ENSG (US)


February 23, 2025

Medicaid Reform Watch: Still Early On – What to Watch for [CNC, MOH, ARDT, CYH, ENSG, ADUS]

By Beth Steindecker

As the budget resolution process and subsequent reconciliation strategy unfolds, Medicaid reforms that have posed headline enrollment and payment risk to Medicaid insurers [CNC, MOH, ELV], dual eligible insurers [UNH, HUM, ELV, CVS],hospitals [ARDT, CYH,…

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February 10, 2025

Sizing Medicaid Work Requirement Risks [CNC, MOH, ELV, THC, ARDT, ENS, ADUS]

By Beth Steindecker

As we await the House’s budget reconciliation strategy this week, the Senate FY25 budget resolution proposal released late Friday bolsters our expectations for Medicaid work requirements, which we see as one the most likely Medicaid-related…

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February 4, 2025

[ENSG, PACS, SBRA, OHI]: Potential Timing of the Nursing Home Staffing Rule’s Demise

By Beth Steindecker

With the briefing in a federal lawsuit having concluded and Congress on the hunt for legislative savings, the question is when, not if, CMS’s minimum nurse staffing rule is killed, eliminating the overhang and potential…

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January 28, 2025

[CNC, MOH, ARDT, UHS, ENSG, ADUS]: Medicaid Funding & Best Bet on OMB Funding Memo

By Beth Steindecker

We lean against yesterday’s OMB directive for temporarily pausing federal funding for grants, loans and programs applying largely to Medicaid’s payments to the states for Medicaid insurers (CNC, MOH, ELV, UNH, CVS) or for reimbursements…

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January 17, 2025

MedPAC Provider Recs Likely to Be Ignored in Favor of Savings Targets Like Site Neutrality, Medicaid, Rule Repeals

By Beth Steindecker

We doubt Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s (MedPAC) FY/CY26 Medicare payment recommendations for home health agencies, inpatient rehab facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospices, dialysis centers, hospitals, and physician offices, which were voted on Thursday in nearly…

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November 19, 2024

Healthcare Extenders in FY25 Spending Bill: What Is Likely, Unlikely or Toss-Up?

By Beth Steindecker

With likelihood growing that Congress focuses on emergency spending and a short-term continuing resolution funding the government into Q1 next year during this lame duck period, we expect that translates to Congress punting on nearly-annual,…

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November 14, 2024

(ENSG, PACS, OHI, CTRE, SBRA) Nursing Home Relief from Minimum Staffing Rule Still Likely But as Part of FY25 Spending Bill

By Beth Steindecker

Key Takeaways:  We still expect nursing homes and their post-acute care REIT landlords to secure a reprieve from the Biden CMS rule imposing minimum nurse staffing requirements on these long-term facilities. However, we see that…

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October 14, 2024

Nursing Home Minimum Staffing Rule – Full Reprieve Near Term Unlikely, Potential for Smaller Relief

By Beth Steindecker

Key Takeaways: Nursing homes and their post-acute care REIT landlords have legal and legislative reasons to be hopeful about efforts to kill CMS’ minimum staffing rule, but we are skeptical they will secure a full…

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