Care Considered › Methodology
Methodology, data sources and corrections
Every rating, score and statistic on this site is an official CMS measure, reproduced without adjustment. This page names the file each one comes from, explains the little we compute ourselves, and lists what we deliberately do not show.
Data sources
| Collection | CMS files (Provider Data Catalog, data.cms.gov) | Release loaded | Refresh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home health agencies (12,460) | Home Health Care Agencies; HHCAHPS Patient Survey; Home Health ZIP-code service areas | Jul2026 | Quarterly |
| Hospices (6,669) | Hospice Provider data; Hospice CAHPS family-caregiver survey; Hospice Quality Reporting measures | Jul2026 | Quarterly |
| Nursing homes (14,690) | Nursing Home Provider Information (star ratings, staffing, special focus, abuse icon); Health Deficiencies; Penalties; Ownership | Aug2026 | Monthly / quarterly |
| Inpatient rehabilitation facilities (1,222) | IRF Provider data; IRF Quality Reporting measures (discharge to community, readmissions, infections) | Aug2026 | Quarterly |
| Population and place names | U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year; Census Gazetteer | 2024 ACS | Annually |
Each provider page states the vintage of the file it was built from. Release dates above are CMS's; we load within a few weeks of publication and log each load on Data updates.
What we compute ourselves
- Nothing about any individual provider. Star ratings, survey scores, staffing hours, deficiencies, fines and payment denials are shown exactly as CMS publishes them. We do not re-rate, re-weight or blend measures.
- Lists and order. State and city lists sort by the CMS measure named at the top of the table (quality star, family rating, overall rating) with ties broken by survey availability, size and then CMS certification number. "Nearby" providers are the closest by city, then 3-digit ZIP, then state.
- Research reports. The state rankings, ownership comparisons, fine totals and "care desert" counts on the Research pages are sums, means and medians over the CMS files, by state and by ownership type. Each report states its own formula and the number of providers behind each figure; small groups are flagged.
- Duplicate records. CMS issues separate certification numbers for branches and ownership changes, so one provider can appear more than once. We show all records but designate one as primary (surveyed, higher-rated, larger service area, lowest CCN, in that order) and link the others to it.
What we leave out, and why
- Where CMS suppresses a measure (too few patients, new provider, not required to report), the page says "not reported". We never impute.
- We collect no consumer reviews and host no star ratings of our own.
- Prices, bed availability and current staffing are not shown; they change daily and must come from the provider.
- Medicaid-only and non-certified providers are outside CMS's files and so outside this site.
Which pages we submit to search engines
Every certified provider has a public page. Since October 2026 we submit to Google only the pages that carry a record a family can act on: home health agencies with both a CMS quality star and a patient-survey star; hospices with a family-survey (CAHPS) star; nursing homes with a special-focus status, abuse icon or Medicare payment denial; and rehab facilities with at least one CMS better- or worse-than-national measure. The remaining pages stay online and reachable from their state hubs but are marked for Google not to index. Bing and AI assistants receive the full sitemap.
Independence and money
No provider pays to be listed, ranked or described, and every Medicare-certified provider appears automatically. The site currently carries no advertising and no sponsored placements; if either is introduced it will be labeled and will not touch any provider's data. The publisher, Own the Answer Inc., is not affiliated with CMS, Medicare, or any provider.
Corrections
If a figure here does not match the CMS source, or a provider's name, address, phone or service area is wrong, use the contact form with the page URL. We check against the CMS file and correct the page within five business days, or explain why the source says what it says. Providers may use the same route to flag outdated contact details ahead of the next CMS release. Corrections that change a published research figure are noted on Data updates.
Not advice
This site is information for a decision, not the decision. Nothing here is medical, legal or financial advice. Verify current details on Medicare Care Compare and with the provider before arranging care.
Who is responsible
Vince Czaplyski is the editor and is responsible for the method on this page and for the research reports. Own the Answer Inc., 5342 Clark Road #1370, Sarasota, FL 34233, is the publisher. Read more on the About page. This page was last reviewed 2026-10-12.