Contract therapy used to work—but after PDPM, many nursing homes are seeing lower utilization, weaker outcomes, and missed margins. Here’s what’s replacing it—and why operators are making the switch.
Is contract therapy still delivering value in the PDPM Medicaid era — or just staffing at a premium? Skilled nursing leaders are rethinking their rehab strategy. This guide outlines how to evaluate contract vs in-house therapy, assess oversight and compliance risks, and determine which model truly protects margins and outcomes in 2026.
The therapy model that once drove outcomes and reimbursement in senior living no longer exists. PDPM and PDPM Medicaid have fundamentally altered incentives, leaving many operators with declining minutes, misaligned contracts, and growing risk they may not even see yet.
The 2026 Home Health Final Rule is officially here—and while much of the attention has focused on reimbursement adjustments, one of the most consequential shifts is happening elsewhere. CMS is dramatically increasing its focus on fraud, compliance, and enforcement. For many home health agencies, especially smaller or single-location providers, this
The 2026 Final Rule isn’t out yet, but agencies can’t afford to wait. This breaks down the deeper operational and strategic shifts home health leaders should be making now—including technology upgrades, organizational restructuring, and the new VBP measures that will reshape reimbursement. If your agency plans to stay competitive in 2026, this is where the work begins.
As states shifted to PDPM Medicaid, therapy-driven strategies no longer determine success. Explores how specialty physicians in cardiology, nephrology, and pulmonology help providers capture acuity, strengthen documentation, and improve case mix index accuracy under the new reimbursement model.
The senior living industry has long faced two major challenges: reducing isolation among older adults and designing sustainable care models that feel truly person-centered. At the same time, young adults with special needs often struggle with limited housing options, a lack of integration, and reduced opportunities for independence. A new
In Part 2, we go deeper on the operational side of PDPM Medicaid: how to tighten documentation, leverage respiratory and psychological services, align NTA with nursing, and coordinate ARDs so evidence lands inside the look-back window—especially critical in states emerging from rate freezes.
With PDPM Medicaid taking effect, many long-term care providers are facing unexpected cuts to reimbursement—often $5 to $15 per patient per day. This article breaks down what’s changing, how to prepare, and why nurse aide documentation in Section GG could make or break your margins.
Dr. Carol McKinley, President and CEO of Simpson Senior Services, shares how her team is using passive AI monitoring to reduce hospitalizations, prevent falls, and improve resident wellbeing—without compromising privacy. Learn how real-time data, critical thinking, and hands-on tech education are transforming care delivery in senior living.
