facebook tracking Lake Mills Care Center, Lake Mills IA: CMS Ratings
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Lake Mills Care Center

All states › Iowa › Lake Mills › Lake Mills Care Center

406 South Tenth Avenue East Lake Mills, IA 50450 · Winnebago County

(641) 592-4900

Accepts Medicare Accepts Medicaid 61 certified beds For profit

CMS certification number 165366 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare

Ratings come from CMS and are updated monthly; these are from October 2026. Check the latest inspection report and visit in person before you decide.

Is Lake Mills 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 Lake Mills Care Center as of October 2026.

CMS rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall, above the Iowa average of 3.1. Inspectors issued 9 citations in the last three years. CMS reports no fines or payment denials in that time. For short-term rehab patients CMS rates quality 3 out of 5; for long-term residents, 5 out of 5. Those results differ a lot, so ask about the unit your family member would be on.

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.

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Compare with the 3 closest homes

Staffing

Nursing staff spend about 3.44 hours per resident per day at Lake Mills Care Center, below the Iowa median of 3.76 (US median: 3.72). About 0.35 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 3.11 hours, 9% below its all-week average. 33.3% of nursing staff left within a year (Iowa median 41.7%).

Nursing care per resident per day 3.44 hours
Below the Iowa median of 3.76 Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and aides combined, from payroll records.
Registered nurse hours 0.35 per resident a day RNs handle assessments, medications and changes in condition.
Weekend nursing care 3.11 hours Per resident a day. A big drop from weekdays can mean thin weekend staffing.
Nursing staff turnover 33.3% a year Share of nursing staff who left over a year. Lower usually means steadier care.
Registered nurse turnover — Share of registered nurses who left over a year.
Administrators who left 0 in the past year Frequent leadership changes are worth asking about on a visit.

About this nursing home

Certified beds61
Residents per day 44 About 72% of beds filled, on average
OwnershipFor profit - Corporation
Payment acceptedMedicare and Medicaid
Certified sinceOctober 1997
Part of a chainLegacy Healthcare
Legal business nameLAKE MILLS IA SKILLED NURSING FACILITY LLC

Paying for care at Lake Mills Care Center: Medicare and Medicaid

Lake Mills 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 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 15, 2026 and found 1 deficiency, plus 4 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 Lake Mills Care Center across 4 inspection dates, 4 of them from complaint investigations. 1 was at the actual-harm level (G–I), most recently on October 16, 2025. The most common areas cited were freedom from abuse, neglect, and exploitation (3) and quality of life and care (3). The most serious was cited under the CMS rule to "provide safe, appropriate pain management for a resident who requires such services" (tag F0697, level G, October 16, 2025). 3 citations were under CMS's abuse, neglect and exploitation rules.

August 18, 2026 · 3 citations · includes complaint inspection

DProtect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies · Tag F0600 · Complaint inspection · Past Non-Compliance

DTimely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies · Tag F0609 · Complaint inspection · Past Non-Compliance

DRespond appropriately to all alleged violations.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies · Tag F0610 · Complaint inspection · Past Non-Compliance

April 15, 2026 · 1 citation

EProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies · Tag F0812 · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (May 1, 2026)

October 16, 2025 · 1 citation, includes actual harm · includes complaint inspection

GProvide safe, appropriate pain management for a resident who requires such services.

Actual harm · Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Tag F0697 · Complaint inspection · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Oct 27, 2025)

April 9, 2025 · 4 citations

DDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies · Tag F0656 · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Apr 30, 2025)

DProvide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Tag F0684 · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Apr 30, 2025)

DProvide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Tag F0686 · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Apr 30, 2025)

CPost nurse staffing information every day.

Potential for minimal harm · Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies · Tag F0732 · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Apr 30, 2025)

Questions to ask on a tour of Lake Mills Care Center

  1. Inspectors cited the home at the actual-harm level on October 16, 2025 under the rule on quality of life and care. What changed afterwards, and can I see the plan of correction?
  2. CMS cited the home under its abuse and neglect rules on August 18, 2026. How are staff trained, and how are concerns reported?
  3. Do you have a Medicaid bed open now, and will you admit someone whose Medicaid application is still pending?
  4. 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 monthOverallInspectionStaffingQuality
October 2026 4/5 3/5 3/5 5/5
August 2026 4/5 3/5 3/5 5/5
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Location

Hospitals near Lake Mills 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.

Hospital ratings, ER visit times and more at Hospitals In Each State
Source: CMS Care Compare. Distances are approximate.

Nearby nursing homes

Good Samaritan - Forest City Forest City · 16.7 mi away ★★★★☆ Inspection 4/5 · Staffing 4/5 43 beds · Medicaid
Timely Mission Nursing Home Buffalo Center · 17.0 mi away ★★★★★ Inspection 5/5 · Staffing 3/5 42 beds · Medicaid
Lutheran Retirement Home Northwood · 21.9 mi away ★★☆☆☆ Inspection 1/5 · Staffing 5/5 42 beds · Medicaid
Titonka Care Center Titonka · 26.9 mi away ★★★★★ Inspection 4/5 · Staffing 5/5 26 beds · Medicaid
Manly Specialty Care Manly · 27.3 mi away ★★★☆☆ Inspection 2/5 · Staffing 5/5 44 beds · Medicaid

More nursing homes near Lake Mills Care Center ›   All nursing homes in Lake Mills ›

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Other Legacy Healthcare nursing homes in Iowa

Affiliation comes from CMS's affiliated-entity data, October 2026. All 96 Legacy 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.

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https://www.nursinghomesineachstate.com/iowa/lake-mills/lake-mills-care-center/ · Data: CMS, October 2026 · Nursing Homes In Each State, not affiliated with CMS or Medicare.