Healthcare, Senior Living, Economics
As the economy continued to struggle through a high inflationary cycle with restrictive Federal Reserve policy in-place to curb inflation, providers struggled to stay afloat in the turbulent economic waters. Significant financial headwinds in 2023 have only modestly abated at the start of 2024. Labor supply issues (shortages) of direct care staff (other disciplines as well) … Read more
In January of 2022, a resident with dementia wandered out of her Assisted Living Memory Care facility in Iowa and ultimately, froze to death. The State of Iowa investigation uncovered that the resident wandered outside of the building at 9:30 p.m. the previous night. Her absence went unnoticed for eight hours plus even though the alarm … Read more
Happy Hump Day! Yesterday I wrote about the OIG’s (Department of Health and Human Services) report and focus on CMS’ oversight of state survey agencies. The impetus behind this focus no doubt comes from the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging’s investigation into nursing home survey activities at the state level. The report is available … Read more
Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (OIG), issued a report regarding the performance of contracted state agencies with respect to nursing home (SNF) compliance surveys. CMS contracts with state agencies, typically state departments of health or divisions thereto, to perform compliance/regulatory activities (surveys) in nursing homes. The report … Read more
Over the years I have written many articles about the cost of healthcare and in particular, the cost of senior living and senior healthcare. As the population ages, the demand for senior living and care expands. Per the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. population age 65 and over grew nearly five times faster than the … Read more
The Conference Board, a renowned non-profit research organization, has recently released a comprehensive report that sheds light on the business outlook and concerns of CEOs for the year 2024. This study offers valuable insights into the minds of top executives, highlighting their attention towards the economy and organizational talent. In this post, I’ll delve into … Read more
Happy Hump Day! Wow, winter has really settled in for most of the U.S. – cold and snow as far south as Arkansas and cold, almost everywhere. Next week looks a bit more promising, weather-wise. Staffing for all providers is a major issue. For rural facilities, it can be the difference between staying afloat or closing. I … Read more
In 2021, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. Within the Act, a new Medicare provider was created – the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH). The final rule is available here: Rural Emergency Hospital Final Rule REHs were created to improve and increase, access to emergency services and ideally, expanded outpatient services in rural areas. Starting … Read more
Fourth quarter data is out from the National Investment Center regarding senior living/senior care occupancies and the trend remains positive. See the NIC summary here: 4Q23-NIC-MAP-Market-Fundamentals-PDF Senior Housing occupancy, 4th quarter, came in at 85.1%, up 80 basis points from the 3rd quarter. Nursing home/SNF occupancy rose to 83.1%, up 70 basis points. Assisted Living … Read more
TGIF! Greetings from the great white northland! ‘Tis January and Iowa Caucus time and of course, winter settles in. In the rapidly evolving landscape of Assisted Living, it is crucial for states to adapt and refine their regulations to ensure the safety and well-being of residents. Between July 2022 and July 2023, a total of … Read more