Shell Lake Health Care Center
802 E CTY HWY B, Shell Lake, WI 54871
Shell Lake, Wisconsin · CMS verdict
Shell Lake Health Care Center's CMS overall star rating stands at 3 of 5, in line with the Wisconsin state average (3.0) and reflecting 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.
Shell Lake Health Care Center in Shell Lake, Wisconsin holds a CMS overall rating of 3 of 5 stars and a PlainElderCare Quality & Compliance Index of 47 of 100 (grade F). The 50-bed facility operates where a semi-private nursing-home room in Wisconsin runs a median of $10,646 per month. Figures are from CMS Nursing Home Compare.
PlainElderCare Quality & Compliance Index
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 rating of 3 of 5 stars. How this is calculated.
How the 47 is built
Each segment is a dimension's weighted points toward the score, summing to 47.
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.
Data insights
Quality ratings
Shell Lake Health Care Center holds a CMS overall quality rating of 3 out of 5 stars, based on the most recent Care Compare release (data as of April 2026). CMS breaks this into three sub-ratings: health inspection (3/5), staffing (3/5), and quality measures (2/5).
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 Shell Lake, Wisconsin, this facility operates 50 certified beds with an average daily census of roughly 38 residents - an occupancy rate of about 76%. The facility is classified under for profit - limited liability company ownership, a designation that can influence staffing patterns, reinvestment decisions, and admissions policy. At roughly 76% occupancy, this facility has meaningful open capacity relative to its certified bed count.
Same-ownership peers
Within Wisconsin, Shell Lake Health Care Center is one of 70 for profit - limited liability company nursing homes CMS rates. Its 3-star overall rating sits above the for profit - limited liability company-segment average of 2.5 stars, ahead of roughly 57% of same-ownership peers in the state. Comparing a facility against its own ownership segment holds the business model roughly constant, which helps isolate facility-level performance from the staffing and reinvestment patterns that differ across for-profit, non-profit, and government operators.
Inspection record
On the regulatory side, federal and state surveyors have documented multiple deficiencies at this facility (18 total). CMS has levied no enforcement penalties over the equivalent 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
The figures above come directly from the U.S. Centers for Medicare \& Medicaid Services Nursing Home Compare dataset for federal quality ratings, combined with the CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey of more than 15,000 elder-care providers nationwide and U.S. Census American Community Survey income data. Cost figures are monthly medians, refreshed annually with each new CareScout release; quality ratings are refreshed quarterly from the CMS Provider Information File. Read these state and county medians as benchmarks, then verify current rates with individual providers and consult care managers before making placement decisions. See our methodology for source vintage.
How Shell Lake Health Care Center compares to Wisconsin
CMS five-star sub-ratings (0–5) for this facility against the Wisconsin facility-weighted average. Source: CMS Care Compare.
Bar = this facility's rating · vertical marker = Wisconsin state average. Higher is better on all four CMS measures.
Where Shell Lake Health Care Center ranks in Wisconsin
Among the 321 CMS-rated nursing homes in Wisconsin, Shell Lake Health Care Center’s 3-star overall rating is higher than 42% of them. The bars show how all Wisconsin homes spread across the CMS 1-to-5 scale; this facility’s band is highlighted.
52 Wisconsin homes share this 3-star rating. Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare.
Facility details
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Beds | 50 |
| Residents | 38 |
| Ownership | For profit - Limited Liability company |
| County | Washburn |
| Penalties | 0 |
| Deficiencies | 18 |
Source: CMS Care Compare Nursing Homes (data as of April 2026)
What do families ask most?
What is the quality rating for Shell Lake Health Care Center? ▾
CMS rates Shell Lake Health Care Center at 3 out of 5 stars overall. The three sub-ratings behind that number: health inspection 3/5, staffing 3/5, quality measures 2/5.
How much does a nursing home cost per month in Wisconsin? ▾
In Wisconsin, a semi-private nursing home room runs a median $10,646/month ($127,750/year) per the CareScout 2025 survey; private rooms average $12,319/month.
What services does Shell Lake Health Care Center offer? ▾
With 50 beds with approximately 38 current residents, Shell Lake Health Care Center is a skilled nursing facility. It operates under for profit - limited liability company ownership, and CMS's inspection record shows 18 deficiencies and 0 penalties.
Does Shell Lake Health Care Center have any deficiencies or penalties? ▾
Shell Lake Health Care Center has multiple deficiencies (18 total) and 0 penalties recorded by CMS. 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 Wisconsin? ▾
In Wisconsin, alternatives include assisted living ($6,540/mo), home health aides ($6,912/mo), and adult day care ($1,517/mo).
Elder Care Guides
Explore PlainElderCare
Related Resources
Compare cost and CMS quality across the state on the Wisconsin elder-care overview, or see how facilities rank nationwide in our highest-rated states ranking.
Weigh nursing care against assisted living, home health, and adult day care, with national median costs, on our care types comparison, and learn how to fund it in our paying for elder care guide.
Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare. Provider ID: 525553.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.