All states › Iowa › Ames › Accura Healthcare of Ames
3440 Grand Avenue Ames, IA 50010 · Story County
All 3 nursing homes in Ames, IA (2 take Medicaid)
CMS certification number 165423 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare
Is Accura Healthcare of Ames 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 Accura Healthcare of Ames as of October 2026.
CMS rates it 3 out of 5 stars overall, about the same as the Iowa average of 3.1.
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 3.03 hours per resident per day at Accura Healthcare of Ames, below the Iowa median of 3.76 (US median: 3.72). About 0.68 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 2.56 hours, 16% below its all-week average. Ask how weekends are staffed. 40% of nursing staff left within a year (Iowa median 41.7%).
About this nursing home
Paying for care at Accura Healthcare of Ames: Medicare and Medicaid
Accura Healthcare of Ames 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 Iowa'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 April 16, 2026 and found 4 deficiencies. In total, inspectors issued 19 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 19 citations at Accura Healthcare of Ames across 5 inspection dates, 3 of them from complaint investigations. 1 was at the actual-harm level (G–I), most recently on September 18, 2024. The most common areas cited were resident assessment and care planning (5) and nutrition and dietary (4). 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, September 18, 2024).
April 16, 2026 · 4 citations
DProvide the required documentation or notification related to the resident's needs, appeal rights, or bed-hold policies.
DEnsure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
DDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
DProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
March 26, 2025 · 5 citations
DCoordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed.
DEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
DProvide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
DProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
DElectronically submit to CMS complete and accurate direct care staffing information, based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data.
September 18, 2024 · 1 citation, includes actual harm · includes complaint inspection
GEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
May 22, 2024 · 8 citations · includes complaint inspection
EEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
EEnsure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.
EProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
DKeep residents' personal and medical records private and confidential.
DCoordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed.
DEnsure 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.
DEnsure menus must meet the nutritional needs of residents, be prepared in advance, be followed, be updated, be reviewed by dietician, and meet the needs of the resident.
DProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
February 21, 2024 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DEnsure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
Questions to ask on a tour of Accura Healthcare of Ames
- Inspectors cited the home at the actual-harm level on September 18, 2024 under the rule on quality of life and care. What changed afterwards, and can I see the plan of correction?
- Weekend staffing is 16% below the all-week average. Who is on duty on Saturday nights?
- 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 | 4/5 | 3/5 |
| August 2026 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 |
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Location
Hospitals near Accura Healthcare of Ames
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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1.6 mi
Mary Greeley Medical Center AmesEmergency room ★★★★☆ Medicare overall 4 of 5Median ER visit 2h 26m for patients treated and sent home
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10.1 mi
Story County Hospital NevadaEmergency roomMedian ER visit 1h 42m for patients treated and sent home
- 13.1 mi
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 Accura Healthcare of Ames › All nursing homes in Ames ›
Compare Accura Healthcare of Ames with the 3 closest homes side by side ›
Higher-rated nursing homes within 10 miles
- Northridge Village · Ames · 5 stars · 1.8 mi
- Green Hills Health Care Center · Ames · 5 stars · 3.9 mi
Other Accura Healthcare nursing homes in Iowa
- Accura Healthcare of New Hampton · New Hampton · 5 stars
- Accura Healthcare of Bancroft · Bancroft · 5 stars
- Accura Healthcare of Sioux City · Sioux City · 5 stars
- Accura Healthcare of Milford · Milford · 5 stars
- Accura Healthcare of Stanton · Stanton · 4 stars
- Accura Healthcare of Ogden · Ogden · 4 stars
Affiliation comes from CMS's affiliated-entity data, October 2026. All 44 Accura Healthcare 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.