Story Medical Senior Care
Story Medical Senior Care is a 60-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation community located at 710 South 19th Street in Nevada, Iowa. Operated by Story Medical and led by administrator Melissa Opperman, the facility serves Story County with 24-hour nursing and medical oversight. The campus is highly accessible, featuring a Walk Score of 71, and was recently recognized on Newsweek’s “America’s Best Nursing Homes 2026” list.
The community is CMS-certified and holds a 5-star overall rating, reflecting “Much Above Average” performance. Between 2020 and 2025, state inspections yielded 15 deficiencies, resulting in an average of 1.3 per inspection, 28% below the Iowa state average. While a December 2025 survey resulted in zero deficiencies, a November 2025 investigation identified two citations related to delayed abuse reporting and safety documentation. No fines or payment denials have been issued in the past three years.
Staffing levels are a primary strength, with total nursing hours at 5 hours 33 minutes per resident day—26% above the state average. Registered Nurse (RN) hours are particularly high at 1 hour 22 minutes, which is 86% above the Iowa average, providing robust clinical coverage on both weekdays and weekends. Services include physical, occupational, and speech therapy, alongside specialized care such as in-house podiatry and restorative exercises.
The facility features a modern, purpose-built design with private rooms, in-room showers, and abundant natural light. Shared amenities and programs include:Nutritious meals with flexible anytime dining, intergenerational activities with local students, and organized day trips. The campus also provides on-site dental and podiatry services to minimize off-site travel. The community currently maintains a high occupancy rate of 95%, significantly exceeding the state average.
Individuals should evaluate the current staffing model and safety protocols during an on-site tour. It is advisable to ask the administrator for specific details on the corrective actions taken following the November 2025 reporting deficiency to ensure continued compliance with state safety and reporting standards.
Capacity and availability
About this community
Occupancy
Story Medical Senior Care is administered by Melissa Opperman.
Inspection History
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.
Inspection Scorecard
This scorecard compares key inspection, violation, 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.
• Violations (41% below)
• Federal violations (52% below)
• State violations (86% below)
• Violations per inspection (43% below)
Violations
| This Facility | IA Average | vs. IA Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
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Violations
| 16 | 27 | This facility has 41% fewer violations than a typical Iowa nursing home (16 vs. IA avg 27).↓ 41% better |
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Federal violations
| 15 | 31 | This facility has 52% fewer federal violations than a typical Iowa nursing home (15 vs. IA avg 31).↓ 52% better |
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State violations
| 1 | 7 | This facility has 86% fewer state violations than a typical Iowa nursing home (1 vs. IA avg 7).↓ 86% better |
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Violations per inspection
| 1.2 | 2.1 | This facility has 43% fewer violations per inspection than a typical Iowa nursing home (1.2 vs. IA avg 2.1).↓ 43% better |
Inspections
| This Facility | IA Average | vs. IA Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Total inspections
| 13 | 13 | This facility has total inspections in line with the Iowa average (13 vs. IA avg 13).— At avg |
Penalties and fines
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
No penalties in the past 3 years
No civil money penalties or payment denials were reported in the last 3 years.
Quality of care over time
These measures show how residents usually do over time at this home, based on health outcomes and preventive care.
Long-stay resident measures
Places of interest near Story Medical Senior Care
0.0 miles from city center
Estimated distance in miles from Nevada's city center to Story Medical Senior Care's address, calculated via Google Maps.
Calculate Travel Distance to Story Medical Senior Care
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Compare Nursing Homes around the area
Info below is compiled from CMS reports & the IA Dept. of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing (DIAL), senior community websites & trusted data sources such as Walk Score & BBB.
Communities are listed from highest to lowest based on our ranking methodology.
The facility name. Click to view the full profile page on Assisted Living Magazine, including photos, services, and contact info.
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CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the federal agency that regulates nursing homes) Overall 5-star rating — a composite of Health Inspection, Staffing, and Quality Measures scores. 5 stars = top 10% nationally. 1 star = bottom 10%. The single most important number to start with when comparing facilities.
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Care Types in This Table
AL (Assisted Living):
Housing with help for daily activities like bathing, dressing, and medication, without 24-hour skilled nursing.
NH (Nursing Home):
24/7 skilled nursing care for residents with complex, ongoing medical needs.
SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility):
Round-the-clock nursing care, often for recovery after surgery, injury, or illness.
MC (Memory Care):
Secured, specialized care for people living with Alzheimer's or dementia.
RC (Respite Care):
Short-term temporary care that gives family caregivers a break.
IL (Independent Living):
Community living with dining, activities, and transportation for active seniors who need little personal care.
ADC (Adult Day Care):
Daytime supervision, health monitoring, and social activities for seniors who live at home.
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Neighborhood or city area where the facility is located. Proximity to family, hospitals, and green space matters for both quality of life and ease of visitation. Consider drive time and transit access when evaluating location.
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Licensed bed capacity. Larger facilities (300+ beds) often have more specialized programs but can feel institutional. Smaller homes (under 150 beds) tend to deliver more personalized care. Compare with Avg Res/Day to understand how full the facility typically runs.
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Percentage of licensed beds filled on an average day. Color indicates financial health: green (90%+) = operationally strong, typically profitable. Amber (80–89%) = stable but leaving revenue on the table. Orange (70–79%) = financial strain likely, may struggle with fixed costs. Red (<70%) = significant distress, closure or ownership change risk increases sharply.
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This facility's occupancy rate compared to the statewide average for similar facilities. A positive number means above-average demand. Facilities running 5%+ above the state average are typically the most sought-after in their market — a strong proxy for reputation.
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CMS-adjusted total nurse hours per resident per day (RN + LPN + CNA combined). The national average is approximately 3.5 hrs. Higher is better — more direct care time per resident. Below 3.0 is a red flag. CMS weights RN hours more heavily because RNs handle complex clinical decisions that CNAs cannot.
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CMS Health Inspection star rating (1–5 stars), based on the 3 most recent annual state surveys plus any complaint investigations. This is the hardest rating to manipulate — it reflects real surveyor findings on-site. 5 stars = fewest deficiencies found. 1 star = most. It carries the heaviest weight in the Overall CMS rating.
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CMS Staffing star rating (1–5 stars), based on daily nurse staffing hours submitted to CMS via verified payroll data. Compares RN, LPN, and CNA coverage relative to resident acuity level. 5 stars = well above expected staffing. Weekend staffing is evaluated separately, as that's where many facilities quietly reduce coverage.
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CMS Quality Measures star rating (1–5 stars), based on 15 clinical outcome metrics including fall rates, pressure ulcers, antipsychotic drug use, and hospital readmissions. Captures actual resident health outcomes, not just compliance. High QM combined with low Health Inspection scores can indicate a facility with strong care but weak documentation practices.
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Registered Nurse hours per resident/day compared to the statewide average. RNs are the highest-skilled nursing staff — they assess residents, manage medications, and respond to emergencies. A value of +50% means RN coverage is 50% above the state norm. Negative values are a concern for residents with complex or acute medical needs.
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Total nursing staff hours (RN + LPN + CNA combined) per resident/day vs. the statewide average. A broader measure than RN vs State — it captures the entire care team. A facility can have high total staffing but low RN hours, meaning more aides and fewer nurses. Read both columns together for the full picture.
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Total dollar amount of federal monetary fines (civil money penalties) issued by CMS in the past 3 years. Fines are only levied for serious violations — typically actual harm to residents, repeated uncorrected deficiencies, or systemic non-compliance. Even a single fine is noteworthy. Multiple fines strongly suggest a pattern, not isolated incidents.
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Total health deficiency citations from the most recent standard inspection cycle. Minor citations (scope A–C) are common and often administrative in nature. Higher counts aren't always disqualifying, but should be read alongside Severe Citations to understand actual harm levels. Under 10 is strong for a large facility; 30+ warrants a closer look.
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Average deficiency citations per CMS inspection (survey) in the reporting window — total citations divided by the number of inspections. Lower is better; compare alongside total Citations and Severe Citations for context.
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Citations at CMS scope/severity level G or higher — G–I means actual harm occurred; J–L means residents were placed in immediate jeopardy. (D–F is potential for harm only). Examples include unaddressed falls, medication errors causing injury, neglect, or abuse.
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Average number of residents in the building on any given day, derived from annual census data. Reflects true operating scale — a 400-bed facility running 200 residents/day operates very differently from one at 390. Higher resident counts generally mean more funded staffing hours.
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Better Business Bureau rating (A+ to F). Reflects complaint history, business transparency, and how family disputes were resolved. A+ means no significant unresolved complaints. A blank (—) means the facility isn't BBB-accredited, which is common for healthcare providers and not necessarily a negative signal.
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Walk Score® (0–100). Measures walkability of the surrounding area. 90–100 = Walker's Paradise. 70–89 = Very Walkable. 50–69 = Somewhat Walkable. Below 50 = Car-Dependent. Higher scores benefit family visitors, resident outings, and staff commuting.
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The licensed owner or operator of record filed with CMS — the individual or organization legally accountable for the facility. Searching the operator name across other facilities can reveal chain or multi-site ownership, which matters: chain-operated homes tend to have more variable quality outcomes than independently run facilities.
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What the home actually collects for resident care, after contractual allowances, bad debt and discounts — not gross billings. Taken from the latest complete annual cost report, so it is comparable across homes reporting the same period. Revenue alone doesn't indicate care quality, but it funds staffing and capital reinvestment. Pair with Payroll %. Figures are from each facility's most recent complete fiscal year — hover a value for the exact year; a * marks homes that report an older period than most facilities.
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Staff salaries plus wage-related benefits from the latest complete annual cost report. Contract and agency labour is counted separately, under other operating costs, so a home leaning on agency staff can show a low figure here. Payroll is the cost most directly tied to care quality — compare with Payroll % for full context. Figures are from each facility's most recent complete fiscal year — hover a value for the exact year; a * marks homes that report an older period than most facilities.
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Payroll as a share of NET PATIENT REVENUE (not gross revenue). Both figures come from the same cost-report year. A higher figure means more of each revenue dollar goes to staff pay. Read with the Staffing star rating to judge whether spend translates into coverage — and note that homes whose patient revenue covers only part of their operation can read implausibly high. The Iowa average is: 60.3% Figures are from each facility's most recent complete fiscal year — hover a value for the exact year; a * marks homes that report an older period than most facilities.
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CMS Certification Number: the unique federal identifier for this skilled nursing provider.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wesley Acres | NH ADC AL IL MC SNF | Des Moines (Greenwood) | 80
Facility
80
IA AVG
72
Rank
#105 / 403 |
91.3%
Facility
91.3%
IA AVG
67%
Rank
#43 / 362 | +36% | 4.16
Facility
4.16
IA AVG
4.30
Rank
#120 / 231 | +43% | -3% | $0
Facility
$0
IA AVG
$53.4k
Rank
#1 / 239 | 5
Facility
5
IA AVG
21.7
Rank
#17 / 232 | 1.7
Facility
1.7
IA AVG
4.1
Rank
#15 / 232 | - | 73 | - |
72
Facility
72
IA AVG
47
Rank
#89 / 504 | Damon Buskohl | $29.3MFiscal year ending 12/2023
Facility
$29.3MFiscal year ending 12/2023
IA AVG
$6.9M
Rank
#1 / 224 | $20.8MFiscal year ending 12/2023
Facility
$20.8MFiscal year ending 12/2023
IA AVG
$4.2M
Rank
#1 / 224 | 71%Fiscal year ending 12/2023
Facility
71%Fiscal year ending 12/2023
IA AVG
60.3%
Rank
#31 / 224 | 165487 | ||||
| Meth Wick Community | NH AL IL MC RC SNF | Cedar Rapids | 69
Facility
69
IA AVG
72
Rank
#167 / 403 |
83.0%
Facility
83.0%
IA AVG
67%
Rank
#103 / 362 | +24% | 5.76
Facility
5.76
IA AVG
4.30
Rank
#9 / 231 | +23% | +34% | $0
Facility
$0
IA AVG
$53.4k
Rank
#1 / 239 | 3
Facility
3
IA AVG
21.7
Rank
#8 / 232 | 1.5
Facility
1.5
IA AVG
4.1
Rank
#12 / 232 | - | 57 | - |
23
Facility
23
IA AVG
47
Rank
#404 / 504 | Meth Wick Community | $18.2MFiscal year ending 03/2024
Facility
$18.2MFiscal year ending 03/2024
IA AVG
$6.9M
Rank
#6 / 224 | $10.3MFiscal year ending 03/2024
Facility
$10.3MFiscal year ending 03/2024
IA AVG
$4.2M
Rank
#8 / 224 | 56.4%Fiscal year ending 03/2024
Facility
56.4%Fiscal year ending 03/2024
IA AVG
60.3%
Rank
#130 / 224 | 165542 | ||||
| Sunrise Retirement Community | NH AL IL MC RC SNF | Sioux City | 74
Facility
74
IA AVG
72
Rank
#136 / 403 |
90.5%
Facility
90.5%
IA AVG
67%
Rank
#49 / 362 | +35% | 5.70
Facility
5.70
IA AVG
4.30
Rank
#13 / 231 | -23% | +33% | $0
Facility
$0
IA AVG
$53.4k
Rank
#1 / 239 | 11
Facility
11
IA AVG
21.7
Rank
#72 / 232 | 3.7
Facility
3.7
IA AVG
4.1
Rank
#107 / 232 | - | 67 | A+ |
22
Facility
22
IA AVG
47
Rank
#410 / 504 | Samantha Roth | $13.6MFiscal year ending 12/2023
Facility
$13.6MFiscal year ending 12/2023
IA AVG
$6.9M
Rank
#11 / 224 | $8.5MFiscal year ending 12/2023
Facility
$8.5MFiscal year ending 12/2023
IA AVG
$4.2M
Rank
#14 / 224 | 62.2%Fiscal year ending 12/2023
Facility
62.2%Fiscal year ending 12/2023
IA AVG
60.3%
Rank
#80 / 224 | 165473 | ||||
| Mill Pond | NH AL IL MC SNF | Ankeny | 60
Facility
60
IA AVG
72
Rank
#213 / 403 |
98.3%
Facility
98.3%
IA AVG
67%
Rank
#6 / 362 | +47% | 5.21
Facility
5.21
IA AVG
4.30
Rank
#30 / 231 | -16% | +21% | $0
Facility
$0
IA AVG
$53.4k
Rank
#1 / 239 | 9
Facility
9
IA AVG
21.7
Rank
#56 / 232 | 3.0
Facility
3.0
IA AVG
4.1
Rank
#73 / 232 | - | 59 | - |
16
Facility
16
IA AVG
47
Rank
#437 / 504 | Phs Management, LLC | $6.8MFiscal year ending 09/2023
Facility
$6.8MFiscal year ending 09/2023
IA AVG
$6.9M
Rank
#92 / 224 | $6.5MFiscal year ending 09/2023
Facility
$6.5MFiscal year ending 09/2023
IA AVG
$4.2M
Rank
#29 / 224 | 96.3%Fiscal year ending 09/2023
Facility
96.3%Fiscal year ending 09/2023
IA AVG
60.3%
Rank
#6 / 224 | 165261 |
Frequently Asked Questions about Story Medical Senior Care
Is Story Medical Senior Care in a walkable area?
Story Medical Senior Care has a walk score of 71. Very walkable. Most errands can be accomplished on foot, and many essentials are within a short walk.
What is the license number of Story Medical Senior Care?
According to IA state health department records, Story Medical Senior Care's license number is 855384.
What is the occupancy rate at Story Medical Senior Care?
Story Medical Senior Care's occupancy is 95%.
Are pets allowed at Story Medical Senior Care?
No, Story Medical Senior Care has a no-pet policy.
What is the best email address for Story Medical Senior Care?
The team at Story Medical Senior Care can be reached at mopperman@storymedical.org.
Is Story Medical Senior Care a government-operated facility?
Story Medical Senior Care is a government-operated nursing facility in IA.
Who is the administrator of Story Medical Senior Care?
Melissa Opperman is the administrator of Story Medical Senior Care.
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