About this site
Why we built it
Choosing a nursing home is one of the hardest decisions a family makes, and it usually happens under time pressure — a hospital discharge deadline, a sudden change in a parent's health. The information families need actually exists: every Medicare-certified facility is inspected by state surveyors, and the findings, fines, staffing payroll records, and ownership data are all public. The problem is the form it comes in — regulatory codes like "F-0689, scope/severity E" that mean nothing to the people the records exist to protect.
The Care File translates those records into plain language and puts the pieces side by side: what inspectors found and how serious it was, whether a federal abuse flag applies, what fines were paid, how many nurse hours residents actually get (including weekends), who owns the facility, and how nearby alternatives compare.
What we are — and aren't
- We are an independent data-translation project. We are not affiliated with CMS, medicare.gov, or any nursing home, chain, or referral service.
- We show official records only. We never score, rank, or recommend facilities, and no facility can pay to change what appears here.
- Content is produced by The Care File editorial team — a small team combining data engineering with editorial review against the official CMS regulations and manuals. Our process is documented in full on the methodology page. We don't attach invented experts or credentials to our work.
How to use this site well
- Read the inspection findings first — they're the most independent evidence available.
- Compare staffing against the state average, especially weekends.
- Check nearby alternatives — inspection quality varies a lot within a county.
- Then visit in person, more than once, with the printable question list from the facility's page. Records tell you what happened; a visit tells you what it's like now.
Start with the guides if the ratings and codes are new to you, and always cross-check with Medicare Care Comparebefore deciding.