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427 Legion Street Wauneta, NE 69045 · Chase County
CMS certification number 285220 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare
Is Wauneta Care and Therapy 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 Wauneta Care and Therapy Center as of October 2026.
CMS rates it 2 out of 5 stars overall, below the Nebraska average of 2.9.
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 3.73 hours per resident per day at Wauneta Care and Therapy Center, below the Nebraska median of 3.99 (US median: 3.72). About 0.59 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 3.28 hours, 12% below its all-week average. 62.5% of nursing staff left within a year (Nebraska median 47.6%). High turnover can mean residents see unfamiliar caregivers; ask how long the nurses on the unit have worked there.
About this nursing home
Paying for care at Wauneta Care and Therapy Center: Medicare and Medicaid
Wauneta Care and Therapy 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 August 3, 2026 and found 2 deficiencies, plus 4 from complaint inspections in the same period. In total, inspectors issued 18 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 18 citations at Wauneta Care and Therapy Center across 3 inspection dates, 4 of them from complaint investigations. 1 was at the actual-harm level (G–I), most recently on May 16, 2024. The most common areas cited were nursing and physician services (5) and pharmacy service (5). 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, May 16, 2024).
August 3, 2026 · 6 citations · includes complaint inspection
FEnsure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.
FProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
FEnsure nurse aides have the skills they need to care for residents, and give nurse aides education in dementia care and abuse prevention.
EDevelop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
DAllow residents to self-administer drugs if determined clinically appropriate.
DEnsure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
May 13, 2025 · 5 citations
FEnsure nurse aides have the skills they need to care for residents, and give nurse aides education in dementia care and abuse prevention.
EEnsure that the resident and his/her doctor meet face-to-face at all required visits.
DObtain a doctor's order to admit a resident and ensure the resident is under a doctor's care.
DEnsure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.
DEnsure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater.
May 16, 2024 · 7 citations, includes actual harm
GProvide safe, appropriate pain management for a resident who requires such services.
FElectronically submit to CMS complete and accurate direct care staffing information, based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data.
FEnsure nurse aides have the skills they need to care for residents, and give nurse aides education in dementia care and abuse prevention.
EDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
EProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
DImplement gradual dose reductions(GDR) and non-pharmacological interventions, unless contraindicated, prior to initiating or instead of continuing psychotropic medication; and PRN orders for psychotropic medications are only used when the medication is necessary and PRN use is limited.
DEnsure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater.
Questions to ask on a tour of Wauneta Care and Therapy Center
- Inspectors cited the home at the actual-harm level on May 16, 2024 under the rule on quality of life and care. What changed afterwards, and can I see the plan of correction?
- Nursing staff turnover was 62.5% a year. How many of the staff come from agencies?
- 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
1 penalty in the last three years.
| Date | Type | Amount or length |
|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2024 | Payment Denial | 15 days of payments denied |
Rating history
| CMS month | Overall | Inspection | Staffing | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 |
| August 2026 | 1/5 | 3/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 |
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Location
Hospitals near Wauneta Care and Therapy Center
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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16.2 mi
Chase County Community Hospital ImperialEmergency roomMedian ER visit 2h 25m 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.