All states › California › Merced › Golden Merced Care Center
3170 M Street Merced, CA 95340 · Merced County
All 6 nursing homes in Merced, CA (6 take Medicaid)
CMS certification number 055988 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare
Is Golden Merced Care Center a good nursing home? Reviews, ratings and inspection record
There are no official resident reviews of nursing homes: Medicare's Care Compare publishes inspections, staffing and quality data instead. Here is what that record shows for Golden Merced Care Center as of October 2026.
CMS rates it 3 out of 5 stars overall, about the same as the California average of 3.2.
Online reviews from families and residents are on Google Maps and other sites; they reflect individual experiences and aren't checked by CMS. The full inspection reports, including what inspectors observed, are on Medicare Care Compare.
Staffing
Nursing staff spend about 4.02 hours per resident per day at Golden Merced Care Center, below the California median of 4.27 (US median: 3.72). About 0.37 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 3.61 hours, 10% below its all-week average. 54.2% of nursing staff left within a year (California median 36%). High turnover can mean residents see unfamiliar caregivers; ask how long the nurses on the unit have worked there.
About this nursing home
Paying for care at Golden Merced Care Center: Medicare and Medicaid
Golden Merced Care Center is certified for both Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare Part A can cover a short skilled-nursing or rehab stay here after a qualifying hospital stay of at least three inpatient days (observation days don't count), for up to 100 days per benefit period. Medicaid can pay for long-term care for residents who meet California's income and asset rules. Being certified doesn't guarantee a Medicaid bed is open, so ask whether the home accepts residents whose Medicaid application is still pending.
In 2026 Medicare covers days 1–20 in full after the Part A deductible ($1,736 per benefit period); for days 21–100 you pay $217 a day; after day 100 you pay all costs. Medicare doesn't pay for long-term custodial care. Medicare's coverage rules.
Health inspections
The most recent standard inspection was on March 21, 2025 and found 9 deficiencies, plus 7 from complaint inspections in the same period. In total, inspectors issued 34 citations in the last three years.
Each citation has a scope and severity letter from A to L. A–C: potential for minimal harm. D–F: potential for more than minimal harm. G–I: actual harm. J–L: immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety.
What the inspections found
Over the last three years, inspectors issued 34 citations at Golden Merced Care Center across 17 inspection dates, 16 of them from complaint investigations. 1 was at the actual-harm level (G–I), most recently on April 12, 2019. The most common areas cited were quality of life and care (10) and resident assessment and care planning (8). The most serious was cited under the CMS rule to "ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents" (tag F0689, level G, April 12, 2019). 1 citation was under CMS's abuse, neglect and exploitation rules.
August 20, 2026 · 2 citations · includes complaint inspection
DProvide appropriate foot care.
DEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
May 19, 2026 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DProtect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
May 1, 2026 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
April 9, 2026 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
November 19, 2025 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DEnsure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
July 16, 2025 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
July 11, 2025 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
June 11, 2025 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
April 2, 2025 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
EEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
March 21, 2025 · 10 citations · includes complaint inspection
EReasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident.
ECreate and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admitted
EDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
EEnsure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
EEnsure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.
EProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
EProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
DHonor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
DAssess the resident when there is a significant change in condition
DProvide for the safe, appropriate administration of IV fluids for a resident when needed.
February 10, 2025 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
EKeep residents' personal and medical records private and confidential.
November 22, 2024 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
November 7, 2024 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
EEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
May 2, 2024 · 2 citations
DProvide each resident with a nourishing, palatable, well-balanced diet that meets his or her daily nutritional and special dietary needs.
DArrange for the provision of hospice services or assist the resident in transferring to a facility that will arrange for the provision of hospice services.
October 17, 2023 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DHonor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
October 4, 2023 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
FProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
April 12, 2019 · 7 citations, includes actual harm
GEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
FConduct and document a facility-wide assessment to determine what resources are necessary to care for residents competently during both day-to-day operations (including nights and weekends) and emergencies.
FImplement a program that monitors antibiotic use.
EProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
DEnsure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
DEnsure that nurses and nurse aides have the appropriate competencies to care for every resident in a way that maximizes each resident's well being.
DProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Questions to ask on a tour of Golden Merced Care Center
- Inspectors cited the home at the actual-harm level on April 12, 2019 under the rule on quality of life and care. What changed afterwards, and can I see the plan of correction?
- CMS cited the home under its abuse and neglect rules on May 19, 2026. How are staff trained, and how are concerns reported?
- Nursing staff turnover was 54.2% a year. How many of the staff come from agencies?
- CMS rates short-stay quality 1 out of 5. How often do rehab patients go back to the hospital, and how many therapy sessions a week are typical?
- Do you have a Medicaid bed open now, and will you admit someone whose Medicaid application is still pending?
- When is the first care-plan meeting, and can family attend?
Questions come from this home's CMS data: its inspections, staffing and ownership record.
Fines and payment denials
CMS reports no fines or payment denials for this home in the last three years.
Rating history
| CMS month | Overall | Inspection | Staffing | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 |
| August 2026 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
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Location
Hospitals near Golden Merced Care Center
The Medicare-certified hospitals closest to this nursing home, with their CMS data. Ask the home which hospital it usually sends residents to.
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1.5 mi
Mercy Medical Ctr Merced MercedEmergency room ★★★☆☆ Medicare overall 3 of 5Median ER visit 3h 44m for patients treated and sent home
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24.0 mi
Emanuel Medical Center INC TurlockEmergency room ★★☆☆☆ Medicare overall 2 of 5Median ER visit 3h 10m for patients treated and sent home
Hospital ratings, ER visit times and more at Hospitals In Each State
Source: CMS Care Compare. Distances are approximate.
Nearby nursing homes
More nursing homes near Golden Merced Care Center › All nursing homes in Merced ›
Compare Golden Merced Care Center with the 3 closest homes side by side ›
Higher-rated nursing homes within 10 miles
- Merced Behavioral Center · Merced · 5 stars · 1.6 mi
- Anberry Nursing and Rehabilitation Center · Atwater · 5 stars · 7.0 mi
- Franciscan Post-Acute Care Center · Merced · 4 stars · 0.5 mi
- Anberry Post Acute · Merced · 4 stars · 3.2 mi
Other Golden SNF Operations nursing homes in California
- Golden Heights Healthcare · Daly City · 5 stars
- Golden Modesto Care Center · Modesto · 2 stars
- Golden San Andreas Care Center · San Andreas · 2 stars
- Golden Sonora Care Center · Sonora · 1 stars
- Golden Pavilion Healthcare · Daly City · 1 stars
Affiliation comes from CMS's affiliated-entity data, October 2026. All 6 Golden SNF Operations nursing homes ›
Source: CMS Provider Data Catalog (provider information, health deficiencies, penalties), October 2026. Inspection citations and penalties cover the last three years. Nursing Homes In Each State is independent and not affiliated with CMS or Medicare. About the data · Report a problem with this listing. Is this your nursing home? Feature it here.