State Spotlight: Wisconsin - The Players & The Reality

Other Major Wisconsin Operators

Dove

The original Dove Healthcare was a Wisconsin-based family operation that Tommy Davidson built over 26 years. In January 2024, he sold his 8-facility, 526-bed portfolio to new owners Ilan Richland and Isaak Markovits for an undisclosed amount. A late belated Hatzlacha and mazal tov to you guys!

Ensign

Ensign had ZERO skilled nursing facilities in Wisconsin before November 2024. That's right - one of the country's largest SNF operators completely avoided Wisconsin until 2024.

Their Wisconsin "Entry": In November 2024, they bought just 1 skilled nursing facility (82-bed Benedictine Living Community Wausau) plus 4 assisted living facilities. CEO Barry Port said they'd been 'looking for the right opportunity' - apparently it only took them 10 years to find an 82-bed facility in Wausau that met their standards.

Eden Healthcare - 12 homes

Run by Dovie Mauer and Mordechai (Mordy) Polstein, operates multiple 'Edenbrook' facilities across Wisconsin. Apparently they're part of a larger ownership group that includes Maxim Stesel as majority owner.

Polstein likes to say they have 'some of the best talent in the Midwest taking care of some the of best residents in the Midwest! That's a great line Mordechai!

AA Healthcare - 14 homes

AA Healthcare, run by Aaron Topper, operates 16 facilities with 15 of them in Wisconsin. Topper believes in keeping a 'mom-and-pop feel' despite running more facilities than most mom-and-pop operations have ever seen.

His strategy: stay smaller than the big boys (30-50 facilities) but bigger than the actual small operators. Sweet spot theory - big enough for efficiencies, small enough to avoid corporate bureaucracy. Topper says his facilities' outcomes 'often hinge on the relationship with surveyors,' which is either honest insight about Wisconsin's survey environment or a diplomatic way of saying surveyors can make or break you depending on what mood they're in.

The Frum Players

Next we have Complete Care out of Lakewood - staple of the lakewood snf world. Shalom Stein we love that you are helping the seniors of Wisconsin!

Then of course a 5 towns favorite Champion Care - Mazal Tov to you Mark Ruvel on grabbing a nice state.

Bedrock Care run by Shlomy Chops makes a respectable showing as well at 5 homes.

Wisconsin Power Couple: Grant & Andrea Thayer

Then you have just really nice goyishe mom and pops like WISCONSIN POWER COUPLE: GRANT & ANDREA THAYER

Grant and Andrea Thayer run Care & Rehab, a family company with 9+ facilities across western Wisconsin and Minnesota. They've been family-owned and operated for over 23 years.

What makes them special?

The Thayers don't do corporate group meetings - when they bought Pine Crest, they showed up 48 hours after the county board approved the sale to meet every employee one-on-one. They even brought Arthur, their therapy dog, because apparently they understand that nursing home employees need emotional support too.

Their motto: "Together we create a family." And unlike most corporate speak, they seem to actually mean it. I am anxiously awaiting the day that a frum power couple in the nursing home world takes its place. What a sight that would be.

Ok the rest have under 5 homes and are officially losers and small timers. Just kidding but my wife is calling so I have to wrap this up.

Apparently there's an Alan or Avi Markowitz from 5 towns who owns 2-3 homes as well. Someone please re-assure him by kiddush that 3 homes is the new 10.

The State More Generally

More than 25% of long-term care positions remain unfilled statewide, creating a crisis that threatens facility operations across Wisconsin. The state projects a deficit of 12,000-19,000 nurses by 2040, while certified nursing assistant vacancies reached nearly 30% - double what they were in 2016.

25% of nursing home beds sit empty even though Wisconsin needs 10,000 MORE skilled nursing beds by 2035 as the 65+ population grows 72%.

Translation: Huge demand, no staff to meet it, facilities closing anyway. It's like having a restaurant with reservations booked solid but no cooks to make the food.

The Medicaid Reality Check

Here's the thing: Wisconsin's 91% Medicaid coverage rate actually puts them in the TOP TIER nationally. Most states are still stuck in the 70-80% range, crying poverty while their facilities go broke. Wisconsin figured out you can't run nursing homes on government goodwill and fairy dust and "efficiency".

But even at 91%, Wisconsin still has 14 county-owned facilities left that are likely losing money and the state will continue to see counties selling off these assets.

The irony? Wisconsin's Medicaid rates are now decent enough that private operators can actually make money. Counties spent decades subsidizing these facilities with taxpayer money, and just when the state makes it profitable, counties decide they want out of the healthcare business.

BOTTOM LINE: Wisconsin's abandoning county-owned facilities just as they figured out how to make nursing homes financially viable.

If you can solve the staffing problem, there's serious opportunity here. If you can't, even 5-star counties with decent reimbursement are throwing in the towel.

Ok that's it chevre my chulents getting cold so I'm out. Stay sharp out there.