All states › Kansas › Little River › Sandstone Heights
440 State Street Little River, KS 67457 · Rice County
CMS certification number 175509 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare
Is Sandstone Heights 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 Sandstone Heights as of October 2026.
CMS rates it 2 out of 5 stars overall, below the Kansas 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 4.32 hours per resident per day at Sandstone Heights, above the Kansas median of 3.96 (US median: 3.72). About 1.09 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 3.92 hours, 9% below its all-week average. 51.4% of nursing staff left within a year (Kansas median 47.5%).
About this nursing home
Paying for care at Sandstone Heights: Medicare and Medicaid
Sandstone Heights 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 Kansas'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 13, 2025 and found 1 deficiency, plus 4 from complaint inspections in the same period. In total, inspectors issued 20 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 20 citations at Sandstone Heights across 4 inspection dates, 5 of them from complaint investigations. 1 was at the immediate-jeopardy level (J–L), CMS's most serious category, most recently on January 16, 2024 (complaint inspection). The most common areas cited were infection control (4) and resident assessment and care planning (4). The most serious was cited under the CMS rule to "protect each resident from the wrongful use of the resident's belongings or money" (tag F0602, level J, January 16, 2024). 1 citation was under CMS's abuse, neglect and exploitation rules.
March 13, 2025 · 5 citations · includes complaint inspection
GEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
FElectronically submit to CMS complete and accurate direct care staffing information, based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data.
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 the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
DProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
January 16, 2024 · 1 citation, includes immediate jeopardy · includes complaint inspection
JProtect each resident from the wrongful use of the resident's belongings or money.
June 15, 2023 · 9 citations
FHave 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.
FProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
FMake sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
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.
DHonor the resident's right to be treated with respect and dignity and to retain and use personal possessions.
DEnsure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
DPlan the resident's discharge to meet the resident's goals and needs.
DEnsure necessary information is communicated to the resident, and receiving health care provider at the time of a planned discharge.
DProvide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
November 4, 2021 · 5 citations
FDesignate a qualified infection preventionist to be responsible for the infection prevent and control program in the nursing home.
EImplement a program that monitors antibiotic use.
DEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
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.
DProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Questions to ask on a tour of Sandstone Heights
- Inspectors cited the home at the immediate-jeopardy level on January 16, 2024 under the rule on freedom from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. What changed afterwards, and can I see the plan of correction?
- CMS cited the home under its abuse and neglect rules on January 16, 2024. How are staff trained, and how are concerns reported?
- 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 $67,763 in fines.
| Date | Type | Amount or length |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 13, 2025 | Fine | $41,262 |
| Mar 13, 2025 | Payment Denial | 40 days of payments denied |
| Jan 16, 2024 | Fine | $26,501 |
Rating history
| CMS month | Overall | Inspection | Staffing | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 5/5 | 1/5 |
| August 2026 | 1/5 | 2/5 | 4/5 | 1/5 |
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Location
Hospitals near Sandstone Heights
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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11.5 mi
Hospital District #1 of Rice County LyonsEmergency roomMedian ER visit 1h 40m for patients treated and sent home
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18.8 mi
McPherson Hospital McPhersonEmergency room ★★☆☆☆ Medicare overall 2 of 5Median ER visit 1h 49m for patients treated and sent home
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21.7 mi
Lindsborg Community Hospital LindsborgEmergency roomMedian ER visit 1h 49m 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.
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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.