All states › Missouri › Columbia › The Bluffs
3105 Bluff Creek Drive Columbia, MO 65201 · Boone County
All 8 nursing homes in Columbia, MO (8 take Medicaid)
CMS certification number 265498 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare
Is The Bluffs 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 The Bluffs as of October 2026.
CMS rates it 1 out of 5 stars overall, below the Missouri average of 2.6.
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 4.33 hours per resident per day at The Bluffs, above the Missouri median of 3.37 (US median: 3.72). About 0.53 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 3.94 hours, 9% below its all-week average. 63.6% of nursing staff left within a year (Missouri median 56.8%).
About this nursing home
Paying for care at The Bluffs: Medicare and Medicaid
The Bluffs 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 Missouri'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 January 30, 2026 and found 13 deficiencies. In total, inspectors issued 41 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 41 citations at The Bluffs across 9 inspection dates, 16 of them from complaint investigations. 1 was at the immediate-jeopardy level (J–L), CMS's most serious category, most recently on November 1, 2024 (complaint inspection). The most common areas cited were resident rights (9) and quality of life and care (8). The most serious was cited under the CMS rule to "provide and implement an infection prevention and control program" (tag F0880, level J, November 1, 2024). 5 citations were under CMS's abuse, neglect and exploitation rules.
January 30, 2026 · 13 citations
FEnsure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
FEnsure 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.
FProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
FProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
FImplement a program that monitors antibiotic use.
FEducate residents and staff on COVID-19 vaccination, offer the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible residents and staff after education, and properly document each resident and staff member's vaccination status.
EHonor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
EHonor the resident's right to request, refuse, and/or discontinue treatment, to participate in or refuse to participate in experimental research, and to formulate an advance directive.
EImmediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.
EDevelop and implement policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft.
EDevelop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
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.
DEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
February 24, 2025 · 1 citation, includes actual harm · includes complaint inspection
GEnsure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
January 14, 2025 · 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.
November 1, 2024 · 9 citations, includes immediate jeopardy · includes complaint inspection
JProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
EHonor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely.
EProvide timely notification to the resident, and if applicable to the resident representative and ombudsman, before transfer or discharge, including appeal rights.
ENotify 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.
EDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
EEnsure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
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.
DImmediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.
May 20, 2024 · 2 citations · includes complaint inspection
DDevelop and implement policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft.
DTimely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
April 25, 2024 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
FProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
January 11, 2024 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DRespond appropriately to all alleged violations.
December 7, 2023 · 5 citations · includes complaint inspection
EEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
EProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
DHonor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely.
DTimely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
DProvide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
June 29, 2023 · 8 citations
FProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
EDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
EProvide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
EEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
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.
EProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
DImmediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.
DProvide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
Questions to ask on a tour of The Bluffs
- Inspectors cited the home at the immediate-jeopardy level on November 1, 2024 under the rule on infection control. What changed afterwards, and can I see the plan of correction?
- CMS cited the home under its abuse and neglect rules on January 30, 2026. 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 $37,621 in fines.
| Date | Type | Amount or length |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 14, 2025 | Fine | $9,110 |
| Jan 14, 2025 | Fine | $9,110 |
| Nov 1, 2024 | Fine | $19,401 |
Rating history
| CMS month | Overall | Inspection | Staffing | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 |
| August 2026 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
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Location
Hospitals near The Bluffs
The Medicare-certified hospitals closest to this nursing home, with their CMS data. Ask the home which hospital it usually sends residents to.
- 2.3 mi
-
2.3 mi
University Hospital & Medical Center TamaracEmergency room ★★☆☆☆ Medicare overall 2 of 5Median ER visit 2h 13m for patients treated and sent home
-
2.3 mi
University Hospitals & Clinics ColumbiaEmergency room ★★★☆☆ Medicare overall 3 of 5Median ER visit 3h 42m 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
More nursing homes near The Bluffs › All nursing homes in Columbia ›
Compare The Bluffs with the 3 closest homes side by side ›
Higher-rated nursing homes within 10 miles
- Lenoir Health Care Center · Columbia · 5 stars · 0.6 mi
- Columbia Post Acute · Columbia · 5 stars · 3.0 mi
- Columbia Manor Health & Rehabilitation · Columbia · 3 stars · 0.8 mi
- Neighborhoods Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing · Columbia · 2 stars · 0.2 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.