All states › Iowa › Forest City › Good Samaritan - Forest City
606 South Seventh Street Forest City, IA 50436 · Winnebago County
CMS certification number 165213 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare
Is Good Samaritan - Forest City 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 Good Samaritan - Forest City as of October 2026.
CMS rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall, above 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 3.49 hours per resident per day at Good Samaritan - Forest City, below the Iowa median of 3.76 (US median: 3.72). About 0.91 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 3.13 hours, 10% below its all-week average. 46.7% of nursing staff left within a year (Iowa median 41.7%).
About this nursing home
Paying for care at Good Samaritan - Forest City: Medicare and Medicaid
Good Samaritan - Forest City 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 August 7, 2025 and found 1 deficiency, plus 1 from complaint inspections in the same period. In total, inspectors issued 9 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 9 citations at Good Samaritan - Forest City across 3 inspection dates, 3 of them from complaint investigations. 1 was at the immediate-jeopardy level (J–L), CMS's most serious category, most recently on October 19, 2023. The most common areas cited were quality of life and care (4) and nutrition and dietary (2). The most serious was cited under the CMS rule to "ensure each resident receives and the facility provides food prepared in a form designed to meet individual needs" (tag F0805, level K, October 19, 2023). 1 citation was under CMS's abuse, neglect and exploitation rules.
August 7, 2025 · 2 citations · includes complaint inspection
DProtect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
DProvide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
September 5, 2024 · 4 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.
DProvide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
DProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
October 19, 2023 · 3 citations, includes immediate jeopardy
KEnsure each resident receives and the facility provides food prepared in a form designed to meet individual needs.
DImmediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.
DProvide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Questions to ask on a tour of Good Samaritan - Forest City
- Inspectors cited the home at the immediate-jeopardy level on October 19, 2023 under the rule on nutrition and dietary. What changed afterwards, and can I see the plan of correction?
- CMS cited the home under its abuse and neglect rules on August 7, 2025. How are staff trained, and how are concerns reported?
- 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
3 penalties in the last three years, including $25,945 in fines.
| Date | Type | Amount or length |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2024 | Fine | $8,824 |
| Oct 19, 2023 | Fine | $17,121 |
| Oct 19, 2023 | Payment Denial | 4 days of payments denied |
Rating history
| CMS month | Overall | Inspection | Staffing | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 |
| August 2026 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 |
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Location
Hospitals near Good Samaritan - Forest City
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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13.9 mi
Hancock County Memorial Hospital BrittEmergency roomMedian ER visit 1h 53m for patients treated and sent home
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22.7 mi
Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa Mason CityEmergency room ★★☆☆☆ Medicare overall 2 of 5Median ER visit 3h 13m 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
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Other Good Samaritan Society nursing homes in Iowa
- Good Samaritan - Saint Ansgar · Saint Ansgar · 5 stars
- Good Samaritan - Manson · Manson · 4 stars
- Good Samaritan - Villisca · Villisca · 4 stars
- Good Samaritan - Lemars · Le Mars · 4 stars
- Good Samaritan - Davenport · Davenport · 3 stars
- Good Samaritan - Holstein · Holstein · 3 stars
Affiliation comes from CMS's affiliated-entity data, October 2026. All 92 Good Samaritan Society 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.