Federal inspection record · CMS data as of October 1, 2026
Montana Veterans Home N H
400 Veterans Dr, Columbia Falls, MT · (406) 892-3256
- Cited for abuse (CMS abuse icon)
- Certified beds
- 105
- Residents per day
- 76
- Ownership
- Government
- Chain
- No chain reported
- Medicare / Medicaid
- Medicare + Medicaid
- Certified since
- January 7, 1982
1
How this home got 3 stars
The overall rating isn't an average. CMS starts from the inspection rating and nudges it at most two steps. Here is the arithmetic for this home, using CMS's own rules.
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Health inspections
★★★★★starting point
Everything starts from what state inspectors found on site. This is a ranking against other homes in Montana.
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Staffing
★★★★★+1 star
Only a 5-star staffing rating adds a star, and only a 1-star rating removes one. Ratings of 2 to 4 change nothing.
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Quality measures
★★★★★no change
Same rule: 5 stars adds one, 1 star takes one away. These measures are mostly reported by the home itself.
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Overall
★★★★★3 of 5
Matches the rating CMS publishes on Care Compare.
This home carries CMS's abuse icon, which caps its inspection rating at 2 stars and so its overall rating at 4.
2
Where it sits among Montana homes
Montana Veterans Home N H carries 49.25 inspection points. That is fewer than 66% of Montana's 59 rated homes.
Inspectors' citations earn points by how serious and how widespread they were (the grid below). CMS then ranks every home in Montana: the 10% with the fewest points get 5 stars, the 20% with the most get 1 star, and the middle 70% split evenly into 2, 3 and 4.
- 5★ 0–31.5 pts
- 4★ 31.5–49.25 pts
- 3★ 49.25–84.75 pts
- 2★ 84.75–135.38 pts
- 1★ over 135.38 pts
Bars show every rated home in Montana by its weighted inspection score. CMS recalibrates the cut points monthly but holds a home's rating until its own score changes, so a home can sit just outside today's band.
3
What inspectors found
16 health citations on record since 2022. Each one gets a letter: the row says how badly residents were affected, the column how many.
Immediate jeopardyResidents at risk of serious injury or death
Actual harmA resident was hurt
Potential for harmNo one was hurt, but could have been
Minimal harmPaperwork-level problems
Read the rows, not the total. Most citations nationwide are a D: one problem, nobody hurt. Rows G–I mean a resident was harmed; J–L mean inspectors found residents in immediate danger of serious injury or death.
Small numbers in each cell are the inspection points CMS assigns per citation. Those points are what the state curve above ranks.
Harm and immediate-jeopardy citations (1)
-
K
Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
Everything else, by area of care
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation6E
- D
Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
- E
Respond appropriately to all alleged violations.
- D
Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
- D
Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
- D
Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
- D
Respond appropriately to all alleged violations.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning3E
- D
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
- E
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
- D
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Resident Rights3D
- D
Give residents notice of Medicaid/Medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered.
- D
Give residents notice of Medicaid/Medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered.
- D
Keep residents' personal and medical records private and confidential.
Quality of Life and Care2D
- D
Provide care or services that was trauma informed and/or culturally competent.
- D
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Pharmacy Service1F
- F
Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.
Inspection history
2024-07-18
2 health deficiencies · 3 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Freedom from Abuse and Neglect and Exploitation (1 deficiency)
2023-06-22
8 health deficiencies · 1 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Freedom from Abuse and Neglect and Exploitation (3 deficiencies)
2022-07-07
6 health deficiencies · 3 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Freedom from Abuse and Neglect and Exploitation (3 deficiencies)
4
Nursing time per resident, per day
Each resident here gets about 5 h 45 min of nursing staff time a day, 1 h 26 min of it from a registered nurse.
This home
5 h 45 min
Montana average
4 h 1 min
U.S. average
3 h 54 min
- Registered nurse
- Licensed practical nurse
- Nurse aide
Turnover: 40% of nursing staff and 38% of registered nurses left in the past year, along with 1 administrator.
Reported hours from payroll data the home submits to CMS, divided by its daily resident count. Not adjusted for how sick residents are.
5
Fines and payment denials
$92,456 in federal fines on record over the past three years.
| Date | Penalty | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-19 | Fine | $92,456 |
| 2025-08-19 | Payment Denial · 5 day denial | $0 |
6
Resident outcomes
Quality measures compared with state and national averages. Most come from assessments the home itself reports.
| Measure | This home | State | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of hospitalizations per 1000 long-stay resident days0.6 pts better | 0.8 | 1.4 | 1.8 |
| Number of outpatient emergency department visits per 1000 long-stay resident days1 pts better | 1.1 | 2.1 | 1.7 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine3 pts better | 99.7% | 96.7% | 93.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine6 pts better | 100.0% | 94.0% | 95.3% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury0.9 pts better | 3.5% | 4.4% | 3.2% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms6.3 pts better | 0.0% | 6.3% | 13.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who lose too much weight1 pts better | 5.4% | 6.4% | 5.1% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antianxiety or hypnotic medication5 pts worse | 20.4% | 15.4% | 19.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication12.2 pts worse | 32.9% | 20.7% | 15.4% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who were physically restrained0.6 pts better | 0.0% | 0.6% | 0.1% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened7.4 pts better | 8.7% | 16.1% | 12.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased1.6 pts worse | 20.1% | 18.5% | 13.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder4.2 pts worse | 6.2% | 2.0% | 0.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection0.1 pts better | 2.9% | 3.0% | 1.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with new or worsened bowel or bladder incontinence5.4 pts better | 16.7% | 22.1% | 18.3% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers4.5 pts better | 1.7% | 6.2% | 4.5% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine12.8 pts better | 96.9% | 84.1% | 82.3% |
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Who owns and runs it
4 owners and managers reported to CMS. The last column counts how many nursing homes each one is tied to.
Show ownership list
| Name | Role | Share | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roope, Stacy | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 1 facilities |
| State Of Montana | Operational/Managerial Control · Organization | 0% | 1 facilities |
| Underdahl, Joren | Corporate Director · Individual | 0% | 1 facilities |
| Underdahl, Joren | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 1 facilities |
·
Fire safety
7 life-safety citations (sprinklers, exits, alarms). These don't count toward the star rating.
Smoke5D
- D
Have a complete alarm system manually initiated and initiated by fire sprinkler system connection.
- D
Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.
- D
Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system.
- D
Properly provide smoke detection systems in areas open to corridors.
- D
Install an approved automatic sprinkler system.
Miscellaneous1F
- F
Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.
Egress1D
- D
Keep aisles, corridors, and exits free of obstruction in case of emergency.
·
Other homes nearby
-
Whitefish Care And Rehabilitation
Whitefish, MT · Sweetwater Care · Special Focus
Not rated- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- J
- Nursing / resident / day
- 3 h 22 min
- Fines
- $344,705
-
Kalispell Rehabilitation And Nursing LLC
Kalispell, MT · The Charly Bello Family, The Maze Family, The Swain Family, & Walter Myers · Special Focus
★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- J
- Nursing / resident / day
- 3 h
- Fines
- $238,954
-
Immanuel Skilled Care Center
Kalispell, MT
★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- F
- Nursing / resident / day
- 4 h 8 min
- Fines
- $0