Nursing homes are licensed under a separate administrative rule chapter, OAC 3701-17, distinct from OAC 3701-16 for Residential Care Facilities. Nursing homes are also federally certified and CMS star-rated, which assisted living in Ohio is not.
What this means in practice
The practical effect: a nursing home's inspection history and quality rating are more visible to the public than an assisted living community's, because nursing homes appear on Medicare's Care Compare tool with a published star rating. Assisted living communities do not get that same public rating in Ohio, so verifying an RCF's record takes an extra step -- requesting inspection history directly from the community or the Ohio Department of Health, rather than checking a single national database. Both facility types are ultimately regulated by the Ohio Department of Health, just under different rule chapters with different oversight mechanisms.
Related questions
- What license does Ohio require for assisted living, and what law covers it?
- Does Ohio require a separate certification for memory care?
- How many days can an assisted living community in Ohio provide skilled nursing before a resident must transfer?
- Is independent living licensed the same way as assisted living in Ohio?
- Where can I see a facility's Ohio inspection record before touring?
