CMS F-tag

F812: Nutrition & dietary

Food must be stored, prepared, and served under sanitary conditions. Cited 19,893 times at 11,043 nursing homes in the last three inspection cycles.

#3 of 242 tags0% caused harm53 statesLatest survey Jan 20, 2026

How F812 shows up in inspections

#3 of 242 tagsAmong the most cited

Rarely cited
Occasionally cited
Often cited
Very often cited
Among the most cited

How serious it usually is

Immediate jeopardyJ · K · L0.4%77
Actual harmG–I0%0
No actual harmD · E · F99.4%19,771
Minimal harmB · C0.2%45

0% of F812 citations involved actual harm or immediate jeopardy. Nationally, about 5% of all citations do.

By the numbers

19,893Citations
11,043Facilities cited76% of rated nursing homes

Citations by survey year

20172
2018315
2019964
2020357
20211,048
20222,591
20234,636
20245,541
20254,420
202619

Partial years reflect the rolling three-cycle window, not a change in enforcement.

Where F812 is cited most

Survey agencies differ in what they emphasize, so compare a facility with its own state. Shares are the portion of each state’s rated nursing homes with at least one F812 citation.

States by share of facilities cited

California98% of homes2,659 citations · 1,132 of 1,154 facilities
Texas85% of homes2,004 citations · 995 of 1,167 facilities
Ohio71% of homes1,156 citations · 648 of 911 facilities
Illinois77% of homes964 citations · 514 of 665 facilities
Missouri87% of homes814 citations · 415 of 479 facilities
Pennsylvania69% of homes811 citations · 448 of 653 facilities
Florida66% of homes687 citations · 454 of 689 facilities
New York64% of homes605 citations · 382 of 593 facilities
Michigan78% of homes598 citations · 327 of 420 facilities
Indiana68% of homes574 citations · 343 of 504 facilities

Top 10 of 53 states. Every state page lists its most-cited tags.

Facilities cited most often

Courtyard Health Care CenterDavis, CA · Report card8 F812No harm
Aventura at CreeksideCarbondale, PA · Report card6 F8121 with harm
Avir at AdamsTemple, TX · Report card6 F8121 with harm
Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness CenterBeaver, PA · Report card6 F8121 with harm
Cedarwood PlazaCleveland Heights, OH · Report card6 F812No harm
Duncanville Healthcare and Rehabilitation CenterDuncanville, TX · Report card6 F812No harm
Grandview Nursing and RehabilitationDanville, PA · Report card6 F812No harm
Heritage Care CenterPittsburgh, PA · Report card6 F812No harm
Kadima Rehabilitation & Nursing at IrwinNorth Huntingdon, PA · Report card6 F812No harm
Pasadena Palace TcuPasadena, CA · Report card6 F812No harm
Suburban Healthcare and RehabilitationNorth Randall, OH · Report card6 F812No harm
Aventura at Terrace ViewPeckville, PA · Report card5 F8121 with harm
Archer Heights HealthcareChicago, IL · Report card5 F812No harm
Astoria Place of SilvertonCincinnati, OH · Report card5 F812No harm
Astoria Skilled Nursing and RehabilitationCanton, OH · Report card5 F812No harm

What to ask a facility about a F812 citation

What exactly did the surveyor find, and on what date? The report card shows the date and the severity letter.
What was the plan of correction, and was it accepted by the state on the first submission?
Has the same tag been cited in more than one cycle? Repeat citations matter more than a single one.
If the letter was G or higher: what happened to the resident, and what changed in staffing or process?

Source: CMS Provider Data Catalog, Nursing Home Health Citations, current three inspection cycles, most recent survey Jan 20, 2026. Counts are citations unless labeled facilities.

What is F812 in a nursing home inspection?

F812 is the CMS F-tag for the requirement "Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards." (Nutrition & dietary). Surveyors cite it when a facility is found out of compliance with that regulation during a standard survey or complaint investigation.

How common is F812?

F812 was cited 19,893 times at 11,043 facilities (76% of rated nursing homes) in the last three inspection cycles, ranking #3 of 242 tags. 77 of those citations involved actual harm or immediate jeopardy.

Does a F812 citation mean the facility is unsafe?

Not on its own. Read the scope and severity letter: D through F means no actual harm was found, G through I means a resident was harmed, and J through L means immediate jeopardy. Ask the facility what was cited, what was corrected, and when.

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