Fresh off a battle that nearly saw wholesale changes to the Medicaid program, skilled nursing lobbyists say the work isn’t over — and that operators on the front lines can often be the most effective voices in reaching Washington. One of the primary reasons that Congress came so close to gutting Medicaid as part of […]
Obamacare
A Republican push to kill Obamacare has seemingly returned from the dead after winning narrow Senate approval during a procedural vote Tuesday afternoon, prompting some industry groups to express frustration and alarm. The Senate voted 51-50 to begin debating legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, former U.S. President Barack Obama’s legacy healthcare […]
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,” […]
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 […]
The Senate’s proposed health care legislation, like the bill that passed the House, includes significant cuts to Medicaid, which is the top payer for skilled nursing services. This presents obvious challenges for SNFs, but also may provide some positive outcomes. In the first quarter of 2017, 65.2% of patient days were attributed to Medicaid, and the Medicaid patient […]
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 […]
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 […]
Under the Senate’s plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, most skilled nursing facilities will lose far more in Medicaid dollars than they make each year — and states could start the belt-tightening as soon as next year if the legislation passes in its current form. Pointing to two key changes in the way Medicaid funding […]
Welcome to an eventful Friday in the world of skilled nursing, as both industry players and average Americans still struggle to untangle the implications of the Senate’s version of the American Health Care Act — and the Senate GOP leadership attempts to wrangle enough votes to pass the legislation by the time Congress takes off […]
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 […]
As the Senate reportedly prepares to release its version of legislation that would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, a leading health care nonprofit warns that changes to the Medicaid program under the American Health Care Act could harm the skilled nursing industry. Medicaid represents the largest payer for skilled nursing services, providing $55 […]
The Senate’s version of the American Health Care Act may include an even more austere future for Medicaid spending than the House’s vision of $800 billion in cuts over the next decade. Medicaid is the largest payer for long-term care nationally, and skilled nursing providers are watching the evolving legislation closely — though it remains unclear what […]
The Congressional Budget Office on Wednesday released its long-awaited score of the American Health Care Act, and the result remained striking for Americans who rely on Medicaid and other government programs to pay for health care. In the nonpartisan office’s estimation, 23 million Americans would lose health insurance by 2026 were the House bill, which […]