5% Drop In Skilled Nursing Facility Capacity Between 2019 & 2024

The number of licensed skilled nursing beds in the U.S. declined by 2.5% between 2019 and 2024. However, during the same period, estimated operating capacity declined by 5%, according to a recent report. About 25% of counties had a skilled nursing facility (SNF) capacity decline of 15% or more.

Researchers analyzed data from the 2018-2024 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Payroll-Based Journal, and they analyzed SNF census data for the same period. The study sample included 15,915 SNFs. Operating capacity was defined as the number of beds for which a facility has sufficient operational . . .