Skilled Nursing Facilities Sudden Star Ratings Decrease

Approximately 36% of SNFs experienced a drop in stars this week according to the American Health Care Association
(AHCA).

With many providers losing one or more stars in quality, many SNFs trace this star decrease back to nurse staffing which has the greatest impact on quality.

Quality has been a major focus as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) found a direct correlation between staffing levels and the quality of care a nursing home delivers. When staffing increases, quality in turn increases.

This article from McKnight’s elaborates on this.

Why Nursing Home Revenue Is Declining

While expenses continue to rise, revenue is declining for nursing homes according to a report provided by @MarcumLLP.

This article from @skilled_nursing outlines how nursing homes arrived at an average loss of four cents per patient day in 2017. A combination of lower occupancy rates along with many residents now being enrolled in managed care programs, typically paying less than standard programs, are impacting revenue.

With PDPM On The Horizon, SNFs Must Continue To Focus

With the new PDPM model less than six months away, SNFs will need to continue to focus on their day-to-day deliverables to ensure their STAR rating, hospital readmissions and other details are not impacted.

This article from @skilled_nursing notes how the transition from the RUG-based world to PDPM, a monumental payment overhaul, could easily steal the attention of Providers.

“The Greatest Opportunity” For SNF’s

When contemplating what solutions might help SNF’s thrive in the future, one suggestion would be to evolve into a short-stay facility that would essentially cut the emergency room “out of the equation entirely”.

This article from @skilled_nursing notes “the greatest opportunity” would be for SNF’s to partner with Medicare Advantage plans and prove their ability to provide high-quality care.