Daily regulatory intelligence, salary benchmarks, industry news, and career tools — built specifically for skilled nursing facility professionals who don't have time for noise.
The skilled nursing sector moves fast. Regulatory changes, staffing mandates, reimbursement updates — here's the signal, without the noise.
CMS finalized a net 4.2% increase in SNF PPS rates for FY2025. The update includes case-mix weight revisions under PDPM and a revised market basket adjustment that benefits high-acuity facilities disproportionately.
October 2025Contract labor costs remain 40–60% above pre-pandemic levels in most markets. Facilities that reduced agency dependency in 2024 share one common factor: defined career ladders with transparent wage bands.
September 2025Updated Section GG coding guidelines introduce new functional scoring nuances that affect PDPM payment under the PT and OT components. MDS coordinators should review the revised RAI manual chapter before their next audit cycle.
August 2025CMS updated the Five-Star calculation methodology, shifting more weight to staffing measures and long-stay quality metrics. Facilities that relied on short-stay outcomes to boost their rating will see adjustments beginning Q1 2026.
July 2025PointClickCare, MatrixCare, and American HealthTech have all launched or piloted AI-assisted MDS coding tools that flag missed diagnoses and suggest clinical groupings. Early adopters report 8–15% CMI improvement in beta programs.
June 2025Idaho, Montana, Utah, Colorado, Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona have updated Director of Nursing licensure requirements to include mandatory long-term care-specific CEUs. Existing DONs have an 18-month compliance window.
May 2025See how your compensation compares to peers in your role, region, and facility size. Uses 2024 compensation survey data from 2,300+ SNF professionals.
Data from 2024 SNF compensation survey (n=2,300+). Ranges reflect base salary only; bonuses, benefits, and housing allowances not included. Regional adjustments apply state wage index factors from CMS 2024 final rule data.
Quick-access reference for the regulations, metrics, and calculations you use every day.
Total nursing staff must provide at least 3.48 hours per resident day. RN component: 0.55 HPRD minimum. Calculate your HPRD: divide total nursing hours in a day by your midnight census. Log shortfalls in your plan of correction.
Five-Star uses three domain ratings: Health Inspections (most weight), Staffing (including CMI-adjusted), and Quality Measures. The overall star is not an average — health inspections can cap your overall rating regardless of other scores.
PT · OT · SLP · Nursing · NTA. Each component has its own case weight. PT and OT include a functional score variable day adjustment (VDA) during the first three days. NTA is front-loaded and highest in days 1–3.
5-day assessment (ARD days 1–8) is the most critical — it sets PDPM payment. 14-day IPA for clinical changes. Quarterly assessments (QA) maintain Minimum Data Set currency. Annual comprehensive required within 92 days of prior annual or 366 days of admission.
Surveyors prioritize: F-tags 600–635 (abuse/neglect), F-tags 675–689 (quality of care), staffing verification via payroll-based journal (PBJ), and medication management. Maintain 12 months of PBJ data accessible at all times.
AHCA/NCAL: national advocacy and data. LeadingAge: nonprofit SNF association. AANAC: MDS and RAI specialists. ACHCA: administrator certification and career development. State HAA chapters for local regulatory alerts.