“Skilled nursing occupancy rates hit their lowest level on record in the fourth quarter of 2016, according to a report released Wednesday. The National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care’s Skilled Nursing Data Report shows the national occupancy rate fell from 82.6% to 81.8%, the lowest level since the organization began collecting data in 2011. Occupancy rates also experienced their largest ever year-over-year drop during the fourth quarter. . . . Medicaid remained the top source of patient volume in the fourth quarter of 2016, and continued to cover a growing percentage of total patient days, the report found. Medicaid represented 66.2% of patient days, a 1.3% increase from the fourth quarter of 2015. Medicaid revenue also increased to hit $200 revenue per patient day. . . . The percentage of patient days covered by traditional Medicare dropped to 12.9% — its lowest point in the past five years, the report showed. That’s likely due to the shift to value-based payments, growing enrollment in managed Medicare and drops in length of stay, according to Kauffman.”

LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform):
So much bad news for nursing homes! Occupancy down; high Medicaid census at low rates; lower Medicare census at higher rates; and more bad reimbursement policy coming from CMS.

SNF occupancy down despite ‘significant’ flu season and Medicaid admissions up, report shows

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