All states › New York › Herkimer › Valley Health Services
690 West German Street Herkimer, NY 13350 · Herkimer County
All 2 nursing homes in Herkimer, NY (2 take Medicaid)
CMS certification number 335672 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare
Is Valley Health Services 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 Valley Health Services as of October 2026.
CMS rates it 2 out of 5 stars overall, below the New York 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 3.59 hours per resident per day at Valley Health Services, about the same as the New York median of 3.57 (US median: 3.72). About 0.61 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 3.05 hours, 15% below its all-week average. Ask how weekends are staffed. 41.2% of nursing staff left within a year (New York median 38.3%).
About this nursing home
Paying for care at Valley Health Services: Medicare and Medicaid
Valley Health Services 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 New York'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 9, 2026 and found 12 deficiencies. In total, inspectors issued 25 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 25 citations at Valley Health Services across 4 inspection dates, 6 of them from complaint investigations. 1 was at the actual-harm level (G–I), most recently on November 18, 2021. The most common areas cited were quality of life and care (10) and nursing and physician services (3). The most serious was cited under the CMS rule to "ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents" (tag F0689, level G, November 18, 2021).
January 9, 2026 · 12 citations
EAllow residents to self-administer drugs if determined clinically appropriate.
EProvide appropriate colostomy, urostomy, or ileostomy care/services for a resident who requires such services.
EProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
DDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
DProvide activities to meet all resident's needs.
DProvide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
DProvide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services.
DProvide care or services that was trauma informed and/or culturally competent.
DProvide the appropriate treatment and services to a resident who displays or is diagnosed with mental disorder or psychosocial adjustment difficulty, or who has a history of trauma and/or post-traumatic stress disorder.
DEnsure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
DMake sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
BPost nurse staffing information every day.
May 23, 2024 · 1 citation · includes complaint inspection
DProvide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
January 12, 2024 · 7 citations · includes complaint inspection
EProvide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
EProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
DHonor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
DDevelop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
DPost nurse staffing information every day.
DProvide the appropriate treatment and services to a resident who displays or is diagnosed with dementia.
DProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
November 18, 2021 · 5 citations, includes actual harm
GEnsure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
DProvide activities to meet all resident's needs.
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.
DEnsure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.
DProcure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Questions to ask on a tour of Valley Health Services
- Inspectors cited the home at the actual-harm level on November 18, 2021 under the rule on quality of life and care. What changed afterwards, and can I see the plan of correction?
- Weekend staffing is 15% below the all-week average. Who is on duty on Saturday nights?
- CMS rates short-stay quality 2 out of 5. How often do rehab patients go back to the hospital, and how many therapy sessions a week are typical?
- 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
CMS reports no fines or payment denials for this home in the last three years.
Rating history
| CMS month | Overall | Inspection | Staffing | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 |
| August 2026 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 |
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Location
Hospitals near Valley Health Services
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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7.7 mi
Little Falls Hospital Little FallsEmergency room ★★☆☆☆ Medicare overall 2 of 5Median ER visit 1h 49m for patients treated and sent home
- 14.3 mi
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14.9 mi
Wynn Hospital UticaEmergency room ★☆☆☆☆ Medicare overall 1 of 5Median ER visit 3h 31m 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 Valley Health Services › All nursing homes in Herkimer ›
Compare Valley Health Services with the 3 closest homes side by side ›
Higher-rated nursing homes within 10 miles
- Alpine Rehabilitation and Nursing Center · Little Falls · 3 stars · 7.6 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.