Skilled nursing occupancy climbed ever-so-slightly for a second straight month in March, reaching 71.6%, according to the latest NIC MAP data released Thursday afternoon.
The report prepared by NIC MAP Vision finds SNF occupancy gained 49 basis points over February, with overall gains of 89 points since the industry reported a record low occupancy of 70.7% in January. That low came in the midst of COVID-19âs third, disastrous wave and just before long-term care vaccination efforts reached a tipping point.
The question now is whether the industry can keep adding enough residents to rebound to the mid-80 percent range. SNFs reported 84.8% occupancy in February 2020, the month before the pandemic took hold.