“Bon Voyage” Reimbursement!

“Bon Voyage” literally translates to “Good Voyage”, but it is not synonymous with “have a good trip”. The term expresses heartfelt feelings of sadness and optimism upon an emotional departure. Bon Voyage means “best wishes for a meaningful journey and a safe return home”.

There is a tide in the affairs of Skilled Nursing Facilities. The industry left port in the misty morning hours of 2020 in waters of relative calm. The ship rode gentle waves of optimism until a sudden storm of unprecedented severity nearly doomed all on board. Federal jetsam, long since exhausted, kept us afloat. The Captain sent repeated SOS pleas to the states, “SAVE-OUR-SNFs!”. Alas, we saw the Good Ship Medicaid on the horizon but nary an ounce of flotsam drifted our way.

The helmsman had no control over yoke or tackle yet fought against the raging tides as if they knew which way to turn. Starboard stability? Long-term risk, Portside gain? There is only one way to safety for all passengers and crew… we sail together; we cannot reach shore alone.

SNFs have been adrift for three long-years. Indeed, Bon Voyage Reimbursement! would have been an apropos farewell upon 2020’s departure. We lost many facilities along the way; those that returned found port in the new SNF-Economy.

The waters are inviting once again as Skilled Nursing embarks on the most meaningful reimbursement journey in its history. Our path is certain, our destination deliberate, but SNFs do not control the high seas of healthcare. Some say providers are caught between Scylla and Charybdis, that rogue waves formed of staffing mandates and managed care imperil this new crossing. This above all else, SNFs are stronger now for having survived the storm. Dedicated operators know Skilled Nursing has always faced adversity; they will always choose to sail. We must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures.

This July, we say “Bon Voyage Reimbursement!” for a meaningful journey and safe passage home.