Industry·MA·3d ago
Out-of-State Chains' Nursing Home Buyouts Tied to Quality Declines in Mass.
Citing a Boston Globe Spotlight investigation, Skilled Nursing News reports that out-of-state chains have rapidly acquired Massachusetts nursing homes since 2020, with nine New York and New Jersey-based chains growing their holdings from 12 facilities in 2019 to 61 by 2025, about one-fifth of the state's nursing homes. Eight of the nine chains saw average federal star ratings decline after acquisition, driven by cost-cutting that slashed nursing hours while shifting payments to owner-affiliated companies. RegalCare, led by CEO Eli Mirlis, is highlighted as a case study: facilities fell from 5-star to 1-star ratings within three years as rent and related-party payments rose even as nursing spending fell. The Globe found Massachusetts regulators have not denied an acquisition application or revoked a license in seven years, though a recent law now lets them weigh an operator's out-of-state record.