KERN RIVER TRANSITIONAL CARE

Kern River Transitional Care is a skilled nursing facility located at 5151 Knudsen Drive in Bakersfield, California (ZIP: 93308), within Kern County. The facility operates 140 certified beds and is organized under a for-profit limited liability company ownership structure. It is certified for both Medicare and Medicaid, making it eligible to serve residents under either program. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) assigns star ratings to nursing facilities based on health inspections, staffing levels, and quality measures. Kern River Transitional Care holds an overall CMS star rating of 1 out of 5. This places the facility below the national average overall rating of 3.0 stars. The health inspection component carries a rating of 1 out of 5, reflecting findings from state and federal inspection surveys conducted at the facility. The staffing rating stands at 2 out of 5, which indicates staffing levels that fall below the national average when accounting for resident census and acuity. The quality measure rating is 3 out of 5, representing performance on clinical quality indicators that is on par with the national average for this category. Kern River Transitional Care accepts both Medicare and Medicaid as payment sources, which is relevant for residents and families evaluating coverage options. Medicare typically covers short-term skilled nursing care following a qualifying hospital stay, subject to eligibility criteria and benefit period limits. Medicaid coverage for long-term care is subject to California state program eligibility requirements. Individuals seeking information about private pay rates or supplemental insurance acceptance should contact the facility directly at (661) 325-9900. When considered against national benchmarks, Kern River Transitional Care presents a mixed profile across CMS rating categories. The overall 1-star rating and the 1-star health inspection rating are both significantly below the national average of 3.0 stars overall. The staffing rating of 2 stars also falls below average, while the quality measure rating of 3 stars aligns with the national midpoint. Facilities in California, particularly in high-population counties such as Kern, vary widely in CMS performance, and these ratings represent data collected during specific inspection and reporting periods. Ratings are updated periodically by CMS and may change as new inspection cycles and staffing data are incorporated into the Nursing Home Care Compare database.