Money moves
SNF Medicare Bad Debt Claims Rise 9% as Patient Liability Grows
Medicare bad debt claims submitted by SNFs increased 9% in FY2025, driven by rising Part A coinsurance amounts and a growing share of residents exhausting their benefits.
Policy watch
CMS Finalizes 24/7 RN Requirement But Delays Enforcement to July
CMS issued a final memo confirming the 24/7 RN on-site requirement is in effect but directing surveyors to issue warnings rather than citations through June 30, 2026.
Heads up
Indiana Chain Faces $2.4M in Fines After Three Resident Deaths
Indiana's health department levied $2.4M in penalties against Heritage Health Group after investigations linked three resident deaths to delayed emergency response and inadequate monitoring.
Deal watch
NorthStar Healthcare Acquires 12 Michigan SNFs From Bankrupt Operator
NorthStar Healthcare purchased 12 facilities with 1,440 beds out of bankruptcy for $87M, well below the estimated replacement cost of $145M.
The bottom line
Bad debt is climbing alongside patient cost-sharing, the 24/7 RN rule gets a soft landing until July, and distressed assets keep trading at discounts.