Centracare Hospice
A hospice in Willmar, Minnesota 56201
325 Willmar Avenue SW, Willmar, Minnesota 56201. (320) 231-4470.
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The short answer
Record last released by CMS on Oct 23, 2026.
- 1 deficiency cited in the last three years
- 4of 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?
1 deficiency cited in the last three years
The middle of the 16 hospices serving ZIP code 56201 had 2.5.
The last inspection on record was on Jul 30, 2025: a recertification inspection by the state.
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
1 deficiency in 1 month of the last 36. Last cited Jul 2025. Most serious: Standard-level. The last 3 years, to Nov 5, 2026.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 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 | Nov |
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.
Jul 30, 2025: recertification inspection by the state1 deficiency
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Hospice multiple locations (42 CFR 418.100(f)(1)(i))
The inspectors’ words, 460 words
“Based on observation, interview and document review, the agency failed to update Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) regarding closure of branch office locations located in Montevideo, Dawson, and Appleton. CMS form 855a dated 9/24, indicated if currently enrolled in Medicare and need to make changes to enrollment information (e.g. add or change practice location.) Changes must be reported in accordance with the timeframes established in 42 C.F.R section 424.516 (outlines the additional requirements that Medicare providers and suppliers must meet to enroll and maintain an active enrollment status in the Medicare program.)42 C.F.R section 424.516 indicated changes must be reported to CMS within 30 days for a change in addition or deletion of a practice location. CMS system Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (IQIES) identified branch locations located in Montevideo, Dawson, Ortonville, Appleton and Benson. During interview on 7/28/25 at 2:00 p.m., director stated they did not have any branch offices in Montevideo, Dawson, Ortonville, Appleton or Benson. There were no staff officed out of these locations and no client or personnel records were kept there. Director stated she had not completed any paperwork to remove them as branch offices. During sight visit on 7/29/25 at 2:00 p.m., hospital receptionist was not aware of the location for the hospice office and stated no hospice staff were there. She directed writer to look on 2nd floor. Second Floor had a sign of another hospice agency. No other signs of a hospice office. However, a door was marked as hospice storage and contained supplies, and another door as hospice equipment and contained wheelchairs and commodes. There were two office spaces with desks, however no staff observed on second floor. When interviewed 7/30/25 at 1:45 p.m., director stated the hospice license was renewed in January. At that time, she listed three locations as satellite offices. However, they recently lost Dawson as the hospital the space back but gave offered an alcove to use for documenting if needed. The sign at Benson was never changed but it was not a location for the community to visit. Director stated Montevideo, Dawson, Ortonville, Appleton and Benson did not meet the definition for a branch office and should not be listed as such. Reviewed Renewal Application for a License to Operate a Hospice Provider. Under Approved Office Locations were listed Benson, Dawson and Ortonville. Reviewed ASPEN Central Office (ACO) Hospice name had changed from Rice Hospice in 2018, then changed name again to current name in 2022. Reviewed current Patient Directory, there was Team A- Willmar team-7 listed 38 patients. Team B was broken down into six teams. Appleton (team-1) listed five patients, Benson (team-2) listed seven patients, Dawson (team-3) listed four patients, Montevideo (team -5) listed eleven patients, and Ortonville/Graceville (team-6) listed four patients.”
The one inspection in the last three years
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 30, 2025 | Recertification inspection by the state | 1 deficiency cited |
Is it certified?
- Medicare-certified hospice since Apr 14, 1987.
- 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): 14.5 nurse care minutes per routine home care day, 8.1% of skilled nursing minutes at weekends and a visit near death for 96.6% of patients who died.
- Where its patients were cared for (Jan 1, 2024 to Dec 31, 2024): 25% at home, 20% in assisted living, 52% in a nursing facility, 2% in a skilled 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 | 14.5 min |
| Skilled nursing minutes at weekends | 8.1% |
| Visits near death | 96.6% of patients who died |
Who owns it?
- Centracare Health System owns 100% directly since Jan 1, 2018.
- 19 owners or officers are people: Tina Ssn May (corporate director); Michelle Johnson (corporate director); Thomas Knoblach (corporate director); Michael A Blair (corporate officer, 0%); Michael A Blair (managing employee (on the payroll), 0%); Jeffrey Gau (corporate director); Amy Wendinger (managing employee (on the payroll)); Renee S Frauendienst (corporate director); Jacob Lyons (corporate director); Richard Wehseler (corporate director); Bobbie Bertram (corporate director); Kenneth D Holmen (corporate officer); Sherri Liebl (corporate director); David A Newcomer (managing employee (on the payroll)); David Anfinson (corporate director); Daniel Abdul (corporate director); James Hebl (corporate director); Carrie Henning-Smith (corporate officer); Bryan Rolph (corporate director).
- 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.
| Organisation | Role | Share | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centracare Health System | Owns 5% or more directly | 100% | Jan 1, 2018 |
What do families say?
- Family caregivers rate it 4 of 5 in CMS’s survey (Oct 1, 2023 to Sep 30, 2025): 85% rated it 9 or 10 out of 10, and 89% would definitely recommend it.
- CMS’s Hospice Care Index: 10 of 10 (Jan 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2024).
- 100% of patients were assessed on all seven of CMS’s measures at the start of care (Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025); 75.1% 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 | 4 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 16 hospices CMS’s data show serving patients in ZIP code 56201, where this hospice’s office is, the middle number of deficiencies cited in the last three years was 2.5; this one had 1.
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 |
|---|---|
| Centracare Hospice This hospice | 1 |
| Divine Hospice Care | 0 |
| Bethesda Hospice | 5 |
| Hospice of Murray County Inc. | Not given |
| Olivia Hospital & Clinic - Hospice | Not given |
| Horizon Public Health | 0 |
| Ecumen Hospice | 2 |
| Good Samaritan Society Hospice | 6 |
| St Croix Hospice | 4 |
| Vivie Hospice | 1 |
| Moments Hospice | 9 |
| St Croix Hospice | 3 |
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 Nov 5, 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 Nov 5, 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 Nov 5, 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 Nov 5, 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 Nov 5, 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 Nov 5, 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 Nov 5, 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.