1/5
CMS (the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) is the federal agency that rates nursing home quality. Its Overall Rating runs from 1 to 5 stars, combining health inspections, staffing, and quality measures, with inspections weighted most heavily.
1/5
CMS (the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) is the federal agency that rates nursing home quality. Its Overall Rating runs from 1 to 5 stars, combining health inspections, staffing, and quality measures, with inspections weighted most heavily.
Bethany Life operates a nonprofit continuum of senior care from its 126-bed medical community at 212 Lafayette Avenue in Story City, Iowa. Established over half a century ago, the campus manages resident entry through a unique membership model combining an initial entry fee with a predictable monthly rate to secure lifetime care tiers. Business staff process billing through multiple coverage lines, including traditional out-of-pocket funds, standard federal Medicare, and state Medicaid paths. The property runs with a regular occupancy baseline of roughly 89 percent, supporting individual stays that average 229 days.
On-site health teams coordinate an average of 4 hours of daily hands-on care per resident. Certified nursing assistants distribute the largest portion of these floor hours at 2 hours and 42 minutes, while registered nurses contribute 45 minutes, and licensed practical nurses provide 23 minutes of clinical tracking. This staff handles routine treatments, medication management, and dietitian support within dedicated transitional wings, including the LifeBridge Transitional Care track, Cedar Place, and Timberland Village. For local travel, the surrounding downtown area logs a walkability score of 82 out of 100, which allows visitors and residents to complete daily errands entirely on foot.
Daily lifestyle configurations are built around a central hub featuring dining at Tom & Stevie’s Bistro alongside massage therapy, chaplain services, and organized wellness education. To prevent unnecessary travel, the campus integrates personal emergency response systems and home health aides to assist individuals who reside in the adjacent Twin Homes independent living options. These internal systems are structured to help stabilize physical recovery following major surgeries or complex hospital stays while preserving as much personal independence as possible.
Older adults exploring active neighborhood placement details can call the front reception area to confirm room availability, ask about the lifetime membership tiers, or coordinate a time to see the shared dining spaces.
The Overall CMS Rating combines results from health inspections, staffing levels and quality measures. Health inspections carry the most weight. Staffing and quality scores can increase or decrease the final rating based on performance compared to state and national standards.
Based on the results of the facility's three most recent standard inspections and any complaint investigations. CMS reviews the number, scope, and severity of deficiencies, with more recent findings weighted more heavily.
Measures average nursing staff hours per resident per day, including Registered Nurses (RNs) and total nursing staff. Ratings are adjusted based on the level of care residents require and are compared to state and national benchmarks.
Based on clinical and physical health indicators reported to CMS, such as hospital readmissions, falls, pressure ulcers, and improvements in mobility. These measures reflect how well residents' health needs are being managed.
Daily nursing hours per resident by staff type, reported to CMS. Higher is generally better — compare this facility to state and national averages to see where staffing stands.
Total adjusted nursing hours per resident per day, combining RN, LPN, and aide time. CMS adjusts this for case-mix so facilities can be fairly compared.
| Staff type | Hours / Day / Resident | vs state avg |
|---|---|---|
|
Registered Nurse (RN)
RNs hold the highest nursing license and can assess residents, interpret test results, and direct care plans. More RN hours per day often signals stronger clinical oversight and faster response to health changes.
| 45m per day | ■ Avg State avg: 44m per day · National avg: 41m per day |
|
LPN / LVN
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) or Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) deliver routine hands-on care — medication administration, wound dressing, and monitoring vital signs. They work under RN supervision and make up a large share of daily bedside care.
| 23m per day | ▼ 33% State avg: 34m per day · National avg: 52m per day |
|
Nurse Aide
Certified Nurse Aides (CNAs) provide the most direct day-to-day assistance: bathing, dressing, feeding, and mobility. Nurse aide hours are typically the largest staffing category and directly affect residents' quality of life.
| 2h 42m per day | ▲ 7% State avg: 2h 32m per day · National avg: 2h 20m per day |
|
Weekend Total Nursing
Combined nursing hours (RN + LPN + Nurse Aide) per resident per day on weekends. Staffing often drops on weekends — this figure reveals whether the facility maintains adequate coverage outside of weekday hours.
| 3h 33m per day | ▲ 6% State avg: 3h 21m per day · National avg: 3h 26m per day |
|
Physical Therapist
Hours per resident per day provided by licensed Physical Therapists (PTs) or PT Assistants. PT services help residents recover mobility after injury or illness and are especially important for post-acute (short-stay) rehabilitation.
| 2m per day | ▼ 8% State avg: 2m per day · National avg: 4m per day |
|
Weekend RN
Registered nurse hours specifically on weekends. Facilities sometimes reduce RN presence on Saturdays and Sundays — a low weekend RN figure compared to weekday hours can indicate reduced clinical oversight when most administrative staff are absent.
| 36m per day | ▲ 19% State avg: 30m per day · National avg: 28m per day |
Average number of days residents stay at this facility, based on CMS cost report data. Shorter stays often reflect post-acute or rehab care; longer stays reflect long-term care.
Higher than the Iowa average: 75.4%Bethany Life is administered by Morgan Voga.
In Iowa, the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing conducts unannounced health and safety surveys to monitor compliance and protect residents in long-term care settings.
This scorecard compares key inspection, deficiency, and complaint metrics at this facility against the Iowa state average. Metrics rated ≥15% worse than average are highlighted in red; those ≥15% better are highlighted in green.
Deficiencies
| This Facility | IA Average | vs. IA Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Total deficiencies
Formal regulatory issues recorded by inspectors across all inspection types.
| 73 | 27 | This facility has 170% more total deficiencies than a typical Iowa assisted living residence (73 vs. IA avg 27).↑ 170% worse |
|
Deficiencies per year
Average deficiencies per year since 2020.
| 12.2 | 4.5 | This facility has 171% more deficiencies per year than a typical Iowa assisted living residence (12.2 vs. IA avg 4.5).↑ 171% worse |
|
Deficiencies per inspection
Average deficiencies per inspection.
| 2.3 | 1.8 | This facility has 28% more deficiencies per inspection than a typical Iowa assisted living residence (2.3 vs. IA avg 1.8).↑ 28% worse |
Inspections
| This Facility | IA Average | vs. IA Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Total inspections
Combined count of all routine and focused inspections. Excludes complaint investigations.
| 32 | 15 | This facility has had 113% more total inspections than the Iowa average (32 vs. IA avg 15). More inspections can mean more regulatory scrutiny rather than worse care.↑ 113% more |
An editor-reviewed summary of the themes and findings across this facility's recent inspection reports.
State average N/A
Last Health inspection on Oct 2025
State average N/A
State average N/A
Health citations are formal notices following inspections when they fail to comply with safety and care standards.
11 of 26 citations resulted from standard inspections; 10 of 26 resulted from complaint investigations; and 5 of 26 came from combined inspections (standard and complaint).
In line with State averageState average: N/A
In line with State averageState average: N/A
Corrected
Corrected
Corrected
Corrected
Reporting period: October 1 – December 31, 2025 (Q4 2025). Source: CMS Payroll-Based Journal report.
0% compared with State averageState average ratio: 0 : 0
0% compared with State averageState average: 0 hours
This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
Manages medical care and health needs.
All 17 RN Staff are full-time employees. No contractors work on this role.
17
Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day.
8.4 hoursAssists with medical care and medications.
All 11 LPN Staff are full-time employees. No contractors work on this role.
11
Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day.
7.6 hoursHelps with daily care and mobility.
All 89 CNA Staff are full-time employees. No contractors work on this role.
89
Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day.
7.9 hours
This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
Total hours from contractors
2,185 contractor hours this quarter
This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
| Certified Nursing Assistant | 89 | 0 | 89 | 25,308 | 92 | 100% | 7.9 |
| Registered Nurse | 17 | 0 | 17 | 5,734 | 92 | 100% | 8.4 |
| Medication Aide/Technician | 28 | 0 | 28 | 3,530 | 92 | 100% | 6.8 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | 11 | 0 | 11 | 2,957 | 91 | 99% | 7.6 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1,784 | 70 | 76% | 8 |
| Other Dietary Services Staff | 8 | 0 | 8 | 1,553 | 89 | 97% | 6.4 |
| RN Director of Nursing | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1,062 | 68 | 74% | 9 |
| Administrator | 2 | 0 | 2 | 968 | 63 | 68% | 8 |
| Mental Health Service Worker | 2 | 0 | 2 | 944 | 62 | 67% | 8 |
| Therapeutic Recreation Specialist | 2 | 0 | 2 | 493 | 57 | 62% | 7 |
| Dietitian | 1 | 0 | 1 | 488 | 61 | 66% | 8 |
| Dental Services Staff | 1 | 0 | 1 | 488 | 61 | 66% | 8 |
| Occupational Therapy Aide | 1 | 1 | 2 | 477 | 61 | 66% | 7.7 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 1 | 0 | 1 | 440 | 55 | 60% | 8 |
| Speech Language Pathologist | 0 | 3 | 3 | 429 | 66 | 72% | 5.8 |
| Feeding Assistant | 0 | 1 | 1 | 392 | 49 | 53% | 8 |
| Qualified Social Worker | 0 | 2 | 2 | 392 | 62 | 67% | 6.2 |
| Physical Therapy Assistant | 0 | 3 | 3 | 338 | 60 | 65% | 5.6 |
| Respiratory Therapy Technician | 0 | 3 | 3 | 326 | 62 | 67% | 5.2 |
| Physical Therapy Aide | 0 | 2 | 2 | 174 | 54 | 59% | 3.2 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | 0 | 1 | 1 | 44 | 5 | 5% | 8.8 |
| Medical Director | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 3% | 2 |
Includes penalties issued in 2024
Federal penalties imposed by CMS for regulatory violations, including civil money penalties (fines) and denials of payment for new Medicare/Medicaid admissions.
Source: CMS Penalties Database (Data as of Jan 2026)
13% lower than State averageState average: $48K
41% fewer fines than State averageState average: 1.7
Serious action where Medicare and/or Medicaid temporarily stops payments for new residents until issues are fixed.
1
88% more payment denials than State averageState average: 0.5
Penalties are imposed by CMS for violations of federal nursing home regulations.
2 penalties in the past 3 years
Multiple penalties were reported in the last 3 years.
Fines imposed for noncompliance, which can be assessed per day or per instance of violation.
Mar 4, 2024
Serious action where Medicare and/or Medicaid temporarily stops payments for new residents until issues are fixed.
Mar 4, 2024Last updated: Jan 2026
These measures show how residents usually do over time at this home, based on health outcomes and preventive care.
A composite score based on pressure ulcers, falls with injury, weight loss, walking ability decline, and activities of daily living decline.
13.3
30% worse than State averageState average: 10.2
A composite score based on activities of daily living decline, walking ability decline, and incontinence.
27.7
29% worse than State averageState average: 21.6
CMS star rating based on long-stay quality measure performance. 5 stars = significantly above average, 1 star = significantly below average.
Percent of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased
25.6%
36% worse than State averageState average: 18.8%
Percent of long-stay residents whose ability to move independently worsened
27.2%
38% worse than State averageState average: 19.7%
Percent of low risk long-stay residents who lose control of their bowels or bladder
30.4%
16% worse than State averageState average: 26.2%
Percent of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury
4.0%
12% worse than State averageState average: 3.6%
Percent of long-stay high risk residents with pressure ulcers
4.2%
In line with State averageState average: 4.4%
Percent of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection
2.0%
18% better than State averageState average: 2.5%
Percent of long-stay residents who lose too much weight
5.3%
5% worse than State averageState average: 5.0%
Percent of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms
1.2%
70% better than State averageState average: 3.9%
Percent of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication
25.3%
33% worse than State averageState average: 19.0%
Percent of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine
99.6%
5% better than State averageState average: 94.4%
Percent of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine
97.4%
In line with State averageState average: 95.3%
Number of hospitalizations per 1,000 long-stay resident days.
1.53
In line with State averageState average: 1.48
Number of outpatient emergency department visits per 1,000 long-stay resident days.
1.30
38% better than State averageState average: 2.09
CMS star rating based on short-stay quality measure performance. 5 stars = much above average, 1 star = much below average.
Percent of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine
97.1%
14% better than State averageState average: 85.1%
Percent of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication
0.8%
59% better than State averageState average: 1.8%
Percent of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine
95.6%
30% better than State averageState average: 73.3%
Percentage of short-stay residents who were re-hospitalized after their nursing home admission.
23.7%
11% worse than State averageState average: 21.3%
Percentage of short-stay residents who had an outpatient emergency department visit.
4.7%
64% better than State averageState average: 13.1%
Percentage of SNF residents who experience falls with major injury during their stay.
0.0%
100% better than State averageState average: 0.8%
Percentage of residents at or above expected ability to care for themselves at discharge.
69.9%
30% better than State averageState average: 53.7%
Rate of successful return to home or community from a skilled nursing facility.
55.2%
9% better than State averageState average: 50.6%
Quality measures are calculated from Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments. For most measures, lower percentages indicate better care quality.
46% of new residents, usually for short-term rehab.
42% of new residents, often for short stays.
12% of new residents, often for long-term daily care.
Source: CMS Long-Term Care Facility Characteristics (Data as of Jan 2026)
Total residents
110Residents meet regularly to discuss policies, care quality, and activities
Family members meet regularly to discuss policies, care quality, and activities
Part of a Continuing Care Retirement Community offering multiple care levels
Organized group of family members that meets regularly to discuss facility policies, resident care, and activities.
Organized group of residents that meets regularly to discuss facility policies, quality of life, and activities.
Data sourced from CMS Long-Term Care Facility Characteristics quarterly report. Payer mix reflects the current resident census by primary payment source.
Historical financial and operational data for Bethany Life from 2011–2023, based on CMS SNF Cost Reports.
Key figures below are for fiscal year ending in 12/2023.
Based on CMS SNF Cost Report for fiscal year ending in 12/2023.
Net patient revenue — what the home actually collects for resident care, after contractual allowances, bad debt and discounts are subtracted from its gross charges (CMS cost report, Worksheet G-3). It covers resident care only; money the home earns from other sources is shown separately as "Other income."
Net patient income: net patient revenue minus the home's total operating expenses. A positive figure means it earns more from resident care than it spends to deliver it; a negative figure means the opposite. It excludes non-operating "other income."
Net patient revenue — what the home actually collects for resident care, after contractual allowances, bad debt and discounts are subtracted from its gross charges (CMS cost report, Worksheet G-3). It covers resident care only; money the home earns from other sources is shown separately as "Other income."
Net patient income: net patient revenue minus the home's total operating expenses. A positive figure means it earns more from resident care than it spends to deliver it; a negative figure means the opposite. It excludes non-operating "other income."
Money the home earns outside of resident care — such as investments, grants, rentals and other non-operating sources (CMS cost report, Worksheet G-3). It is tracked separately from net patient revenue: it is not part of that figure, and it is not included in net patient income.
Staff salaries plus wage-related costs — benefits such as payroll taxes, health insurance and retirement — from the home's own accounting records (CMS cost report, Worksheet A). Contract or agency labor is counted separately, under other operating costs.
Rank #6 / 251Payroll — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 6th out of 251 homes in Iowa for Payroll. Shows total annual staff payroll benchmarked to the Iowa average. Higher payroll investment relative to peers often signals better staffing and less reliance on cheaper contract labor.Rankings are based only on facilities in Iowa that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
Payroll as a share of revenue: staff salaries and wage-related benefits divided by net patient revenue. A higher figure means more of each revenue dollar goes to staff pay.
Rank #5 / 251Payroll % — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 5th out of 251 homes in Iowa for Payroll %. Shows payroll as a percentage of revenue versus the Iowa average. Well-run Iowa facilities typically land around 61–69% — the top third Statewide. Below 25% may signal understaffing or heavy agency use — read with Staffing ratings.Rankings are based only on facilities in Iowa that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
Everything it costs to run the home apart from payroll — food, utilities, supplies, maintenance, contract labor and administration. Calculated as total operating expense minus payroll (staff salaries and wage-related benefits).
The home's total operating expense for the year — all the costs of running it, salaries included (CMS cost report, Worksheet G-3).
Most residents typically stay for a few weeks or months before returning home or moving on.
New residents most often arrive under Medicare (46% of admissions), and a typical Medicare stay runs around 29 days.
Coverage residents most often arrive under.
Coverage residents most often leave under.
0.0 miles from city center
Estimated distance in miles from Story City's city center to Bethany Life's address, calculated via Google Maps.
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The information below is reported by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing.
| Friendship Village | NH AL IL MC SNF | Waterloo | - | 72 | - | 52 | 2 Bed / 3 Bed |
| Mount Carmel Bluffs | NH IL MC | Dubuque (South Switch Junction) | - | 60 | - | 2 | 1 Bed / 2 Bed |
| Calvin Community | NH AL IL MC SNF | Des Moines (Beaverdale) | - | 59 | - | 61 | 1 Bed |
| Thornton Heights Assisted Living | NH AL | Lansing (Main Street) | - | 26 | - | 14 | 1 Bed / 2 Bed |
| Bethany Life | NH AL IL MC RC SNF | Story City | - | 126 | - | 56 | - |
Bethany Life is legally operated by Cedar Place Assisted Living(ALP) | S0207 Timberland Village(ALP) | S0162, and administered by Morgan Voga.
Bethany Life has a walk score of 56. Moderately walkable. Some errands can be accomplished on foot, with a mix of nearby amenities.
According to IA state health department records, Bethany Life's license number is 850220.
According to IA state health department records, Bethany Life's license expires on October 6, 2026.
Bethany Life's occupancy is 89%.
The team at Bethany Life can be reached at morgan.voga@bethanylife.org.
Bethany Life is registered as a non-profit in IA.
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