---
title: "Check a care provider: ratings, inspections, licenses"
description: "How to check a nursing home, assisted living, home health agency or hospice: Care Compare ratings, state inspection reports and license lookups."
url: https://seniorchoicecare.com/check-a-provider/
updated: 2026-10-09
site: Senior Choice Care
---

Check a provider

# Check a care provider before you choose

A tour shows you the lobby. The public record shows you what inspectors found. This is how we check providers ourselves, and how you can do it in about fifteen minutes.

**4 minute read** Updated October 9, 2026Written by the Senior Choice Care team

In short

To check a care provider, look it up in three places: Medicare's Care Compare for star ratings and inspection summaries of nursing homes, home health agencies and hospices; your state licensing agency for assisted living licenses and inspection reports; and the facility itself, which must make recent nursing home survey results available. Then visit in person.

**Written by the Senior Choice Care team** Updated October 9, 2026. Facts are checked against the sources listed at the end of this page. General information; every family is different.

**On this page**

1. [ The three records to check](#s-the-three-records-to-check)
2. [State lookups](#s-state-lookups)
3. [Ratings are a starting point](#s-ratings-are-a-starting-point)
4. [In this section](#s-in-this-section)
5. [Questions families ask](#s-faq)

## The three records to check

1. **Care Compare** Medicare's tool covers nursing homes, home health agencies and hospices that take Medicare. Nursing homes get an overall star rating plus separate ratings for health inspections, staffing and quality measures.
2. **The state licensing agency** States license assisted living and many other settings Medicare doesn't rate. Most post license status and inspection reports online.
3. **The provider's own copy** Federal rules require nursing homes to post their most recent survey results where residents and families can read them, and to provide earlier reports on request.

## State lookups

Show one state

Where to look up a licensed provider's inspection record

| State | Who licenses assisted living and nursing homes | Where to look | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), long-term care and residential facility licensing | [AZ Care Check](https://azcarecheck.azdhs.gov/s/) Licensed facilities and their licensing information | ADHS online complaint form, linked from its licensing pages |
| Florida | Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) | [FloridaHealthFinder facility locator](https://quality.healthfinder.fl.gov/) License status, beds, inspection reports and emergency actions | AHCA assisted living complaint line (888) 419-3456 |
| Kansas | KDADS, the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services | [KDADS Facilities Directory](https://webapps.kdads.ks.gov/prod/f?p=113:901) Adult care homes by type, with inspection results | KDADS complaint hotline 800-842-0078 |
| Missouri | Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), Section for Long-Term Care Regulation | [Show Me Long Term Care](https://healthapps.dhss.mo.gov/showmeltc/default.aspx) Licensed facilities and inspection reports | DHSS abuse and neglect hotline 1-800-392-0210 |
| North Carolina | Division of Health Service Regulation (DHSR), Adult Care Licensure Section | [Adult care home inspections, ratings and penalties](https://info.ncdhhs.gov/dhsr/acls/star/search.asp) Statements of deficiencies, star ratings and corrective action reports | DHSR complaint intake, listed on the DHSR site |
| Ohio | Ohio Department of Health (nursing homes and residential care facilities) | [Care Compare (nursing homes); ask ODH for state survey reports](https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/) Federal ratings and inspection summaries for certified nursing homes | Ohio Department of Health complaint unit |
| Pennsylvania | Department of Human Services (DHS), personal care home and assisted living residence licensing | [DHS PCH and ALR licensing page, with the provider directory](https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dhs/resources/licensing/pch-alr-licensing) Licensed personal care homes and assisted living residences | DHS regional licensing office |
| South Carolina | South Carolina Department of Public Health (community residential care facilities and nursing homes) | [DPH Find a Facility](https://dph.sc.gov/professionals/healthcare-quality/find-facility) Licensed facilities by type and location | DPH Healthcare Quality, listed on the DPH site |
| Texas | Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) | [HHSC Long-Term Care Provider Search](https://apps.hhs.texas.gov/LTCSearch/) License status and inspection history for nursing facilities and assisted living | HHSC complaint and incident intake 1-800-458-9858 |

Checked October 2026. Federal ratings for Medicare-certified nursing homes, home health and hospice are on [Medicare Care Compare](https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/).

## Ratings are a starting point

CMS itself cautions that no rating system covers everything that matters, such as specialized dementia care or how easy it is for family to visit. Use the record to shortlist, then visit, talk to residents and families, and ask the hard questions.

## In this section

[How-to

### Where to find assisted living inspection reports

Assisted living is licensed by states, not Medicare. Where to find inspection reports and licenses in nine states, and how to read them.
Guide **Read**](https://seniorchoicecare.com/check-a-provider/assisted-living-inspection-reports/)[ How-to

### How to check a home health agency on Care Compare

How to use Care Compare to check a Medicare-certified home health agency: the two star ratings, what they measure, and what to ask next.
Guide **Read**](https://seniorchoicecare.com/check-a-provider/home-health-compare/)[ How-to

### How to check a hospice on Care Compare

How to use Care Compare to check a hospice: Medicare approval, family caregiver survey ratings, quality measures, and what to ask next.
Guide **Read**](https://seniorchoicecare.com/check-a-provider/hospice-compare/)[ Explainer

### The long-term care ombudsman

Long-term care ombudsmen advocate for residents of nursing homes and assisted living. What they do, how to reach one, and when to call.
Guide **Read**](https://seniorchoicecare.com/check-a-provider/long-term-care-ombudsman/)[ How-to

### How to use Nursing Home Compare (Medicare Care Compare)

A step-by-step guide to Care Compare for nursing homes: what the star ratings mean, comparing three homes, ownership details and what ratings miss.
Guide **Read**](https://seniorchoicecare.com/check-a-provider/nursing-home-compare/)[ How-to

### How to check a nursing home's inspection reports and violations

Where to find a nursing home's inspection reports and deficiencies: Care Compare, the state agency and the home itself. How to read what you find.
Guide **Read**](https://seniorchoicecare.com/check-a-provider/nursing-home-inspection-reports/)[ Printable tool

### Provider scorecard: compare up to three care providers

A printable scorecard to rate up to three nursing homes, assisted living communities or agencies on the same questions, with totals and red flags.
Tool **Read**](https://seniorchoicecare.com/check-a-provider/provider-scorecard/)[ Explainer

### Signs of elder abuse and neglect

Signs of elder abuse and neglect at home or in a facility, from NIA: physical, emotional and financial warning signs, and who to call.
Guide **Read**](https://seniorchoicecare.com/check-a-provider/signs-of-elder-abuse/)

##  Questions families ask

### Where can I find nursing home ratings?

On Medicare's Care Compare. Each Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home has an overall rating of 1 to 5 stars, plus ratings for health inspections, staffing and quality measures.

### Does Medicare rate assisted living?

No. Assisted living is licensed by the states, so check the state licensing agency's lookup instead.

### Can I see a nursing home's inspection report?

Yes. Care Compare summarizes inspections, and the nursing home must post its most recent survey results and make reports from the past three years available on request.

### Who do I call with a complaint about a care home?

Your state's licensing agency takes complaints. The long-term care ombudsman program can also help residents and families resolve problems.

## Sources

- [Medicare.gov Care Compare: nursing homes, home health agencies, hospice and more](https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/)
- [CMS: Five-Star Quality Rating System for nursing homes](https://www.cms.gov/medicare/health-safety-standards/certification-compliance/five-star-quality-rating-system)
- [42 CFR 483.10: Resident rights, including access to survey results](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/chapter-IV/subchapter-G/part-483/subpart-B/section-483.10)
- [National Institute on Aging: How to choose a nursing home or other long-term care facility](https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/assisted-living-and-nursing-homes/how-choose-nursing-home-or-other-long-term-care-facility)

## Read next

- [How we check providers](https://seniorchoicecare.com/about/how-we-choose-partners/)
- [Near you](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/)
- [Assess](https://seniorchoicecare.com/assess/)
- [Assisted living inspections](https://seniorchoicecare.com/check-a-provider/assisted-living-inspection-reports/)
- [Home Health Compare](https://seniorchoicecare.com/check-a-provider/home-health-compare/)
- [Hospice Compare](https://seniorchoicecare.com/check-a-provider/hospice-compare/)
- [Long-term care ombudsman](https://seniorchoicecare.com/check-a-provider/long-term-care-ombudsman/)
- [Nursing Home Compare](https://seniorchoicecare.com/check-a-provider/nursing-home-compare/)

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