Gino J Merli Veterans Center

401 Penn Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503 (opens Google Maps) · Lackawanna County · (570) 961-4300· 196 certified beds · avg 182 residents/day · certified since Jan 1, 2009 · Medicaid only — not Medicare certified

Certified for Medicaid only. It cannot bill Medicare, so a short post-hospital rehabilitation stay would not be covered the usual way here. Who pays for nursing home care →

4/5

Health inspection rating (on-site)

inspected Apr 10, 2026

Serious findings on record

most recent May 13, 2025

Fines, last 3 years

6.38

Nurse hours/resident/day (adjusted)

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

New to these records? How to read an inspection report →

Health inspection rating: ★★★★☆4/5 · CMS overall rating: 5/5 · how star ratings work →

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 quality measures from resident assessments and claims.

Most serious findings (actual harm or immediate jeopardy)

▲ Actual harm, isolated · May 13, 2025 · F-0689 · triggered by a complaint

The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls.

Why it matters: This is one of the most common citations and directly relates to falls and injuries, which can be devastating for older adults.

Severity (G): Actual harm was cited, below immediate jeopardy. The scope was isolated: limited residents, staff, or locations were affected. Scope describes the extent of the deficiency, not whether it happened on previous inspections.

Corrected: Jul 7, 2025 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

Inspection findings in the public record

Showing the latest 3 of 6 inspection findings. Open the full record below to read every finding.

Apr 10, 2026D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
The facility did not develop and follow policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft. These written safeguards are the foundation of resident protection. F-0607
Apr 10, 2026D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
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. F-0657
Apr 10, 2026D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
The facility did not provide enough food and fluids to keep residents healthy, such as preventing unplanned weight loss or dehydration. F-0692

View all 6 inspection findingsShow only the latest 3 findings

CMS publishes roughly the last three inspection cycles plus recent complaint investigations. Older surveys drop out of the record as new ones are completed — that window is CMS's, not ours. Within it, every citation CMS publishes for this facility is listed here: none excluded.

Date	Severity	What the facility was cited for
Apr 10, 2026	D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated	The facility did not develop and follow policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft. These written safeguards are the foundation of resident protection. · F-0607
Apr 10, 2026	D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated	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. · F-0657
Apr 10, 2026	D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated	The facility did not provide enough food and fluids to keep residents healthy, such as preventing unplanned weight loss or dehydration. · F-0692
Jun 6, 2025	E · Potential for more than minimal harm, pattern	The facility did not keep residents' medications free from unnecessary drugs. Residents should only take medicines they truly need, at the right dose, for a clear reason. · F-0757
May 13, 2025	▲ G · Actual harm, isolated	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 · F-0689
Aug 16, 2024	E · Potential for more than minimal harm, pattern	The facility did not develop or follow a complete care plan for each resident — the written roadmap covering all of a resident's needs, with measurable goals and timelines. · F-0656

Inspection trend by year

Citations from standard inspections increased between the last two inspection cycles (1 → 3).

Citations by recorded inspection yearPublished citation counts, not a quality score · Source: CMS, 2026-08-01

All citationsSerious citations (G–L)

2024

2025

2026

All bars start at zero. Exact values and supporting details remain below.

Year	Citations	Serious (G–L)	Worst severity that year
2024	1	0	E
2025	2	1	G ▲
2026	3	0	D

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)

How to file a complaint about care →

No fines or payment denials in the published 3-year window.

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

What these staffing numbers mean →

Nurse time, in contextAdjusted hours per resident per day · Source: CMS, 2026-08-01

This facilityPennsylvania averageU.S. average

Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)

6.38

3.94

3.95

Registered Nurse hours

1.24

0.80

0.69

Weekend total nurse staffing

5.25

3.58

3.50

All bars start at zero. Exact values and supporting details remain below.

Measure	This facility	Pennsylvania avg	U.S. avg	Where it stands
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)	6.38	3.94	3.95	top 4% in Pennsylvania; top 3% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours	1.24	0.80	0.69	top 12% in Pennsylvania; top 8% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing	5.25	3.58	3.50	top 6% in Pennsylvania; top 5% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)	0.71	0.56	0.48	top 22% in Pennsylvania; top 15% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)	30.1	44.5	45.8	top 15% in Pennsylvania; top 14% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)	19.4	39.9	42.9	top 14% in Pennsylvania; top 13% in the U.S.

Hours are per resident per day for the most recent quarter of payroll data in this CMS release (2026-08-01) — the same quarter for every facility — 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 5.40, RN 1.05, weekend 4.44.Comparing with Medicare Care Compare? Care Compare shows the raw figure (5.40 here, displayed there as hours and minutes), not the adjusted one above. Both are correct; they answer different questions. Staffing rating: 5/5.

Quality measures: assessments & claims

Note: CMS combines facility-reported resident assessments (MDS) with claims-based measures. These are different sources from on-site inspection findings. Read the measures alongside inspection and staffing records; a high QM rating does not establish that a home is safe.

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

Costs & payment

Price evidence · separate from quality

No verified facility-specific private-pay price is available in our data for Gino J Merli Veterans Center. CMS inspection and staffing records do not tell us what this home will charge you.

Calculate a stay from a quote you receive

Use a written private-pay quote. This worksheet adds only the amounts you enter; it does not calculate Medicare, Medicaid or insurance benefits.

Formula: (room rate + daily extras) × days + one-time charges. A 30-day scenario is not a calendar-month quote. Refundable deposits, rate changes and charges you omit are not automatically included. Entries are not saved or sent to our server.

Before you compare prices

Request the room type, effective date and itemized daily rate in writing.
Ask about therapy, medicines, supplies, care-level charges, deposits, refunds and annual increases.
Confirm insurance or Medicaid eligibility and bed availability directly; certification alone does not guarantee either.

Understand who pays for care · How we handle price evidence · Report an incorrect price

Who owns this facility

How to read ownership records →

Ownership records as published by CMS on 2026-08-01. CMS records when an owner joined but not when they left. Listed here and no longer involved? Tell us →

Government - State

Owner / manager	Type	Role	Stake	Since
		Ownership Data Not Available

All 1 owning or managing party CMS has on file are shown — none excluded.

Questions to ask on your visit

Full visit checklist →

Print visit checklist

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

"What is your falls rate, and what specific steps do you take to prevent falls and supervise residents at risk?"
"What specific steps do you take to prevent abuse and neglect, and how are staff trained on them?"
"Who is on the team that builds each resident's care plan, and how quickly is it in place after admission?"
"How do you monitor residents' weight and eating, and what happens when someone starts losing weight?"
"How often is each resident's medication list reviewed, and who decides when a drug can be reduced or stopped?"
"Can you show me an example care plan, and how are families included when it's created and updated?"

Also worth asking anywhere

"What is your current ratio of nursing staff to residents on day, evening, and weekend shifts?"
"Can I see the plan of correction for the findings in your most recent state inspection?"
"CMS reports 30% total nursing staff turnover here — who on the care team has been with you longest?"
"Can I visit again unannounced, at a mealtime or on a weekend?"

Nearby facilities (12 closest of 35 within 20 miles)

Facility	Distance	City	Overall	Inspection	Flags
Embassy of Scranton	0.6 mi	Scranton, PA	★☆☆☆☆	1/5	SFF
Elan Skilled Nursing and Rehab, a Jewish Senior Li	0.7 mi	Scranton, PA	★★☆☆☆	2/5
Linwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center	1.4 mi	Scranton, PA	★☆☆☆☆	2/5	abuse
Green Ridge Care Center	1.9 mi	Scranton, PA	★★★★☆	4/5
Dunmore Health Care Center	1.9 mi	Dunmore, PA	★★★☆☆	3/5
Marywood Heights	2.2 mi	Scranton, PA	★★☆☆☆	2/5	abuse
Allied Services Transitional Rehab Unit	2.4 mi	Scranton, PA	★★★★★	5/5
Allied Services Skilled Nursing Center	2.5 mi	Scranton, PA	★★★☆☆	3/5
Scranton Health Care Center	2.6 mi	Scranton, PA	★★★★☆	4/5
Oak Ridge Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center	3.9 mi	Taylor, PA	★☆☆☆☆	1/5	abuse
Abington Manor	5.0 mi	Clarks Summit, PA	★★★☆☆	2/5	abuse
Saint Mary's Villa Nursing Hom	5.9 mi	Moscow, PA	★★★★☆	4/5

Compare this facility with the 3 closest →

Other facilities in the same county

CMS records place this facility in Lackawanna, PA — 16 certified facilities there. These are outside the 20-mile list above, or far enough down it not to appear.

Mid-Valley Health Care Center — Peckville, PA · overall 3/5

Listed by facility name — not a ranking. Homes already in the table above are not repeated here.

All facilities in Scranton →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 39A433.

This page is the printable visit checklist. If your browser did not open the print dialog automatically, use File → Print (Ctrl/⌘-P).

The Care File

Visit checklist — Gino J Merli Veterans Center

401 Penn Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503 · (570) 961-4300

Health inspection rating 4/5 · CMS overall 5/5· Fines (3y): $0

Most serious findings on record:

▲ May 13, 2025 (F-0689, Actual harm, isolated): The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls.

Questions for the administrator:

☐ "What is your falls rate, and what specific steps do you take to prevent falls and supervise residents at risk?"
☐ "What specific steps do you take to prevent abuse and neglect, and how are staff trained on them?"
☐ "Who is on the team that builds each resident's care plan, and how quickly is it in place after admission?"
☐ "How do you monitor residents' weight and eating, and what happens when someone starts losing weight?"
☐ "How often is each resident's medication list reviewed, and who decides when a drug can be reduced or stopped?"
☐ "Can you show me an example care plan, and how are families included when it's created and updated?"
☐ "What is your current ratio of nursing staff to residents on day, evening, and weekend shifts?"
☐ "Can I see the plan of correction for the findings in your most recent state inspection?"
☐ "CMS reports 30% total nursing staff turnover here — who on the care team has been with you longest?"
☐ "Can I visit again unannounced, at a mealtime or on a weekend?"

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 39A433 · Verify at medicare.gov/care-compare · Printed from The Care File (thecarefile.com)