The Top Skilled Nursing Facility Providers in the U.S.

As we age, many of us will need long-term care, such as help with daily living activities. However, some of us may need medical and skilled care services combined with long-term care.  

Skilled care involves medical services to treat or manage injuries and illnesses provided by trained professionals, often in a facility setting like a nursing home or a skilled nursing facility.

As of 2023, approximately 1.2 million individuals were receiving care in nursing facilities across the United States. With such a significant number of people relying on these services, it's crucial to understand and acknowledge those who deliver this care.

In this article, we'll explore some of the nation's most prominent skilled care providers, highlighting those known for their broad reach and exceptional quality of care. We’ll solely focus on providers that offer skilled nursing in a facility setting, such as a nursing home or skilled nursing facility. 

If you're looking for skilled care in a facility near you or your loved one, you can use LTC News's Care Directory tool to search through the top facilities in your area. Our tool offers tens of thousands of facilities to compare and find the best option for your or your loved one's needs. 

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What Is Skilled Nursing? 

Skilled nursing is specialized medical care that helps treat and manage complex health conditions. Registered nurses and therapists provide skilled care services, including wound care, IV therapy, and rehabilitation services. 

Skilled nursing care most often happens in nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), where patients need 24/7 ongoing medical attention.

Nursing homes are intended for individuals who need ongoing care, usually to manage a chronic health condition. Nursing homes are a long-term, residential option. Skilled nursing facilities generally focus on short-term stays following a hospital stay or for rehabilitative purposes. 

Because skilled care is more advanced than help with daily activities and is often medical in nature, many health insurance and Medicare plans offer limited coverage of skilled care provided in a skilled nursing facility for up to 100 days (20 days of regular Medicare and then 80 days of Medicare supplement) when deemed medically necessary.

While many plans provide coverage for skilled care, few extend coverage to personal care or long-term care services, such as help with transfers or dressing. Many individuals who need skilled care will also need help with personal care needs.

Traditional health insurance or Medicare does not cover help with daily living activities. 

Long-Term Care Insurance does cover personal care services, which is why it's important to plan for LTC Insurance in retirement. Long-term care can be expensive, and you or your loved one may need help longer than expected.

You can use LTC News's Cost of Care Calculator tool to determine how much skilled care costs in your or your loved one's area. This tool allows you to see the current costs, compare the costs of different types of care, and estimate how much care may cost in the future.

Regardless of the cost of care in your area, the costs, quality, and specific care you or your loved one receive will depend on your chosen provider. Below, we've put together a list of the largest providers of skilled nursing facility care in the United States, in no particular order.  

1. Signature HealthCARE

Signature HealthCARE was founded in 2007 with the goal of revolutionizing the healthcare industry. They are a family-based care provider and operate 72 locations across ten states. 

Signature HealthCARE is known for their continuum of care, which includes services like home health, memory care, skilled nursing, and assisted living. They have also won awards for being a great place to work. Today, they have over 14,000 employees and operate under the principles of spirituality, learning, and innovation. 

Signature HealthCARE is not only a great place to receive skilled care, but they also accept Medicare and many other types of insurance to cover the costs.

When you receive skilled care with Signature HealthCARE, you can expect access to:

• Medication management

• Wound care

• Rehabilitative and post-operative care

• Chronic care management

• Physical, speech, and occupational therapy

• Pain management

• IV support

2. Genesis HealthCare

Genesis HealthCare holds the title of the largest provider of post-acute care in the United States. Genesis operates in 17 states with almost 200 skilled nursing facilities and senior living communities. 

Genesis has a vast reach within the rehabilitation and skilled care realm, with subsidiaries providing services to over 1,400 locations across 43 states. But Genesis’s high quality and massive reach aren’t their only strong suit. 

Genesis HealthCare has a unique skilled nursing and rehabilitative program called ACCELerate. This program utilizes skilled experts to help those under their care recover faster and comfortably. 

Under this program, skilled nursing and rehabilitative plans are highly personalized. Everything, down to the meal plans and daily routines, is based on personality and preferences. The goal of ACCELerate is to help individuals recover and return home as soon as possible while making sure they’re comfortable and emotionally and mentally supported in the process. 

3. Life Care Centers of America

Life Care Centers of America was founded in 1970 with the mission of enhancing the quality of life for seniors living in nursing facilities. Today, Life Care Centers offer resident-centered care in over 200 locations across 27 states. 

Life Care Centers of America offers both short-term and long-term stays in its facilities. With a resident-focused philosophy, each facility offers state-of-the-art programs and equipment. 

These programs and services include on-site rehabilitation, specialized meal programs, and on-site physicians. Some facilities also offer the AlterG® Anti-Gravity Treadmill, which can help residents get the necessary exercise without putting extra strain on their bodies. 

4. Sunrise Senior Living

Sunrise Senior Living was founded in 1981. The founders took inspiration from warm, open-concept European model nursing facilities. Sunrise's mission was to revolutionize and personalize senior care in the United States. 

Since their start, they've added more than 22,000 employees and 20,000 residents in over 250 communities. One of their flagship service offerings is skilled nursing.

At Sunrise communities that offer skilled nursing services, residents can expect to receive:

• 24/7 high-level care.

• Treatment for specific conditions, including respiratory, GU/GI,  and skin conditions.

• Rehabilitative services and therapies such as occupational, speech, or physical therapy.

• Medication management.

• Eye care.

• Dentistry care. 

• Meal plans.

• Access to community amenities, such as recreational areas and activities. 

5. PruittHealth

PruittHealth is a family-owned care provider based in the Southeast U.S. Pruitt has provided comprehensive care for over 50 years, offering essential post-acute care services to over 24,000 residents daily at 180 locations across several states. 

PruittHealth is an excellent provider of skilled nursing services. They break down their skilled nursing resources into three categories: 

• Recovery care. This category of care is for those recovering from hospital stays or injuries. It involves wound care or post-surgical care. 

• Rehabilitative care. This category of care is for those recovering from an incident or managing a condition that affects their ability to complete daily tasks and can be treated using speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, or stroke care.

• Chronic issue management. This category of care can be thought of as long-term care needs. It’s for those battling chronic conditions that need constant or ongoing support involving pain management, memory care, medication management, or various types of therapies. 

6. Consulate Health Care

Consulate Health Care is a prominent provider of skilled nursing and post-acute care services. What started as a small company in Pennsylvania has grown into a notable leader in skilled care, long-term care, memory care, and rehabilitative care in five states. 

Consulate Health Care offers both short-term and long-term stays when it comes to skilled nursing care. They are very focused on patients and their needs and understand that these transitions can be difficult for new residents, especially those transitioning from home to long-term stays. 

Consulate Health Care puts patients' needs first, making skilled care personalized. Skilled nursing services can include:

• 24/7 nursing care, including medication management and IV therapy. 

• Personalized nutrition planning.

• Pain management.

• Rehabilitative therapy services.

• Care for specific health conditions. 

Consulate Health Care also offers respite care services for caregivers seeking a break from their duties and hospice services for those approaching end-of-life situations. 

7. Ensign Group

Ensign Group has been providing high-quality care since 1999. Today, they have over 300 affiliated locations across 14 states. Ensign is known for their attention to detail, and consideration for each of their residents’ needs. 

Ensign Group offers several care services, most notably skilled nursing services. Residents and their families will work with caregivers, doctors, and nurses to create and follow a specialized care plan designed to make skilled nursing as efficient and comfortable as possible. 

In addition to skilled nursing care, Ensign Group also offers rehabilitative care and long-term senior living options, including independent living and assisted living communities. 

8. Brookdale Senior Living

Serving over 59,000 residents across 41 states, Brookdale Senior Living has a massive reach as a care provider. Brookdale carries a mentality that despite long-term care needs, life continues. They emphasize patient care and mental health, encouraging residents to live life to the fullest and continue their legacies in their long-term care facilities. 

Brookdale Senior Living is known for a wide variety of care services; however, today we’ll be focusing on skilled nursing services. At Brookdale, skilled nursing can be short-term or long-term, either way, Brookdale does their best to ensure your care environment feels safe, comfortable, and homelike. 

Brookdale also strives to change the narrative surrounding nursing facilities and nursing homes; today, nursing facilities are so much more vibrant than the images of the past.

When you’re living and receiving skilled nursing services at Brookdale, you’ll have customized meal plans, access to on-site therapy, licensed physicians, and facility amenities like recreation and social activities. There's a real focus on improving the quality of life for residents while ensuring their care needs are met. 

9. Trilogy Health Services

Trilogy Health Services was founded in 1997 with the goal of changing the dynamics of senior care at the time. Today, Trilogy has 130 locations across five midwestern states.

Trilogy has won several awards for their high standards of care, including awards from the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living.

Skilled nursing services at Trilogy are covered for a limited period of time by Medicare and traditional health insurance plans. You can expect to receive numerous types of services, including:

• 24-hour skilled care services.

• Case management and social services. 

• Speech-language pathology, physical therapy, and occupational therapy.

• Access to pharmacies and laboratory services. 

• Personalized meal plans designed by licensed dietitians.

• Two person transfers

• Education about care plans and conditions for residents and their families.

• Nurses onsite and licensed nurses on call 24/7.

• Registered nurses available 8 hours each day.  

• Pain management and wound care.

• Treatment and care plans for specific conditions. 

10. LHC Group

Last but not least is LHC Group, which was founded in 1994. LHC Group provides care in 38 states and partners with over 400 hospitals. They employ 27,000 people and serve thousands of people in need each year.

LHC Group is best known for their home health services; however, their reach extends well into the facility-based skilled nursing realm. You may be pleasantly surprised by LHC Group’s service offerings:

• Daily meeting with specialized care professionals. 

• Ability to treat complex chronic health conditions with specialized care services.

• Physical, occupational, and speech and language therapy.

• Cardiac care management and heart monitoring. 

• Access to laboratory testing, pharmacies, and radiology.

• Medication management and pain management. 

• Transition plan, including what happens after leaving the facility to go back home.

Choosing the Best Skilled Nursing Provider 

Skilled nursing is often an essential part of managing and recovering from illness or injury, especially for those with chronic conditions or those transitioning from a hospital stay to back home. That’s why choosing a skilled nursing provider you can trust is essential. 

Any provider on this list will offer high-quality care, so the best choice for you depends on your or your loved one’s needs, preferences, and the provider’s program offerings. 

If you need help finding a skilled nursing provider near you, LTC News’s Care Directory can help you compare the best options in your or your loved one’s area. 

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Care Directory

Comprehensive caregiving & care facility listings in your area

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This tool searches through tens of thousands of providers so you don’t have to, and allows you to find the best provider for you or your loved one. 

If you are a care provider, you can claim your free listing on the LTC News Caregiver Directory. Listings are available for upgrade as well when you visit the LTC News Directory Business Portal.

LTC News can also help you learn more about long-term care and skilled care:   

• The Long-Term Care Spectrum: From Independent Living to Skilled Nursing – This article can help you discover a wide variety of care facilities and services, ranging from communities with many independent residents to facilities that offer high-levels of ongoing care.

• What Is a Nursing Home? – This article explores what a nursing home is and how it may differ from its media portrayal.