The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) publishes a five-star rating for most U.S. nursing homes through its Care Compare program. SeniorCareRating.com shows these ratings exactly as CMS reports them. Here is what each rating means and how to read it.
Key points
✓Ratings run from 1 to 5 stars; some facilities are not rated.
✓There is one overall rating plus three component ratings.
✓Stars are a CMS summary, not a guarantee of current conditions.
The overall rating
The overall star rating is a single 1-to-5 summary that CMS calculates from the three component ratings below. A higher number of stars reflects how the facility compared on the measures CMS uses.
Some facilities show no overall rating. That usually means CMS did not have enough data to calculate one — it is shown as “not rated,” not as a zero.
The three component ratings
Health inspection: based on findings from on-site state inspections over roughly the last three years, including the number, scope, and severity of citations.
Staffing: based on reported nurse and aide staffing levels relative to resident needs, including registered-nurse time.
Quality measures: based on a set of clinical indicators for residents, such as certain care outcomes that CMS tracks over time.
How to use the ratings
Read the overall rating alongside the three components — a facility can rate differently on inspections, staffing, and quality measures. The component view often tells you more than the single number.
Ratings are a starting point for questions, not a final answer. CMS data can lag current conditions, so confirm anything important directly with the facility and with official CMS records before making decisions.
Frequently asked questions
What does a CMS overall rating mean?▾
It is a 1-to-5 star summary CMS calculates from a facility's health-inspection, staffing, and quality-measure ratings. More stars reflect a stronger comparison on the measures CMS uses.
What does “not rated” mean?▾
It means CMS did not have enough information to calculate a rating for that facility. It is shown as not rated, never as zero stars.
Are CMS star ratings current?▾
Ratings are updated periodically and can lag conditions on the ground. Always verify with the facility and official CMS Care Compare records.
Verify with official sources
SeniorCareRating.com organizes public CMS data and is not affiliated with CMS or any facility. Confirm current details on the official CMS Care Compare site and with the facility before making decisions.
SeniorCareRating.com summarizes public CMS data. It is not affiliated with CMS, Medicare.gov, or any nursing home. Data may lag current conditions. This is not medical, legal, or care-placement advice — always verify with official sources and qualified professionals.
