Winnmed Hospice
A hospice in Decorah, Iowa 52101
901 Montgomery Street Ste D, Decorah, Iowa 52101. (563) 387-3024.
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The short answer
Record last released by CMS on Oct 23, 2026.
- 7 deficiencies cited in the last three years
- 5of 5 family caregiver rating
- 10of 10 CMS’s Hospice Care Index
Each figure’s source sits beside it, in its section below.
What these words mean3
- Star ratings
- CMS rates some kinds of place from 1 to 5 stars, more stars meaning better on CMS’s own measures for that kind: for a nursing home, its health inspections, staffing and quality measures. A rating is CMS’s summary of those measures; it doesn’t promise good care. Source: CMS, Care Compare and the Five-Star Quality Rating System.
- Inspection (survey)
- A visit by state inspectors, often unannounced, who check a place against the rules it must meet. For nursing homes and other places Medicare pays, CMS calls these visits surveys: a standard survey of a nursing home comes at least every 15 months, and a complaint survey whenever a complaint calls for one. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 488.308.
- Deficiency, citation, violation
- What inspectors write up when a place didn’t meet a rule: the rule, what they saw, and when. CMS calls it a deficiency; states may say citation or violation. It is the inspectors’ finding, not a court’s, and the place is usually asked for a plan to correct it. Source: CMS, statement of deficiencies (Form CMS-2567); each state’s licensing agency.
What did inspectors find?
7 deficiencies cited in the last three years
The middle of the 5 hospices serving ZIP code 52101 had 6.
The last inspection on record was on Feb 27, 2026: a reaccreditation inspection by The Joint Commission.
CMS, QCOR hospice inspection reports. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated quarterly.
CMS, Hospice ZIP Data. Released Aug 26, 2026. Updated quarterly.
When those deficiencies happened
7 deficiencies in 1 month of the last 36. Last cited Feb 2026. Most serious: Standard-level. The last 3 years, to Oct 27, 2026.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Nov | Dec | ||||||||||
| 2024 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2025 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2026 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct |
Hover or focus a month to read it.
Hearth Record drew this from the dates and levels in the source’s own records.
Each deficiency, as cited
Rule titles as CMS’s inspectors cite them, set in sentence case.
CMS, QCOR hospice inspection reports. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated quarterly.
Feb 27, 2026: reaccreditation inspection by The Joint Commission7 deficiencies
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Notice of rights and responsibilities (42 CFR 418.52(a)(2))
“Observed in Record Review. In 10 of 10 patient records reviewed, the hospice had not provided a written description of state law concerning advance directives. In review of the hospice admission packet and in discussion with the Home Health & Hospice Director there was no evidence that the organization had provided a written description of Iowa state law concerning advance directives. This occurred in 10 out of 10 records reviewed.”
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Content of plan of care (42 CFR 418.56(c))
The inspectors’ words, 136 words
“Observed in Record Review. In 10 of 12 patient records reviewed, the hospice did not include measurable goals for all disciplines/services included on the plan of care. In review of the medical record for HOSRRHV #1 the surveyor noted that Music and Pet Therapy were included on the plan of care 3-5 times per month and had included interventions however there was no evidence of documented goals for either service. Additionally in review of the medical record for HOSRRHV #2 the plan of care did not include goals for Massage Therapy which was ordered 3-5 times per month. This was also observed in review of the medical records for HOSRRHV #3 HOSRRNHV #1, HOSRRNHV #3, HOSRRNHV #4, HOSRRNHV #5, HOSRRNHV #6, HOSDC #8 and HOSDC #9. This was validated with the Home Health & Hospice Director.”
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Executive responsibilities (42 CFR 418.58(e)(1))
“Observed in Data Session. The organization’s governing body had not evaluated and approved the Hospice Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) program. In review of the governing board meeting minutes there was no documentation to indicate that they had evaluated and approved the Hospice QAPI plan including performance improvement projects and frequency of data collection for 2026, 2025 or 2024. This was validated with the Home Health & Hospice Director.”
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Recruiting and retaining (42 CFR 418.78(c))
“Observed in Document Review. The hospice had not documented its efforts to recruit and retain volunteers. The Home Health & Hospice Director reported that the Volunteer Coordinator for the hospital does the recruitment for the hospice volunteers however there is no documentation of recruitment efforts.”
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Level of activity (42 CFR 418.78(e))
“Observed in Data Session. Volunteers did not provide at least 5% of the total patient care hours of all paid hospice employees and contract staff. In review of the Volunteer Program the hospice documented a 4.7 % cost savings for 2025. This was validated with the Home Health & Hospice Director.”
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Training (42 CFR 418.100(g)(3))
The inspectors’ words, 95 words
“Observed in HR File Review. In 5 of 8 HR files reviewed, the hospice did not have written policies and procedures that describe its method of assessing skills and competence for all individuals furnishing care and services, including volunteers. In review of the personnel records for the hospice social worker, hospice medical director, hospice chaplain, music specialist and hospice volunteers there was no evidence that competencies had been assessed or that there was a process in place for assessing skills and competence of those disciplines. This was validated with the Home Health & Hospice Director.”
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Coordination of services (42 CFR 418.112(e)(3)(iii))
“Observed in Record Review. In 1 of 3 home visits conducted, for patients who resided in Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF), the hospice had not provided the skilled nursing facility with all required documents. In review of the SNF medical record for HOS RRHV #3 and in discussion with the Director of the SNF there was no evidence that the SNF had been provided with the physician certification and recertification of the patient’s terminal illness. This was validated with the Home Health & Hospice Director.”
The one inspection in the last three years
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 27, 2026 | Reaccreditation inspection by The Joint Commission | 7 deficiencies cited |
Is it certified?
- Medicare-certified hospice since Oct 9, 1996.
- Ownership: non-profit.
- No For hospices, home health agencies, hospitals and dialysis facilities, CMS writes deficiencies at two levels. Standard is the usual one; condition-level is the more serious, when a problem is serious enough that the provider doesn’t meet a whole condition of taking part in Medicare. Source: CMS, State Operations Manual. deficiency or CMS’s most serious finding: the place’s failure to meet a rule caused, or was likely to cause, serious injury, harm, impairment or death to someone in its care. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 489.3. on record in the last three years.
CMS, Hospice General Information. Released Aug 26, 2026. Updated quarterly.
CMS, QCOR hospice inspection reports. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated quarterly.
Has anything been proven against it?
- CMS doesn’t publish fines or other penalties for hospices, so none are shown.
- 0 deficiencies cited in the last three years came from inspections that included a complaint investigation.
CMS, QCOR hospice inspection reports. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated quarterly.
Who does the caring?
- From Medicare claims (Jan 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2024): 14.8 nurse care minutes per routine home care day, 7.1% of skilled nursing minutes at weekends and a visit near death for 99% of patients who died.
- Where its patients were cared for (Jan 1, 2024 to Dec 31, 2024): 32% at home, 1% in assisted living, 66% in a nursing facility, 1% in a hospital.
CMS, Hospice Provider Data. Released Aug 26, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Measure | This provider |
|---|---|
| Nurse care minutes per routine home care day | 14.8 min |
| Skilled nursing minutes at weekends | 7.1% |
| Visits near death | 99.0% of patients who died |
Who owns it?
- 12 owners or officers are people: Benjamin W Stevens (corporate officer); Benjamin W Stevens (managing employee (on the payroll)); Nancy A Haberichter (corporate director); Britt Rhodes (corporate officer); Janice Heikes (corporate officer); Mark Jensen (corporate officer); Rebekah N Krueger (corporate officer); Clark Goltz (corporate officer); Justin Gullekson (corporate officer); David C Rooney (corporate director); Steven R Slessor (corporate officer); Karen Palmer Mclean (corporate officer).
- No private-equity firm among the owners CMS lists.
- No real-estate investment trust among the owners CMS lists.
CMS, Hospice All Owners and Hospice Enrollments. Released Sep 29, 2026. Updated quarterly.
What do families say?
- Family caregivers rate it 5 of 5 in CMS’s survey (Oct 1, 2023 to Sep 30, 2025): 91% rated it 9 or 10 out of 10, and 94% would definitely recommend it.
- CMS’s Hospice Care Index: 10 of 10 (Jan 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2024).
- 96.61% of patients were assessed on all seven of CMS’s measures at the start of care (Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025); 87.9% had visits from a nurse or social worker on at least 2 of their last 3 days (Jan 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2024).
CMS, CAHPS Hospice Survey and Hospice Provider Data. Released Aug 26, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Measure | Rating |
|---|---|
| Family caregiver survey ratingCMS star rating from its survey of patients’ family caregivers, 1 to 5 | 5 of 5 |
| Hospice Care IndexCMS’s Hospice Care Index, 0 to 10 (higher is better): a point for each of ten measures from Medicare claims on which the hospice meets CMS’s threshold | 10 of 10 |
How does it compare nearby?
- Of the 5 hospices CMS’s data show serving patients in ZIP code 52101, where this hospice’s office is, the middle number of deficiencies cited in the last three years was 6; this one had 7.
CMS, Hospice ZIP Data. Released Aug 26, 2026. Updated quarterly.
CMS, QCOR hospice inspection reports. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Place | Deficiencies, 3 years |
|---|---|
| Winnmed Hospice This hospice | 7 |
| Mercyone North Iowa Hospice | Not given |
| Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hosp and Clinics-Hospice | 5 |
| Howard County Community Hospice | 8 |
| St Croix Hospice | 1 |
What the record doesn’t say
- CMS doesn’t publish fines or other penalties for hospices, so none are shown.
- Only complaints that led to a citation appear; complaints that didn’t aren’t published.
- CMS ended its Special Focus Program for hospices with serious problems on Feb 14, 2025, so no hospice is marked as one.
- Hospice quality measures have a gap from October 2025: CMS replaced its patient assessment then, and public results from the new one (HOPE) are expected around November 2027.
Sources
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospice General Information (yc9t-dgbk).
Released Aug 26, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospice Provider Data (252m-zfp9).
Released Aug 26, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CAHPS Hospice Survey (gxki-hrr8).
Released Aug 26, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, QCOR hospice inspection reports (Hospice Survey Reports - Oct 2021 through Sep 2026.xlsx).
Released Oct 23, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospice All Owners (e983965e-1603-4cb8-82b5-c40090e380d1).
Released Sep 29, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospice Enrollments (25704213-e833-4b8b-9dbc-58dd17149209).
Released Sep 29, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospice ZIP Data (95rg-2usp).
Released Aug 26, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
If you believe something here is wrong, a correction starts with the agency whose record this copies: CMS. CMS’s own record is on Care Compare. If Hearth Record copied something wrongly, it will fix it and log the correction publicly, with its date: how corrections work.
This copy of the record was made on Oct 27, 2026.
From the hospice
The public record above comes first. Anything the hospice adds will appear here, below it, and say who wrote it.
Replies
None. Replies aren’t open yet. When they open, the hospice will be able to answer any finding for free, and the reply will show beside that finding, unedited and dated.
Paid listing
None. Paid listings aren’t open yet. When they open, anything paid for will say “Paid by the hospice”, and paying will never change a finding, a rating or the order of results.