AHCA’s CEO: Nursing Homes Must Prepare for ‘Massive’ Staffing Mandate Battle, Adapt to Managed Care ‘Mega-Trend’

Nursing homes are past the “nightmare” caused by Covid-19, but now are facing “a real business problem” that could be considerably worsened by the coming federal staffing mandate. That’s according to Mark Parkinson, CEO and president of the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). He spoke Tuesday of the urgent need to […]

State Budget Aims to Boost Funding for Nursing Homes in Ohio – Including for Private Rooms 

Nursing homes in Ohio may see a significant boost in state investment from Medicaid and Coronavirus relief funds thanks to a budget proposal expected to pass the House on Thursday. The House framework includes major changes to the governor’s proposed budget including giving Medicaid dollars to put residents in private rooms, and an amendment that […]

Assuming Risk Key to Medicare Savings Under New Payment Models

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) only generate savings for the government if they accept risk, according to an analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation. ACOs generated net savings of $47 million in 2016, the Menlo Park, Calif.-based non-profit found in an independent analysis of publicly available ACO data and previously unpublished numbers from the Centers for […]

Spending on Nursing Care to Increase Steadily Through 2026

Annual expenditures on skilled nursing care will increase by 3.9% this year and keep rising through 2026, according to a new study from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of the Actuary. This rise in nursing home spending tracks with overall gains in outlays for health care services: Between 2017 and 2026, […]

What SNFs Should Know About Proper Protocols for Resident Eviction

Resident evictions from skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are becoming a more prominent issue, as legal actions involving the matter make national headlines. The recent case of California resident Gloria Single, for example, is a clear illustration of what happens when a resident and the SNF where he/she resides become involved in a legal tangle over […]

Health Care Spending Could Reach 40% of Federal Total by 2047

If current policies don’t change, federal spending on Medicare, Medicaid, and other health care programs will grow faster than any other category over the next three decades — eventually reaching 40% of the federal budget. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) presented these statistics in a Wednesday presentation to the Council for Affordable Health Coverage and the American […]

Last-Ditch Obamacare Repeal Could See a Vote Next Week

After failing to pass health care reform earlier this year, Senate Republicans are at it again with a bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The attempt has been dubbed “Zombie Trumpcare” as the effort to pass health care reform is back from the dead — and skilled nursing interest groups do not […]

Senate Scraps Health Care Bill, Skilled Nursing Operators Exhale

Senate Republicans scuttled their most recent attempt to pass health care reform legislation after several members announced their opposition to the bill, putting proposed Obamacare replacement on hold — and prompting skilled nursing operators and advocates to breathe a temporary sigh of relief. “We appreciate the Senators that hit the pause button on this debate,” […]

No Medicaid Relief for SNFs in Amended Health Care Bill

Skilled nursing operators looking for relief in Senate Republicans’ bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) won’t find it in the latest version, released Thursday. Several major amendments have been made to the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA or Better Care), but the new draft bill still contains deep cuts to Medicaid funding over the next […]

Concentration of For-Profit, Chain SNFs Grew Over Last Six Years

For-profit skilled nursing operators captured a gradually larger share of the United States SNF market from 2009 and 2015, while non-profits increasingly ceded ground to governments. In 2015, for-profits accounted for 68.4% of the nation’s 15,583 certified nursing facilities, according to a Tuesday report from the Kaiser Family Foundation. That’s compared to a 23.8% share […]

Louisiana SNFs Have Extra Protection from Potential Medicaid Cuts

While skilled nursing providers across the U.S. fret over potentially big Medicaid cuts, Louisiana SNFs can breathe slightly easier. That’s because nursing homes there are shielded against Medicaid budget cuts both by statutes and the state’s constitution, The Advocate of Baton Rouge, La. reported. Furthermore, Louisiana — which spent more than $1 billion on nursing homes this […]

2 More Ways Trumpcare Could Shift Funding Toward SNFs

As the Republican health care plan undergoes changes before its day on the Senate floor for a vote, health care providers are tracking how the legislation, the Better Care Reconciliation Act, could impact the skilled nursing field. While potential cuts to Medicaid — ranging from estimates between more than $770 billion and $810 billion — […]

House Passes Bill to Overhaul Skilled Nursing Liability Laws

The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would limit skilled nursing and other health care providers’ liability in malpractice cases, prompting praise from industry groups but concern from patient advocates. The Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017 would establish federal statutes of limitation on lawsuits stemming from injuries incurred at any […]

Why Dark Skilled Nursing History Could Repeat Itself

Various health care agencies and groups have expressed concerns over the effects of Obamacare repeal on Americans’ access to skilled nursing care, as well as the ongoing viability of SNFs as a business amid steep Medicaid cuts. At least one commentator also claims that the GOP health plans could lead to a return to the […]

CBO Paints Grim Medicaid Picture as Senate Delays Health Care Vote

Faced with growing dissent from both the conservative and moderate wings of his own party, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell delayed a vote on the Republican plan to repeal and replace Obamacare — one day after the Congressional Budget Office foresaw a dark future for Medicaid under the bill. McConnell announced Tuesday that the Senate would […]

It’s Official: Senate Health Plan Slashes Medicaid Deeper Than House

The U.S. Senate on Thursday released the long-awaited details of its Obamacare repeal plan, confirming rumors that it would see the House’s plan to cut Medicaid spending and raise it — potentially spelling trouble for skilled nursing operators. Medicaid remains the single largest payer for skilled nursing services in the United States, shelling out $55 billion to SNFs […]