All states › Iowa › Council Bluffs › Bethany Lutheran Home
Seven Elliott Street Council Bluffs, IA 51503 · Pottawattamie County
All 5 nursing homes in Council Bluffs, IA (5 take Medicaid)
CMS certification number 165524 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare
Is Bethany Lutheran Home 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 Bethany Lutheran Home as of October 2026.
CMS rates it 1 out of 5 stars overall, below 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 3.97 hours per resident per day at Bethany Lutheran Home, above the Iowa median of 3.76 (US median: 3.72). About 0.32 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 3.65 hours, 8% below its all-week average. 40.4% of nursing staff left within a year (Iowa median 41.7%).
About this nursing home
Paying for care at Bethany Lutheran Home: Medicare and Medicaid
Bethany Lutheran Home 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 October 2, 2025 and found 6 deficiencies, plus 3 from complaint inspections in the same period. In total, inspectors issued 43 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 43 citations at Bethany Lutheran Home across 9 inspection dates, 15 of them from complaint investigations. 2 were at the immediate-jeopardy level (J–L), CMS's most serious category, most recently on October 2, 2025 (complaint inspection). The most common areas cited were quality of life and care (12) and resident assessment and care planning (12). 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 J, October 2, 2025). 2 citations were under CMS's abuse, neglect and exploitation rules.
May 21, 2026 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DProtect each resident from the wrongful use of the resident's belongings or money.
October 2, 2025 · 8 citations, includes immediate jeopardy · includes complaint inspection
JEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
FProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
EProvide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
DAssess the resident when there is a significant change in condition
DCoordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed.
DDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
DEnsure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
DEnsure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
May 30, 2025 · 2 citations, includes actual harm · includes complaint inspection
GEnsure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
DEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
March 13, 2025 · 4 citations · includes complaint inspection
DHonor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
DTimely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
DDevelop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
DEnsure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
October 31, 2024 · 8 citations
EProvide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
EHave a registered nurse on duty 8 hours a day; and select a registered nurse to be the director of nurses on a full time basis.
EProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
DProvide timely notification to the resident, and if applicable to the resident representative and ombudsman, before transfer or discharge, including appeal rights.
DNotify the resident or the resident’s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident’s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave.
DCoordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed.
DProvide the appropriate treatment and services to a resident who displays or is diagnosed with dementia.
DProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
August 12, 2024 · 2 citations, includes actual harm · includes complaint inspection
GEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
DDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
May 14, 2024 · 2 citations · includes complaint inspection
EHonor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
DEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
November 2, 2023 · 2 citations, includes immediate jeopardy · includes complaint inspection
JProvide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
DEnsure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
August 21, 2023 · 14 citations, includes actual harm
GProvide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
EProvide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
DHonor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
DHonor the resident's right to voice grievances without discrimination or reprisal and the facility must establish a grievance policy and make prompt efforts to resolve grievances.
DNotify the resident or the resident’s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident’s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave.
DDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
DEnsure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
DProvide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
DProvide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
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.
DProvide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services.
DEnsure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
DProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Questions to ask on a tour of Bethany Lutheran Home
- Inspectors cited the home at the immediate-jeopardy level on October 2, 2025 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 21, 2026. How are staff trained, and how are concerns reported?
- CMS rates short-stay quality 2 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
2 penalties in the last three years, including $27,771 in fines.
| Date | Type | Amount or length |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2, 2025 | Fine | $16,588 |
| Nov 2, 2023 | Fine | $11,183 |
Rating history
| CMS month | Overall | Inspection | Staffing | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 |
| August 2026 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 |
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Location
Hospitals near Bethany Lutheran Home
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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0.9 mi
Jennie Edmundson Hospital Council BluffsEmergency room ★★★☆☆ Medicare overall 3 of 5Median ER visit 2h 30m for patients treated and sent home
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1.1 mi
Alegent Health Mercy Hospital Council BluffsEmergency room ★★★★★ Medicare overall 5 of 5Median ER visit 2h 51m for patients treated and sent home
- 7.1 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 Bethany Lutheran Home › All nursing homes in Council Bluffs ›
Compare Bethany Lutheran Home with the 3 closest homes side by side ›
Higher-rated nursing homes within 10 miles
- Midlands Living Center · Council Bluffs · 5 stars · 1.6 mi
- Prairie Gate · Council Bluffs · 3 stars · 0.8 mi
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.