Senior Living Bankruptcy Trend Remains Alarming

The healthcare sector has experienced another quarter of record-high distress levels, as indicated by the volume of bankruptcy filings, with the senior living and care sector at the forefront. This bankruptcy trend for senior living remains alarming. In January, I took a look at 2023 bankruptcy levels, the worse year in decades.  That post is … Read more

Phantom Diseases and Medicare Advantage Fraud

According to a Wall Street Journal article from August 4, Medicare Advantage plans are using home nurse visits to identify possible or questionable disease states/conditions (so called, phantom diseases) via screenings.  These diagnoses then turn into what appears to be, possible events of fraud via additional reimbursement tied to these new-found conditions. Exclusive | The … Read more

Final 2025 SNF Rule – Rate Increase, More Fines

Under the Final 2025 (PPS) rule released last Wednesday, nursing homes are set to receive a 4.2% pay increase in Medicare Part A. Additionally, the facilities will encounter a stricter fines system, with civil monetary penalties being applicable in more situations. The Final Rule is available here: SNF Final Rule 2025 In April I wrote … Read more

Private Equity and Hospital Assets

According to a recent JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) research letter private equity firms invested $505 billion in healthcare acquisitions from 2018 to 2023. These financial infusions can enhance resources for care. However, these firms have occasionally sold the land and buildings of acquired hospitals, using the proceeds to repay investors and leaving … Read more

Private Equity Update – Regulation

Not too long ago, I wrote a post regarding federal legislative activity seeking to impose regulation on Private Equity firms investing in senior living organizations (SNFs, home health, hospice, assisted living).  That post is available here: https://rhislop3.com/2024/06/13/private-equity-investment-in-nursing-home-sector-generates-regulatory-scrutiny/ That post focused on a bill known as the Corporate Crimes Against Health Care Act of 2024 aims … Read more

Geriatrician Shortage = Cause for Concern

As of the latest demographic data from Pew Research, 62 million people in the U.S. are age 65 or older Number of people 100 and older is growing in US and around the world | Pew Research Center  Presently, there are approximately 7,500 licensed geriatricians in the U.S., or 1 per every 8,267 seniors.  Despite … Read more

Compliance: Develop a Culture of Disclosure

Developing a culture of transparency that promotes and sustains disclosure (speaking up) can yield advantages beyond merely decreasing misconduct. When employees feel empowered to speak up, they are more inclined to report issues related to safety, care, and to contribute service improvement suggestions, among other things. My firm, H2 Healthcare, has a robust compliance practice. … Read more

Kamala Harris “Likely” Health Policy

Now that it appears Kamala Harris will be the Democrat Presidential candidate, a look at her stance on various issues healthcare aka, her health policy, is timely.  Important to note at his juncture, however, is that candidate Harris has not taken clear stakes on many current healthcare issues as Vice President, her roles were more … Read more

Management Can Prevent Turnover

According to a recent Gallup study, 42% of employees who left their jobs believe management could have prevented their departure. The study also found that as of May, over half of U.S. workers, 51%, are actively looking for new employment opportunities. Gallup highlighted the substantial cost of employee turnover, noting that the expense of replacing … Read more

Senior Housing and Care M&A at Record Level

Mergers and acquisitions activity in the seniors housing and care sector set a new quarterly record with 183 publicly announced transactions in the second quarter of 2024, as reported by LevinPro LTC. This represents a 21% increase over the 151 transactions from the first quarter of 2024, and a 49% rise compared to the 123 … Read more