Map showing the location of GINO J MERLI VETERANS CENTER in SCRANTON, Pennsylvania
401 PENN AVENUE, SCRANTON, PA, 18503

Overall Score

CMS Five-Star Quality Rating
5/5Much above averageCMS Five-Star overall rating
  1. Much below average
  2. Below average
  3. Average
  4. Above average
  5. Much above average

Where it ranks

  • PennsylvaniaAbove 77% of peers653 rated homes · average 3.0★
  • Lackawanna CountyAbove 81% of peers17 rated homes · average 3.0★
  • United StatesAbove 80% of peers14,574 rated homes · average 3.0★

How the rating is built

  • Health inspectionsStarting point4★+1.2 vs PA avg
  • StaffingCan add or remove a star5★+1.7 vs PA avg
  • Quality measuresCan add or remove a star5★+1.5 vs PA avg

CMS starts from the health inspection stars, then adds or subtracts a star for staffing and for quality measures. Stars are assigned relative to other facilities in the same state.

Ratings & measures

Tap a row to see what it means
Health inspection ratingCMS stars from the last three on-site inspection cycles4★Above 67% of peersPA avg2.8★U.S. avg2.8★
What is health inspection rating?

Stars assigned from the last three standard surveys and every complaint investigation in that window, weighted toward the most recent and the most serious findings. CMS assigns these stars relative to other facilities in the same state.

Why it matters

It carries the most weight in the overall rating and is the only domain based on what trained inspectors saw on site rather than what the facility reported.

Staffing ratingCMS stars from payroll-reported hours and turnover5★Above 81% of peersPA avg3.3★U.S. avg2.9★
What is staffing rating?

Nurse and aide hours per resident day from payroll records CMS collects every quarter, adjusted for how much care residents need, plus staff turnover and weekend coverage.

Why it matters

More hours and lower turnover are the strongest predictors of fewer falls, pressure sores, and avoidable hospital stays.

Quality measures ratingCMS stars from clinical outcomes and resident assessments5★Above 75% of peersPA avg3.5★U.S. avg3.6★
What is quality measures rating?

Clinical outcomes from resident assessments and Medicare claims: falls with injury, pressure ulcers, hospitalizations, antipsychotic use, and more, for both short-stay and long-stay residents.

Why it matters

It shows whether care is working, but part of it comes from the facility’s own assessments, so read it alongside the inspection results.

Total nurse hoursPer resident per day, all nursing staff5.19hrsTop 6%PA avg3.89Benchmark4.10
What is total nurse hours?

All licensed nurse and aide hours worked, divided by the number of residents, on an average day. Reported from payroll, not self-reported.

Why it matters

Federal research links 4.1 hours a day to fewer avoidable harms. Below about 3 hours, residents wait longer for help with basics like toileting and repositioning.

RN hoursPer resident per day, registered nurses only0.85hrsAbove 70% of peersPA avg0.78Benchmark0.75
What is rn hours?

Registered nurse hours only. RNs assess residents, manage medications, and catch changes in condition; LPNs and aides deliver most hands-on care.

Why it matters

RN coverage is the staffing measure most tied to fewer hospital transfers and infections, and it is where thinly staffed facilities cut first.

Nursing staff turnoverShare of nursing staff who left within a year · lower is better31%Above 86% of peersPA avg47%RN turnover28%
What is nursing staff turnover?

The share of nursing staff who left within the past year, from the same payroll data.

Why it matters

High turnover means residents are cared for by people who do not know them, and it is one of the strongest predictors of inspection problems.

Fines in the last three yearsCivil money penalties imposed by CMS · lower is better$0Above only 48% of peersPA avg$28,640Fines · denials0 · 0
What is fines in the last three years?

Civil money penalties CMS imposed after serious or uncorrected deficiencies, and denials of Medicare payment for new admissions.

Why it matters

Penalties follow the worst inspection findings. A recent fine is the clearest sign that inspectors found real harm.

Inspection history

Last three inspection cycles
6citations
4inspection dates
1actual harm (G–I)
0immediate jeopardy (J–L)
Jun 6, 2025most recent

Citations by monthSep 2023 – Jun 2025

  • No actual harm (D–F)
  • Actual harm (G–I)
  • Immediate jeopardy (J–L)
  • $Fine or payment denial

Click a month or a year to filter the findings below. Arrow keys move between months; Esc clears.

Jun 6, 20251 citationCycle 1worst E · no actual harm
  1. Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.Pharmacy ServiceE · patternCorrected Jul 7, 2025
May 13, 20251 citationCycle 1worst G · actual harm
  1. F689Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.Quality of Life and CareG · isolatedCorrected Jul 7, 2025
Aug 16, 20241 citationCycle 2worst E · no actual harm
  1. F656Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningE · patternCorrected Oct 15, 2024
Sep 1, 20233 citationsCycle 3worst E · no actual harm
  1. Encode each resident’s assessment data and transmit these data to the State within 7 days of assessment.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningD · isolatedCorrected Oct 31, 2023
  2. F656Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningD · isolatedCorrected Oct 31, 2023
  3. F690Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.Quality of Life and CareE · patternCorrected Oct 31, 2023

Staffing

From quarterly payroll reports

Hours per resident per day

  • All nursing staffRNs, LPNs and aides combined5.19hrsTop 6%+1.30 vs PA avg
  • Registered nursesRN hours only0.85hrsAbove 70% of peers+0.07 vs PA avg
  • Licensed practical nursesLPN hours1.28hrs
  • Nurse aidesCNA hours3.05hrs
  • Weekend nursingAll staff on Saturdays and Sundays4.34hrs
  • Pennsylvania average
  • Research benchmark (4.10 total, 0.75 RN)

Turnover & capacity

  • Nursing staff turnoverShare who left within a year · lower is better31%Above 86% of peersPA avg 47%
  • RN turnoverRegistered nurses only28%Not ranked by CMS
  • Administrators who leftIn the past year0Stable leadership
  • Occupancy196 certified beds · ~181 residents a day92%Above 75% of peersPA avg 82%

Fines & penalties

Roughly the past three years

Enforcement summary

  • $0In fines
  • 0Fines
  • 0Payment denials
  • $28,640PA avg in fines
Above only 48% of peersFewer fines than 48% of rated homes in Pennsylvania

Actions on record

No fines or payment denialsNothing on record in the current reporting window. Pennsylvania facilities average 1.0 penalties.

Ownership

As filed with CMS

Structure

Ownership type
Government - State
Chain
Independent
Certification
Medicaid
Location type
Urban
Ownership change
None in the last 12 months

People and entities on file

Ownership Data Not Available

    Person Organization

    Sources & notes

    Public data, updated quarterly

    Data sources

    • CMS Care Compare · Provider InformationStar ratings, staffing hours, turnover, penalties and flags · processed February 2026.
    • CMS Health CitationsEvery deficiency from the last three inspection cycles, with scope, severity and inspection cycle.
    • CMS Penalties and Ownership filesCivil money penalties, payment denials, and the owners and managers on file.

    Notes

    • CMS Certification Number 39A433 · 401 PENN AVENUE, SCRANTON, PA, 18503.
    • Percentiles compare this facility with every rated nursing home in Pennsylvania and Lackawanna County. Turnover and fines are inverted so a high percentile is always good.
    • This is an informational summary of public data, not medical, legal, or placement advice. Facilities cannot pay to change it; a facility that believes a record is wrong can dispute it with CMS.

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