Money moves
Medicare Advantage SNF Spending Grows 12% to $8.4B in 2025
CMS data shows total MA plan spending on SNF services reached $8.4B in 2025, up 12% year-over-year, as MA enrollment continues to capture a larger share of the Medicare population.
Policy watch
HHS Secretary Nominee Signals Support for Staffing Mandate Flexibility
In confirmation hearing testimony, the HHS Secretary nominee endorsed the staffing mandate's goals but suggested the timeline should be extended and rural exemptions broadened.
Heads up
OIG Finds 34% of SNF Emergency Transfers Lacked Required Documentation
An OIG review of 1,200 emergency hospital transfers from SNFs found 34% were missing required transfer documentation, including medication lists, advance directives, and recent clinical assessments.
Operations
SNF Revenue Per Patient Day Reaches $524 on Blended Payer Basis
NIC data shows the national average blended revenue per patient day hit $524 in Q4 2025, with Medicare averaging $578, Medicaid $248, and private pay $312.
The bottom line
MA spending on SNFs is surging as the program grows, the staffing mandate may get more runway, and blended revenue keeps climbing across all payer lines.