Ensign Group says it bought 2 skilled nursing facilities in Idaho, and 1 in Utah

Ensign says it bought 3 nursing facilities

MISSION VIEJO, Calif. — Nursing services company The Ensign Group Inc. said Monday it acquired two skilled nursing facilities in Idaho and one in Utah for an undisclosed price.

Ensign said it bought the Emmett Care & Rehabilitation Center, located in Emmett, Idaho, and the Park View Rehabilitation and Care Center, which is based in Burley, Idaho.

It also acquired the Paramount Health & Rehabilitation Center of Salt Lake City, which it had leased about a year ago.

The company said the Emmett facility has 72 beds and Park View has 86. It expects the two Idaho locations to add to its profit in 2010. The Paramount center likely added to its profit in the fourth quarter of 2009. Ensign said the Paramount purchase includes the rights to 14 more Medicaid beds.

The Paramount acquisition was effective Dec. 31 and the Idaho acquisitions were effective Jan. 1. Ensign Group now runs a total of 79 skilled nursing facilities in California, Arizona, Texas, Washington, Utah, Idaho and Colorado. It owns 49 of the facilities outright.