Healthcare, Senior Living, Economics
Happy 2024! I trust everyone had a blessed and happy holiday season and rang in the New Year with joy and optimism. Across the last two months of 2023, JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association) has published two studies on private equity ownership in healthcare, specifically in hospitals and SNFs. Not to accuse JAMA of having … Read more
Happy Hump Day! I hope all readers, followers, and visitors had a great Christmas Holiday. This post will likely wrap-up 2023 for me as tomorrow, I begin a bit of travel to see some long-time friends and celebrate the New Year. I am not much for resolutions into the new year as I try to … Read more
The oldest boomers are about to turn 80 in 2026. This age point is typically the trigger point for advancing needs in secure living environments, services increase (ADL and IADL support), and increasing healthcare consumption. The baby boom generation is defined as folks born between 1946 and 1964. The “boom” reference is the rapid number of children … Read more
Yesterday, a story in the Washington Post highlighted a series of wandering cases where residents from an Assisted Living or Memory Care facility wandered and were later, found dead. Industry insiders knew this story was coming and yesterday, it dropped. In many ways, it is eerily similar to a PBS story a decade ago around poor care/neglect … Read more
Happy Hump Day! Only 12 more shopping days until Christmas! In mid-November, CMS issued a final rule titled: “Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Disclosures of Ownership and Additional Disclosable Parties Information for Skilled Nursing Facilities and Nursing Facilities; Medicare Providers’ and Suppliers’ Disclosure of Private Equity Companies and Real Estate Investment Trusts“. The final rule is … Read more
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission is (likely) recommending to Congress a series of post-acute rate reductions (Medicare, Fee-for-Service) for federal fiscal year 2025 (beginning October 1, 2024, for most programs, January 1, 2025, for Home Health Agencies). Specifically, the MedPAC recommendations are as follows. Reduce the 2025 payment rate for home health agencies by 7%. … Read more
I follow Medicaid but don’t often get many inquiries around Medicaid policy or requests for articles in this subject area. Medicaid, however, is very important for providers, especially post-acute and senior living, as it is typically, a significant if not majority payer. During COVID and the public health emergency, Medicaid policy and CMS enacted requirements … Read more
Happy Hump Day! Advent has begun and soon, Chanukah will kick-off. ‘Tis the season or seasons. I will no doubt say this (or write it) many times over, but it always bears repeating, Happy Holidays to all! Yesterday, I wrote a post about Fitch Rating’s and their outlook for CCRCs/Life Plan communities for 2024. Fitch maintained … Read more
Long title for a Tuesday. Two reports dropped within the last couple of days and into my email regarding CCRCs/ Life Plan communities and some interesting trends/outlooks. Yesterday (Dec 4), Fitch issued its 2024 outlook for Life Plan/CCRCs, reaffirming its 2023 outlook as “deteriorating”. The primary reason for the gloomy outlook is present and projected, … Read more
On Friday, I wrote about expanding litigation due to increasing resident care needs found in senior living, assisted and independent living. Specifically, the issue is primarily around “acuity creep” or residents aging in-place, in environments that may not have the staff and infrastructure to meet their advancing care needs. Friday’s post is here: https://rhislop3.com/2023/12/01/friday-feature-senior-living-litigation-watch-risks-at-ccrcs-independent-living/ I’ve … Read more