facebook tracking Heritage Care Center, Fairbury NE: CMS Ratings & Inspections
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Heritage Care Center

All states › Nebraska › Fairbury › Heritage Care Center

909 17th Street Fairbury, NE 68352 · Jefferson County

(402) 729-2289

All 2 nursing homes in Fairbury, NE (2 take Medicaid)

Accepts Medicare Accepts Medicaid 100 certified beds Non profit

CMS certification number 285262 · 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 Heritage 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 Heritage Care Center as of October 2026.

CMS rates it 3 out of 5 stars overall, about the same as the Nebraska average of 2.9. Inspectors issued 11 citations in the last three years. CMS reports no fines or payment denials in that time.

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 2.45 hours per resident per day at Heritage Care Center, below the Nebraska median of 3.99 (US median: 3.72). About 0.76 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 1.65 hours, 33% below its all-week average. Ask how weekends are staffed. 52.4% of nursing staff left within a year (Nebraska median 47.6%).

Nursing care per resident per day 2.45 hours
Below the Nebraska median of 3.99 Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and aides combined, from payroll records.
Registered nurse hours 0.76 per resident a day RNs handle assessments, medications and changes in condition.
Weekend nursing care 1.65 hours Per resident a day. A big drop from weekdays can mean thin weekend staffing.
Nursing staff turnover 52.4% a year Share of nursing staff who left over a year. Lower usually means steadier care.
Registered nurse turnover 0% a year Share of registered nurses who left over a year.
Administrators who left 1 in the past year Frequent leadership changes are worth asking about on a visit.

About this nursing home

Certified beds100
Residents per day 46 About 46% of beds filled, on average
OwnershipNon profit - Corporation
Payment acceptedMedicare and Medicaid
Certified sinceJuly 2004
Part of a chainVetter Senior Living
Legal business nameVSL FAIRBURY LLC

Paying for care at Heritage Care Center: Medicare and Medicaid

Heritage 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 Nebraska'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 June 17, 2025 and found 2 deficiencies, plus 2 from complaint inspections in the same period. In total, inspectors issued 11 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 11 citations at Heritage Care Center across 5 inspection dates, 5 of them from complaint investigations. None were at the actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy levels; 11 were "potential for more than minimal harm" (D–F) and 0 were minimal (A–C). The most common areas cited were pharmacy service (3) and quality of life and care (2). The most serious was cited under the CMS rule to "procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards" (tag F0812, level F, June 17, 2025). 1 citation was under CMS's abuse, neglect and exploitation rules.

August 5, 2025 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection

EEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Tag F0689 · Complaint inspection · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Aug 29, 2025)

June 17, 2025 · 4 citations · includes complaint inspection

FProcure 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 · Complaint inspection · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Jul 25, 2025)

FKeep all essential equipment working safely.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Environmental Deficiencies · Tag F0908 · Complaint inspection · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Jul 25, 2025)

DEnsure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Pharmacy Service Deficiencies · Tag F0759 · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Jul 25, 2025)

DEnsure that residents are free from significant medication errors.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Pharmacy Service Deficiencies · Tag F0760 · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Jul 25, 2025)

February 19, 2025 · 2 citations · includes complaint inspection

EImmediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Resident Rights Deficiencies · Tag F0580 · Complaint inspection · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Mar 7, 2025)

DEnsure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Pharmacy Service Deficiencies · Tag F0757 · Complaint inspection · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Mar 7, 2025)

May 2, 2024 · 2 citations

DProvide specialized rehabilitative services by qualified personnel, when ordered for a resident by a doctor.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Tag F0826 · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (May 24, 2024)

DProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Infection Control Deficiencies · Tag F0880 · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (May 24, 2024)

June 16, 2023 · 2 citations

DImmediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Resident Rights Deficiencies · Tag F0580 · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Jul 17, 2023)

DProtect each resident from the wrongful use of the resident's belongings or money.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies · Tag F0602 · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Jul 17, 2023)

Questions to ask on a tour of Heritage Care Center

  1. CMS cited the home under its abuse and neglect rules on June 16, 2023. How are staff trained, and how are concerns reported?
  2. Weekend staffing is 33% below the all-week average. Who is on duty on Saturday nights?
  3. The home averages about 46% of its beds filled. Are any units closed?
  4. Do you have a Medicaid bed open now, and will you admit someone whose Medicaid application is still pending?
  5. 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 3/5 3/5 3/5 4/5
August 2026 3/5 3/5 3/5 4/5
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Location

Hospitals near Heritage 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

Jefferson Community Health & Life Gardenside Fairbury · 0.4 mi away ★★★★★ Inspection 5/5 · Staffing 4/5 39 beds · Medicaid
Blue Valley Lutheran Nursing Home Hebron · 22.1 mi away ★★★★☆ Inspection 5/5 · Staffing 4/5 64 beds · Medicaid
Good Samaritan Society - Beatrice Beatrice · 24.9 mi away ★★★☆☆ Inspection 3/5 · Staffing 4/5 80 beds · Medicaid
Beatrice Health and Rehabilitation Beatrice · 25.0 mi away ★★★★★ Inspection 5/5 · Staffing 2/5 87 beds · Medicaid
Wilber Care Center Wilber · 25.9 mi away ★★☆☆☆ Inspection 2/5 · Staffing 3/5 58 beds · Medicaid

More nursing homes near Heritage Care Center ›   All nursing homes in Fairbury ›

Compare Heritage Care Center with the 3 closest homes side by side ›

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Other Vetter Senior Living nursing homes in Nebraska

Affiliation comes from CMS's affiliated-entity data, October 2026. All 22 Vetter Senior Living 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/nebraska/fairbury/heritage-care-center/ · Data: CMS, October 2026 · Nursing Homes In Each State, not affiliated with CMS or Medicare.