LIFE CARE CENTER OF HILO

Life Care Center of Hilo is a for-profit, corporately owned skilled nursing facility located at 944 West Kawailani Street in Hilo, Hawaii, 96720. The facility operates with 252 certified beds and is certified to accept both Medicare and Medicaid residents. It is situated in Hawaii County on the Big Island of Hawaii. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) assigns star ratings to nursing facilities based on health inspections, staffing levels, and quality measures. Life Care Center of Hilo carries an overall CMS star rating of 3 out of 5, which aligns with the national average of 3.0 stars. Individual domain ratings reveal variation across the three categories. The health inspection rating stands at 2 out of 5 stars, falling below the national average and reflecting findings from recent standard and complaint inspection surveys conducted by state surveyors. The staffing rating is 4 out of 5 stars, indicating staffing levels above the national average when accounting for the facility's resident census and acuity mix. The quality measure rating is 5 out of 5 stars, the highest possible rating, indicating that the facility performs at or near the top of the national distribution across clinical quality indicators such as hospitalization rates, medication management, and resident functional outcomes. Life Care Center of Hilo is certified for both Medicare and Medicaid, meaning it is able to serve residents who qualify for either federal program. Medicare coverage at skilled nursing facilities is typically limited to post-acute care following a qualifying hospital stay and is subject to benefit period rules and coverage limits. Medicaid coverage for long-term custodial care is available to residents who meet Hawaii's financial and functional eligibility criteria. Residents or families seeking information about specific payment options, private pay rates, or supplemental insurance acceptance are advised to contact the facility directly at (808) 959-9151. When compared to national benchmarks, Life Care Center of Hilo presents a mixed profile. Its overall 3-star rating is consistent with the national average, making it neither a high nor low outlier at the summary level. However, its component ratings show meaningful divergence. The 2-star health inspection rating indicates performance below average in survey outcomes, while the 4-star staffing rating suggests above-average investment in direct care personnel. The 5-star quality measure rating places the facility among the top performers nationally in clinical outcomes. Prospective residents and their families may find it useful to review the full CMS inspection reports, available through the Medicare Care Compare tool, to understand the specific nature of any health inspection findings before making placement decisions.