2 Iowa nursing homes receive low federal ratings

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - Two Iowa nursing homes have been given low marks in a federal quality ratings report.

The troubled Windmill Manor in Coralville was rated as a one-star facility, the lowest grade on the government's five-star scale, while Iowa City Rehab and Health Care rated two stars.

Windmill Manor has faced numerous federal and state penalties in recent years. Stacy Cremeens, current administrator at Windmill Manor, declined to comment on the report.

The Iowa City facility's low marks came after subpar health inspection scores. Management at the Iowa City nursing home told the newspaper that a recent renovation and good staffing should improve the facility's quality.

The ratings are issued by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which introduced the star system in late 2008 to give consumers a better way to compare nursing homes through an online database. Program administrators say the ratings take into account health inspections, staffing ratios and self-reported quality measures.

Twelve other Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes in the Iowa region are currently rated at three stars or higher. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services says a three-star rating is considered average.

The region is also home to four five-star facilities: Briarwood Healthcare Center in Iowa City, Crestview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in West Branch, Colonial Manor of Amana and Highland Ridge Care Center in Williamsburg.