Stevens Point, WI — The Portage County Board has voted to sell the Portage County Health Care Center to a private operator, bringing a long-running and divisive issue to a close after years of discussion. In a 15–10 vote, board members approved the sale of the county-owned nursing facility to The Ensign Group. The proposal has been debated and brought to a vote multiple times over the past several years, reflecting deep divisions among county leaders and residents. County Board Chair Ray Reser described the situation as complex and difficult, citing ongoing financial pressures and the need to preserve access…
Author: Mordy Y
Move-in rate growth slowed for independent living communities in the third quarter, while assisted living properties posted accelerating rate gains, according to newly released industry data. Figures from the third-quarter 2025 NIC MAP Seniors Housing Actual Rates Report show year-over-year growth in independent living move-in rates eased significantly by September. Growth fell to 7.6%, down from 17.5% recorded in June, signaling a notable moderation in pricing momentum. At the same time, asking rates for independent living continued to climb, increasing 8.2% year over year in September — a half-point increase from the prior quarter, according to industry analysis. Discounts widen…
York, PA — SpiriTrust Lutheran, a York County–based operator of senior living and retirement communities, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as it works to restructure its finances and pursue a potential sale of assets, according to court records and local reporting. The nonprofit organization, which operates multiple continuing care retirement communities and other senior services in Pennsylvania, said the filing is intended to allow it to continue operating while it reorganizes under court supervision. Company officials indicated that resident care and daily operations will continue during the bankruptcy process. SpiriTrust Lutheran has been providing senior housing and care…
New research is sharpening concerns that Medicaid underpayments are squeezing nursing homes — and that the facilities most reliant on Medicaid often have the least room to absorb the hit. The authors of a 2024 national analysis that found Medicaid covers an average of about 82 cents of every dollar spent on nursing home services released a new paper this week using similar data to take a closer look at cost pressure inside individual facilities. In the study, published in Medical Care, the researchers argue that when Medicaid payments fall short of costs, nursing homes typically have to make up…
A broad coalition representing hospitals, long-term care providers and health IT leaders is urging federal officials to withdraw a proposed overhaul of the HIPAA Security Rule, warning that the changes would impose costly requirements and rigid technical mandates that many organizations cannot meet. More than 100 provider associations, health systems and senior care organizations signed a Dec. 8 letter asking the US Department of Health and Human Services to pull back the proposal and work with the industry to create a more practical, risk-based cybersecurity framework. Coalition Warns of Unfunded Mandates Among the signers were the American Health Care Association…
Houston, TX — Claimants suing Genesis HealthCare — including families pursuing malpractice and wrongful-death cases — are asking a bankruptcy judge to order an independent examination of the company’s sale process, arguing the winning bid may improperly advantage existing insiders at the expense of unsecured creditors. The motion, filed late last week, challenges the selection of CPE 88988 LLC, a bidder tied to Pinta Capital Partners and entrepreneur Joel Landau, an investor with previous ownership links to Genesis. According to industry reports, claimants say the bid’s insider affiliations warrant heightened scrutiny and may raise conflict-of-interest concerns. Claimants Say a Stronger…
North Lima, OH — The family of a 64-year-old man who died after an unwitnessed fall at an Ohio nursing home has filed a wrongful death lawsuit, alleging staff failed to recognize signs of a catastrophic spinal injury for nearly 17 hours. The complaint claims those delays contributed to the rapid decline and eventual death of resident Craig Latchaw in December 2024. Latchaw, who lived at Caprice Health Care Center in North Lima, allegedly fell while trying to get to the bathroom on Dec. 12, according to the filing. Two state-tested nursing assistants reportedly found him on the floor and…
Fridley, MN — A resident of a Fridley nursing home is in custody after authorities say he intentionally sparked a fire that forced an early-morning evacuation on Monday. Crews were called just after 5 a.m. to The Estates at Fridley on the 5700 block of East River Road, according to local public safety officials. Responders arrived to find smoke pouring from a resident’s room, prompting staff and firefighters to evacuate part of the building as a precaution. Suspect Located Nearby After Perimeter Search Staff members told police that the resident believed to have started the fire was not accounted for.…
Columbus, OH — A former Wisconsin employee of Atrium Centers has filed a proposed class-action lawsuit in federal court, alleging the multistate skilled nursing operator failed to adequately protect personal information compromised during an October cyberattack. The complaint, filed Dec. 2 in the US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, seeks class certification, damages, and a court order requiring stronger cybersecurity safeguards. Plaintiff Shannon Shawanokasic says her personal and health information was among the data accessed during the incident. According to the lawsuit, she now spends significant time each day monitoring financial accounts and responding to an influx…
West Des Moines, IA — One of Iowa’s largest nursing home operators has faced a surge of legal challenges over the past year and a half, with families filing at least 17 wrongful-death or negligence lawsuits tied to facilities across the state, according to court records and industry reports. Care Initiatives, a nonprofit that runs 43 nursing homes along with assisted living and hospice sites, cares for roughly 2,800 Iowans. The organization has consistently denied wrongdoing in each case and said it does not comment on ongoing litigation. Several lawsuits have been settled or dismissed, while others continue through the…
