVID-19 nationwide. Leading into the Thanksgiving holiday, operators are pleading with those in the community to refrain from gathering amid challenges both operational and financial. “Nursing homes really are at the brink,” Deke Cateau, the CEO of […]

State Targets Low-Occupancy Nursing Homes for Steep Medicaid Cuts

Lawmakers in the state of Connecticut have targeted nine facilities for major Medicaid cuts due to low occupancy, raising concerns about access issues from operators and employees alike — and highlighting the occasionally paradoxical relationship between skilled nursing usage and funding. The nine properties face a total of $6 million in lost Medicaid reimbursements, the […]

Lawmaker: Declining Nursing Home Bed Count ‘What We Wanted’

Medicaid-rate shortfalls and other struggles have claimed more than 30 nursing homes in Washington state since 2010, and at least one lawmaker thinks that the pruning is necessary. State Rep. Eileen Cody, who chairs the state’s House Health Care and Wellness Committee, said a drop in available nursing homes beds is “what we wanted as […]

Amid Medicaid Shortfalls, Nursing Home Demand Could Soon Exceed Supply

Skilled nursing utilization and occupancy have been on the decline in recent years, as both payers and consumers migrate to home health and other community care options for cost and preference reasons. But as low Medicaid reimbursements force operators to scale back their long-term services or shut their doors entirely, available beds for residents who […]

Medicaid Pressures, Worker Shortages Lead to SNF Closure Wave in Wisconsin

Nursing homes in Wisconsin are blaming the state’s low Medicaid reimbursements for a wave of nursing home closures and persistent financial struggles, Wisconsin Public Radio reported earlier this month. Nursing home advocates are asking lawmakers in the state to invest $83.5 million in the next two-year budget as a result, the media organization reported. The […]

Nobody Applies to More than Half of Long-Term Care Jobs in Wisconsin

Long-term care operators around the country have dealt with a lack of qualified workers for some time now, and leaders in one Midwestern state say it’s escalated to a full-blown crisis. Nearly 20% of caregiver positions in Wisconsin are currently unfilled, as compared to about 14.5% just two years ago, according to a report released […]

How Providers Can Overcome Competition for SNF Employees

The demand for frontline caregivers is no secret in the skilled nursing industry, as many providers often report facing challenges in recruiting amidst the nation’s growing aging population—ultimately brewing a perfect storm of supply not meeting demand. In fact, by 2030, job openings in the long-term services and supports (LTSS) sector is slated to “grow substantially,” as […]