Cass County Medical Care Facility

Name: Cass County Medical Care Facility
Address: 23770 Hospital St, Cassopolis, MI, 49031, US
Telephone: 2692284000

23770 Hospital St, Cassopolis, MI 49031 · Cass County · 80 certified beds · avg 72 residents/day · certified since Oct 8, 1977

4/5

Health inspection rating (on-site)

Serious findings on record

$15,593

Fines, last 3 years

5.47

Nurse hours/resident/day (adjusted)

What health inspectors found (on-site government inspections — the most independent evidence available)

Health inspection rating: ★★★★☆4/5 · CMS overall rating: 5/5

The health inspection star above is graded on a curve within each state — a set share of each state's facilities gets each star level — so a facility can have few citations and still rate 2–3 stars if others in its state did even better. The overall rating combines that inspection score with staffing and self-reported quality measures.

Most serious findings (actual harm or immediate jeopardy)

▲ Actual harm, one-off · Jun 23, 2026 · F-0600 · triggered by a complaint

The facility did not protect residents from abuse or neglect. This covers physical, mental, and sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect, by anyone — staff, other residents, or visitors.

Why it matters: Abuse and neglect cause direct physical and emotional harm and are among the most serious failures a nursing home can have.

Severity (G): One or a few residents were actually harmed — physically or emotionally — though not put in immediate danger of serious injury or death.

Corrected: Jul 17, 2026 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

▲ Actual harm, one-off · Mar 20, 2024 · F-0658 · triggered by a complaint

The facility provided care that did not meet professional standards of quality — the accepted standards that nurses and other clinicians are expected to follow.

Why it matters: Care that falls below professional standards can directly harm a resident's health and recovery.

Severity (G): One or a few residents were actually harmed — physically or emotionally — though not put in immediate danger of serious injury or death.

Corrected: Apr 13, 2024 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

▲ Actual harm, one-off · Mar 20, 2024 · F-0684 · triggered by a complaint

The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals.

Why it matters: Care that strays from doctor's orders or ignores the resident's wishes can lead to declining health and avoidable harm.

Severity (G): One or a few residents were actually harmed — physically or emotionally — though not put in immediate danger of serious injury or death.

Corrected: Apr 13, 2024 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

All citations in the current public record (18)

CMS publishes roughly the last three inspection cycles plus recent complaint investigations. Older surveys drop out of the record as new ones are completed.

Date	Severity	What the facility was cited for
Jun 23, 2026	▲ G · Actual harm, one-off	The facility did not protect residents from abuse or neglect. This covers physical, mental, and sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect, by anyone — staff, other residents, or visitors. · from a complaint
May 7, 2026	F · Potential for harm, facility-wide	The facility did not get its food from approved, safe sources, or did not store, prepare, and serve food according to professional food safety standards.
May 7, 2026	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not provide safe and appropriate respiratory care — such as oxygen, breathing treatments, or care for residents on breathing equipment — for residents who needed it.
May 7, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not allow residents to take their own medications when a clinical review showed they could do so safely. Residents have this right if their care team determines it's appropriate.
May 7, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide or arrange dental services for its residents. Nursing homes are responsible for making sure residents can get dental care.
Nov 21, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not develop a resident's complete plan of care within 7 days of the full assessment, or the plan wasn't prepared, reviewed, and updated by a team of health professionals as required. · from a complaint
Nov 21, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls. · from a complaint
Mar 25, 2025	F · Potential for harm, facility-wide	The facility did not get its food from approved, safe sources, or did not store, prepare, and serve food according to professional food safety standards.
Mar 25, 2025	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not have or follow an effective program to prevent and control infections — such as proper hand washing, cleaning, and isolation practices. This is the most commonly cited deficiency nationwide.
Mar 25, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not treat residents with dignity and respect, or did not honor their rights to make their own decisions and communicate freely. This is one of the most fundamental resident rights.
Apr 25, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not treat residents with respect and dignity, or did not let them keep and use their own personal belongings.
Apr 25, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not honor residents' right to make their own choices about their daily lives, such as when to wake up, what to eat, or how to spend their time.
Apr 25, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide the help residents need with basic daily activities — like bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom — for residents who cannot do these things on their own.
Apr 25, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide activities that meet residents' needs and interests. Nursing homes must offer meaningful activity programs, not just leave residents idle.
Apr 25, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide proper care for pressure ulcers (bedsores) or did not do enough to prevent new ones from forming. Bedsores develop when residents stay in one position too long without help moving.
Apr 25, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not have or follow an effective program to prevent and control infections — such as proper hand washing, cleaning, and isolation practices. This is the most commonly cited deficiency nationwide.
Mar 20, 2024	▲ G · Actual harm, one-off	The facility provided care that did not meet professional standards of quality — the accepted standards that nurses and other clinicians are expected to follow. · from a complaint
Mar 20, 2024	▲ G · Actual harm, one-off	The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals. · from a complaint

Inspection trend by year

Citations from standard inspections increased between the last two inspection cycles (3 → 4).

Year	Citations	Serious (G–L)	Worst severity that year
2024	8	2	G ▲
2025	5	0	F
2026	5	1	G ▲

Counts reflect the current CMS public record (~3 inspection cycles plus complaint investigations); years with no surveys show no row. Inspection frequency varies, so compare severity as well as counts.

Fines and enforcement (last 3 years)

2 fines totaling $15,593.

Date	Type	Amount / length
Mar 20, 2024	Fine	$7,796
Mar 20, 2024	Fine	$7,797

Nurse staffing (from payroll records, adjusted for how much care residents need)

Measure	This facility	Michigan avg	U.S. avg	Where it stands
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)	5.47	4.32	3.95	top 11% in Michigan; top 8% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours	1.07	0.84	0.69	top 21% in Michigan; top 13% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing	4.80	3.79	3.50	top 12% in Michigan; top 8% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)	0.72	0.49	0.48	top 16% in Michigan; top 15% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)	38.8	44.1	45.8	top 34% in Michigan; top 33% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)	46.7	39.2	42.9	bottom 34% in Michigan; bottom 41% in the U.S.

Hours are per resident per day, case-mix adjusted by CMS so facilities caring for sicker residents can be compared fairly (same basis as the CMS staffing star). "Top X%" means better than most facilities: more staffing hours, or lower turnover. Raw (unadjusted) reported hours: total 4.85, RN 0.95, weekend 4.26. Staffing rating: 5/5.

Self-reported quality measures

Note: these ratings are based on data the facility reports about itself to CMS. They are not independently verified by inspectors, and can look better than inspection findings. Give more weight to the inspection results above.

Quality measures rating: 5/5 · long-stay residents: 5/5 · short-stay residents: 5/5

Who owns this facility

Government - County

Owner / manager	Type	Role	Stake	Since
County of Cass	Organization	5% or Greater Direct Ownership Interest	100%	01/01/2000
Lutes, Christian	Individual	W-2 Managing Employee	NOT APPLICABLE	01/05/2009
Lutes, Christian	Individual	Corporate Director	NOT APPLICABLE	05/23/2018
Seifert, Diane	Individual	Corporate Director	NOT APPLICABLE	01/18/2022
Vaughn, Vicki	Individual	Corporate Director	NOT APPLICABLE	09/22/2008

Questions to ask on your visit

Generated from this facility's actual citation record — bring them to a tour and ask the administrator directly.

"Tell me about this abuse or neglect citation — what happened, and what specific changes did you make afterward?"
"Can you tell me what this citation involved and what steps you took to bring care back up to standard?"
"How do you make sure each resident's care follows the doctor's orders, and what changed after this citation?"
"What did your most recent kitchen inspection find, and can I see how food is stored and prepared?"
"How many residents here use oxygen or breathing equipment, and who checks that equipment each shift?"
"If my family member is able to manage their own medications, would you allow it, and how is that decided?"
"How do residents get dental care here — is there a dentist who visits, and how are appointments arranged?"
"Who is on the team that builds each resident's care plan, and how quickly is it in place after admission?"
"What is your current ratio of nursing staff to residents on day, evening, and weekend shifts?"
"Can I see the results and plan of correction from your most recent state inspection?"

Nearby facilities (within 20 miles)

Facility	Distance	City	Overall	Inspection
The Timbers of Cass County	8.5 mi	Dowagiac, MI	★★☆☆☆	2/5
Niles Care Center, LLC	12.4 mi	Niles, MI	★★☆☆☆	1/5
The Orchards at Niles	12.8 mi	Niles, MI	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
East Lake Nursing & Rehabilitation Center	13.0 mi	Elkhart, IN	★★★☆☆	3/5
Greenleaf Health Campus	13.4 mi	Elkhart, IN	★★★☆☆	2/5
Belltower Health & Rehabilitation Center	13.6 mi	Granger, IN	★★★★☆	4/5
Creekside Village	14.0 mi	Mishawaka, IN	★★★★☆	3/5
Woodland Manor	14.0 mi	Elkhart, IN	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
West Woods of Niles	14.2 mi	Niles, MI	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
Riverside Village	14.4 mi	Elkhart, IN	★★☆☆☆	2/5

Compare this facility with the 3 closest →

All facilities in Cassopolis →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 235352.

The Care File

Visit checklist — Cass County Medical Care Facility

23770 Hospital St, Cassopolis, MI 49031 · 2692284000

Health inspection rating 4/5 · CMS overall 5/5· Fines (3y): $15,593

Most serious findings on record:

▲ Jun 23, 2026 (F-0600, Actual harm, one-off): The facility did not protect residents from abuse or neglect. This covers physical, mental, and sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect, by anyone — staff, other residents, or visitors.
▲ Mar 20, 2024 (F-0658, Actual harm, one-off): The facility provided care that did not meet professional standards of quality — the accepted standards that nurses and other clinicians are expected to follow.
▲ Mar 20, 2024 (F-0684, Actual harm, one-off): The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals.

Questions for the administrator:

☐ "Tell me about this abuse or neglect citation — what happened, and what specific changes did you make afterward?"
☐ "Can you tell me what this citation involved and what steps you took to bring care back up to standard?"
☐ "How do you make sure each resident's care follows the doctor's orders, and what changed after this citation?"
☐ "What did your most recent kitchen inspection find, and can I see how food is stored and prepared?"
☐ "How many residents here use oxygen or breathing equipment, and who checks that equipment each shift?"
☐ "If my family member is able to manage their own medications, would you allow it, and how is that decided?"
☐ "How do residents get dental care here — is there a dentist who visits, and how are appointments arranged?"
☐ "Who is on the team that builds each resident's care plan, and how quickly is it in place after admission?"
☐ "What is your current ratio of nursing staff to residents on day, evening, and weekend shifts?"
☐ "Can I see the results and plan of correction from your most recent state inspection?"

While you're there, notice:

☐ Smell and cleanliness in hallways, not just the lobby
☐ How staff speak to residents; call lights answered promptly
☐ Residents up, dressed, and engaged (visit mealtimes and a weekend if you can)

Data: CMS Provider Data Catalog, version 2026-08-01 · CCN 235352 · Verify at medicare.gov/care-compare · Printed from The Care File (thecarefile.com)