McKnight's Long-Term Care News 2026 Outlook Survey

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* 2. What is your facility/organization type?

Single nursing facility

Part of regional group/small chain

Part of major chain

Life Plan Community/CCRC

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* 3. Is your facility/organization for-profit or nonprofit?

For-profit

Nonprofit

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* 4. Is your facility considered rural?

Yes

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* 5. How optimistic are you about prospects for the sector in 2026 compared to 2025?

Much more optimistic

More optimistic

Neutral

Less optimistic

Much less optimistic

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* 6. Please explain why you are more optimistic, less optimistic or neutral about question 5.

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* 7. What are your biggest concerns heading into 2026? (Select exactly four)

Having enough staff

Infection control matters

Inflation

Medicaid cuts

Medicare Advantage payment rates

Medicare Advantage payment denials

MA prior authorizations/length of stay

Traditional Medicare reimbursement

Rebuilding or keeping census

Staying open

Tighter compliance/regulatory issues

Other (please specify)

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* 8. Regarding Medicaid changes included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, what is your top concern heading into 2026?

State-level Medicaid rate cuts

Challenges with enrollment/more frequent revalidation

Shorter Medicaid pending window/lost revenue

Overwhelmed state and local Medicaid offices

Fewer HCBS resources for discharged patients

Other (please specify)

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* 9. What regulatory issues do you expect to be your top pain points for 2026? (Select exactly three)

Antipsychotic drug use/new calculations

Compliance with 2025 MDS updates

Delays in surveying

Infection control/enhanced barrier protection

New CMS SNF Validation Program

Newly hired, inexperienced surveyors

NHSN reporting

Off-cycle validations/ownership reporting

Ongoing schizophrenia audits

SNF VBP expanding from 1 to 4 metrics

State staffing mandates

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* 10. With the federal staffing rule defeated, what are your top three staffing concerns?

CNA hiring

LPN hiring

RN hiring

Therapy shortages

Finding qualified medical directors

Finding management employees, executives

Access to specialists

State mandates

Lawsuits over staffing levels

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* 11. When will staffing supply return to suitable or something closely resembling a pre-pandemic level?

It already has

The first half of 2026

The second half of 2026

2027

2028 or later

Never

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* 12. What is your likely contract/agency staffing use in 2026 compared to 2025?

Less

Same

We don't/won't use it

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* 13. What do you expect for your skilled nursing occupancy levels in 2026?

Increase

Decrease

Stay about the same

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* 14. When do you expect to arrive at pre-pandemic census levels?

We already have

The first half of 2026

The second half of 2026

2027

2028 or later

Never

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* 15. Did you have to curtail admissions in 2025 due to staffing?

Yes

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* 16. Do you foresee having to restrict admissions or services at any point in 2026 due to staffing?

Yes

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* 17. In 2026, my facility/company will likely be more involved with _______ (Select ALL that apply)

ACOs

Ancillary businesses such as therapy, pharmacy, home health, etc.

I-SNPs

More medically complex patients

Nurse practitioners or other advanced practice clinicians

Specialty services, i.e. dialysis, Alzheimer’s/dementia, pain, ventilator care, stroke rehab, etc.

None of these

Other (please specify)

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* 18. In 2026, is your organization most likely to __________ skilled nursing holdings?

Sell all or merge with another provider

Sell some

Hold all

Acquire some

Acquire some and sell some

Not sure

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* 19. How do you rate your current job satisfaction? (1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest)

Clear

i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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* 20. If you would like to be included in a drawing to win one of 10, $25 gift cards, please leave your contact information so we can notify you if you won! Your responses will remain confidential.

Name

Facility/Organization

Title

Email Address

McKnight's Long-Term Care News 2026 Outlook Survey

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* 1. What is closest to your title?

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* 2. What is your facility/organization type?

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* 3. Is your facility/organization for-profit or nonprofit?

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* 4. Is your facility considered rural?

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* 5. How optimistic are you about prospects for the sector in 2026 compared to 2025?

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* 6. Please explain why you are more optimistic, less optimistic or neutral about question 5.

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* 7. What are your biggest concerns heading into 2026? (Select exactly four)

Question Title

* 8. Regarding Medicaid changes included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, what is your top concern heading into 2026?

Question Title

* 9. What regulatory issues do you expect to be your top pain points for 2026? (Select exactly three)

Question Title

* 10. With the federal staffing rule defeated, what are your top three staffing concerns?

Question Title

* 11. When will staffing supply return to suitable or something closely resembling a pre-pandemic level?

Question Title

* 12. What is your likely contract/agency staffing use in 2026 compared to 2025?

Question Title

* 13. What do you expect for your skilled nursing occupancy levels in 2026?

Question Title

* 14. When do you expect to arrive at pre-pandemic census levels?

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* 15. Did you have to curtail admissions in 2025 due to staffing?

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* 16. Do you foresee having to restrict admissions or services at any point in 2026 due to staffing?

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* 17. In 2026, my facility/company will likely be more involved with _______ (Select ALL that apply)

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* 18. In 2026, is your organization most likely to __________ skilled nursing holdings?

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* 19. How do you rate your current job satisfaction? (1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest)

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* 20. If you would like to be included in a drawing to win one of 10, $25 gift cards, please leave your contact information so we can notify you if you won! Your responses will remain confidential.