12 Nursing Homes That Accept Medicaid in Black Hawk County, Iowa
12 of the 12 Medicare-certified nursing homes in Black Hawk County, Iowa (100%) are Medicaid-certified, and all are listed below. 4 of the 12 graded homes earn an A and 1 earn a D or F. They average 3.66 nursing hours per resident per day, the same as the 3.66 for every home in Black Hawk County, Iowa. The Suites At Western Home Communities in Cedar Falls grades highest at A (89 out of 100).
How Medicaid-certified homes in Black Hawk County, Iowa compare
This group set against every nursing home in Black Hawk County, Iowa, from the current CMS release.
The Suites At Western Home Communities runs about 4.56 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 18% above the national average, and weekend staffing only dips about 5% below weekday levels, a small gap, which matters because weekends are where a lot of homes quietly thin out. Turnover sits at 43.6%, slightly better than the 45.8% national figure but still meaning nearly half the nursing staff turning over in a year.
The inspection record shows 13 deficiencies, none at the harm or jeopardy level, though two are abuse-related, worth asking about directly. With a nonprofit owner, a recent March 2026 inspection, and 4s across health inspection and quality measures alongside that 5 on staffing, the numbers point to a home that's well-staffed and currently in good standing.
Friendship Village Retirement runs on a nonprofit model with 72 certified beds in Waterloo, and the staffing numbers are the clearest strength here: 4.78 nurse hours per resident day, roughly a quarter above the national average, with weekend coverage dipping only about 8% from weekday levels. Turnover sits at 28.3%, well under the national 45.8%, which matters for continuity of care. The tradeoffs show up elsewhere. Inspections in November 2025 turned up eight deficiencies, including one at the harm level and one tied to abuse, and the quality measure rating comes in at 2 out of 5, a gap worth asking about directly, since staffing strength doesn't automatically translate into clinical outcomes.
Laporte City Specialty Care runs a tight ship on inspections, a four-star health inspection record with only three deficiencies and none tied to abuse. The catch is staffing. At 3.24 nurse hours per resident day, it sits about 16% under the national average, and weekends dip roughly 12% below its own weekday levels, which matters if your family visits or calls on Saturdays and Sundays. The good news: turnover is 25.7%, well below the 45.8% national figure, so the people who are there tend to stay. Its last inspection was recent, in February 2026. For 46 beds under nonprofit ownership, that's a decent overall picture, just go in knowing the daily coverage is leaner than most.
Martin Health Center runs on unusually solid staffing for a 50-bed nonprofit home in Cedar Falls, 4.21 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 9% above the national average, and enough to earn a top staffing rating from CMS. Weekend coverage dips about 8% below its own weekday level, which is worth asking about if your family visits on Saturdays or Sundays. Staff turnover sits at 39.7%, better than the 45.8% national figure, no small thing when consistent caregivers matter. The tradeoffs show up elsewhere: 11 deficiencies on record, one serious enough to involve harm or jeopardy, and a mid-range quality measure score. The last inspection was recent, in May 2025, so the picture is current.
Northcrest Specialty Care runs 94 beds in Waterloo under nonprofit ownership, and the numbers tell a mixed story. Nurse staffing sits at 3.29 hours per resident day, roughly 15 percent under the national average, and weekends dip about 10 percent below what the home staffs on weekdays, so coverage thins out exactly when families tend to visit. The inspection record is the bigger concern: 32 deficiencies, including one at the harm level and one tied to abuse. Annual turnover of 46.7 percent tracks close to the national figure. Quality and staffing measures score well, but a recent February 2026 inspection and that deficiency count are what a family should ask about directly.
Newaldaya Lifescapes runs 112 certified beds in Cedar Falls under nonprofit ownership, and its staffing is the clearest strength: 4.52 nurse hours per resident day, about 17% above the national average, with turnover at 41.6% that actually beats the 45.8% national figure. Weekends dip roughly 10% below weekday coverage, worth knowing if you're visiting then. The concern sits on the inspection side, where a 2-out-of-5 health inspection rating reflects 13 deficiencies on the current record, including one at the harm or jeopardy level and one abuse-related citation, along with a single $132,074 fine. The most recent inspection was May 22, 2025, so the record is current rather than stale. Good staffing doesn't erase a serious citation, so ask what changed since.
Cedar Falls Health Care Center runs 70 certified beds under for-profit LLC ownership, and its 2.72 nurse staffing hours per resident day sit roughly 30% under the national average of 3.86, a real gap when direct care time is what residents actually feel. Weekend staffing drops about 8% below weekday levels, so the leanest shifts get leaner. The inspection record is the bigger concern: 37 deficiencies, two at harm or jeopardy level and one abuse-related, with a 2/5 health inspection rating. Annual turnover at 43.8% is slightly better than the 45.8% national figure, and quality and staffing star ratings both come in at 4/5, but the January 2026 inspection and that deficiency count are what families should ask about directly.
Pinnacle Specialty Care is a 100-bed for-profit home in Cedar Falls, and the numbers point in a few different directions. Nurse staffing sits at 3.31 hours per resident day, roughly 14% under the national average, and weekends run about 8% thinner than weekdays, which is when families tend to visit and notice. Turnover, though, is genuinely low at 27.4% against a 45.8% national figure, so the people who are there tend to stay. The inspection record is the bigger concern: 20 deficiencies, one serious enough to reach harm or jeopardy level, with a $8,362 fine and a 2-star health inspection rating. That's a lot of citations for a home this size, and it's what pulls the overall picture down.
Pillar of Cedar Valley runs a lean nursing floor: 2.92 nurse hours per resident day against a national average near 3.86, and weekends drop roughly 15% below what the home already provides on weekdays. That staffing pattern is worth asking about directly, since it shapes how quickly call lights get answered on a Saturday.
The inspection record shows 23 deficiencies, three tied to abuse, though none reached the harm or jeopardy level as CMS defines it. Staff turnover sits at 32.7%, better than the 45.8% national figure, which suggests the people who are there tend to stay. The most recent state inspection was November 17, 2025. This is a nonprofit corporation with 114 certified beds.
Ravenwood Specialty Care is a 176-bed nonprofit home in Waterloo, and the numbers pull in two directions. Staffing sits at 3.35 nurse hours per resident day, about 13 percent under the national average, and weekends run roughly 8 percent thinner than weekdays. Turnover, though, is a genuine bright spot at 30.2 percent against a national average near 46.
What drags the picture down is the inspection record: 36 deficiencies, two of them serious enough to involve harm or jeopardy, and a one-star health inspection rating. The last inspection was recent, in November 2025, so that record reflects current conditions rather than old problems. A 2/5 on quality measures doesn't offset it. Plenty of direct-care hours have left the building, and the state has documented what that looks like.
Harmony Waterloo runs 88 certified beds under for-profit LLC ownership, and the numbers behind its record deserve a close look. Nurse staffing sits at 3.24 hours per resident day, roughly 16 percent under the national average, and weekends dip about 10 percent below what the home staffs on weekdays, so coverage thins out exactly when families tend to visit. The inspection history is the bigger concern: 21 deficiencies on the current record, including one at the harm or jeopardy level and two tied to abuse. One fine totaling $95,440 has been issued, and turnover runs 48.8 percent. The most recent inspection was January 14, 2026.
Harmony House is a for-profit home in Waterloo with 65 certified beds. The staffing numbers sit just under the national average, but the real problem is turnover: about 61.5% of nursing staff leave each year, against a national average near 46%, and weekend coverage drops roughly 7% below its own weekday level. On inspections, this home has drawn 33 deficiencies, including four at the harm or jeopardy level and four tied to abuse, plus one fine totaling $48,825. CMS has placed it in the Special Focus Facility program, which is reserved for homes with a persistent record of serious problems. Its last inspection was August 6, 2025.
Frequently asked questions
How many Medicaid-certified nursing homes are there in Black Hawk County, Iowa?
There are 12 Medicaid-certified Medicare-certified nursing homes in Black Hawk County, Iowa, 100% of the 12 nursing homes there.
Are Medicaid-certified nursing homes better staffed?
In Black Hawk County, Iowa they average 3.66 total nursing hours per resident per day, against 3.66 for all nursing homes in Black Hawk County, Iowa, a difference of +0 hours. Staff turnover averages 39.2% against 39.2%.
Which Medicaid-certified nursing home grades best in Black Hawk County, Iowa?