The unlikely story of how Obamacare penalties benefit long-term care facilities

One of the lesser-known provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is paying off in a big way for long-term care and rehabilitation facilities — and for the patients who are sent there to finish their recovery instead of heading home to fend for themselves. The ACA penalizes hospitals when patients are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. In an effort to avoid that penalty, hospitals are increasingly looking to partner with assisted living and rehabilitation facilities that…