Buchanan County Health Center
1600 First Street East, Independence, IA 50644
Independence, Iowa · CMS verdict
Buchanan County Health Center's CMS overall star rating runs above the Iowa state average (3.1) and reflects above-average quality by the federal five-star measure.
The rating and the PlainElderCare Index below summarize federal inspection, staffing, and outcome data, they measure specific, documented dimensions of this facility, not a holistic verdict on the care your family member would receive. Visit in person, talk with staff and current residents' families, and weigh your family member's specific needs before choosing.
Buchanan County Health Center in Independence, Iowa holds a CMS overall rating of 4 of 5 stars and a PlainElderCare Quality & Compliance Index of 75 of 100 (grade C). Its CMS inspection record lists multiple deficiencies. Figures are from CMS Nursing Home Compare.
Quality & Compliance Index (lighter deficiency book)
Its CMS deficiency count sits in the lighter U.S. deficiency tercile (≤16). A transparent composite of this facility's CMS Care Compare sub-ratings and its federal inspection record. It complements, and does not replace, the official CMS overall star rating shown at the top of the page. How this is calculated.
How the 75 is built
Each segment is a dimension's weighted points toward the score, summing to 75.
Weights: health inspections 30%, staffing 25%, quality measures 25%, inspection record 20%; any dimension CMS has not published drops out and its weight redistributes (no silent deflation). Inspection record is benchmarked against all rated US nursing homes. Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare.
Buchanan County Health Center's lighter CMS deficiency book
Quality ratings
The rating comes from CMS's most recent Care Compare release (data as of April 2026). CMS rolls three sub-ratings into the overall star: health inspection, staffing, and quality measures. The chart below sets each of them against the Iowa average.
What each sub-rating measures
The health inspection rating reflects on-site surveyor findings from the last three cycles. The staffing rating compares case-mix-adjusted nurse hours per resident day to national benchmarks, and quality measures aggregate 15 clinical indicators including pressure ulcers, falls with injury, and long-stay antipsychotic use.
Size and setting
Located in Independence, Iowa. Bed capacity and average daily census, where CMS reports them, are in Facility details below. Its ownership type, listed in Facility details, can influence staffing patterns, reinvestment decisions, and admissions policy. At roughly 79% occupancy, this facility has meaningful open capacity relative to its certified bed count.
Inspection record
On the regulatory side, federal and state surveyors have documented multiple deficiencies at this facility; the counts are in Facility details below. CMS has levied enforcement penalties - civil money penalties or denials of payment, during the same window. This is a high deficiency count relative to most facilities; requesting the full survey report directly is the only way to see whether these are concentrated in one area or spread across the facility's operations.
Where these figures come from
Figures above come from CMS Nursing Home Compare (Care Compare, data as of April 2026) with state cost medians from the CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey. See our methodology for vintage.
How Buchanan County Health Center compares to Iowa
CMS five-star sub-ratings (0–5) for this facility against the Iowa facility-weighted average. Source: CMS Care Compare.
Bar = this facility's rating · vertical marker = Iowa state average. Higher is better on all four CMS measures.
Where Buchanan County Health Center ranks in Iowa
Among the 388 CMS-rated nursing homes in Iowa, Buchanan County Health Center’s 4-star overall rating is higher than 56% of them. The bars show how all Iowa homes spread across the CMS 1-to-5 scale; this facility’s band is highlighted.
85 Iowa homes share this 4-star rating. Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare.
Facility details
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Beds | 39 |
| Residents | 31 |
| Ownership | Government - County |
| County | Buchanan |
| Penalties | 1 |
| Deficiencies | 11 |
Source: CMS Care Compare Nursing Homes (data as of April 2026)
What do families ask most?
What is the quality rating for Buchanan County Health Center? ▾
CMS rates Buchanan County Health Center at 4 out of 5 stars overall. How its three sub-ratings compare with the Iowa average is charted above.
How much does a nursing home cost per month in Iowa? ▾
In Iowa, a semi-private nursing home room runs a median $9,277/month ($111,325/year) per the CareScout 2025 survey; private rooms average $10,038/month.
What services does Buchanan County Health Center offer? ▾
Buchanan County Health Center operates as a skilled nursing facility. For the specific care and therapy services, contact the facility: CMS data covers capacity, ownership, ratings, and inspections, not a service menu.
Does Buchanan County Health Center have any deficiencies or penalties? ▾
Buchanan County Health Center has multiple deficiencies and enforcement penalties recorded by CMS; the counts are in the Facility details table. A count this high is above what most facilities post; ask the facility directly for its plan of correction on the largest findings.
What are the alternatives to a nursing home in Iowa? ▾
In Iowa, alternatives include assisted living ($5,381/mo), home health aides ($7,836/mo), and adult day care ($1,614/mo).
Keep reading
Also see the Iowa elder-care overview and highest-rated states. Provider ID: 16E050.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.