Friday, July 31, 2026 - Updated Daily



Medicare Advantage vs traditional Medicare is no longer a beneficiary-choice discussion alone. It is a market-structure issue affecting referral patterns, hospital utilization, post-acute length of stay, network access, risk-bearing arrangements, and the financial viability of providers serving older adults. For...

The report that CMS is withholding $1B in Medicaid payments from California and Minnesota is not merely another Washington-versus-state-capital political skirmish. It is a reminder that Medicaid is financed through a conditional partnership, and federal…

A hospital can fill beds, a skilled nursing facility can maintain census, and a physician group can increase visits while the broader system still produces avoidable cost and uneven outcomes. That is the central tension…

CMS is launching a streamlined review process for higher-performing nursing homes and making them easier for consumers to find on Medicare.gov. A new Quality, Safety, & Oversight memo outlines the risk-based survey process, which helps…

Rural providers are being asked to preserve access with urban-level expectations and far thinner margins. That is the core tension any rural health transformation program must confront. For hospitals, post-acute operators, clinics, and community-based organizations…

A life plan community can look stable from the outside – full campus, strong reputation, long wait list history, predictable monthly fees. Then interest rates move, labor costs stay elevated, refund obligations come due, and…

For years, and littered throughout this site, are pieces (and presentations) I have done on compliance. Some goodies are below. https://rhislop3.com/2023/09/07/five-quality-and-compliance-tips/ https://rhislop3.com/2018/11/16/the-real-impacts-of-poor-quality-inadequate-compliance-and-weak-risk-management/ https://rhislop3.com/2018/11/29/follow-up-real-impacts-of-poor-quality-and-lax-compliance/ https://rhislop3.com/2019/06/14/the-connection-between-quality-and-revenue/ The one major implication of solid (or not) compliance is the…

Healthcare executive, consultant, and author covering post-acute care, senior living, and the economics behind both - for 30+ years.
No noise - just what changed in healthcare policy and economics, and why it matters to your operation.