Life Care Centers of America Nursing Homes: Chain Profile, Lawsuits, and Federal Settlements

Key Facts: Life Care Centers of America

• Chain type: Privately held, for-profit skilled nursing and senior living company.
• Size: The third-largest nursing home chain in the United States by number of facilities — about 194 affiliated nursing homes across 26 states, ranked #3 of the 611 chains CMS tracks.
• Founded: 1970 by Forrest Preston; headquartered in Cleveland, Tennessee; one of the largest privately held long-term elderly care companies in the U.S.
• Ownership: Privately held by its founder; does not publicly report revenue.
• Federal settlement: In 2016, Life Care and its owner agreed to pay $145 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations of billing for medically unnecessary therapy — then the largest such settlement with a skilled nursing chain — resolved without an admission of liability.
• Quality record: Chain-average overall rating about 3.4 of 5 (above the 3.0 national average); 16 facilities (8.2%) rated one star.
• Our firm: Michael Hill Trial Law has handled more than 1,000 nursing home abuse and neglect cases nationwide, recovering hundreds of millions of dollars for clients.

See the cited sources below for each figure. The federal settlement described was resolved without an admission of liability.

Who Is Life Care Centers of America?

Life Care Centers of America, Inc. is a for-profit, privately held long-term care company. It is the largest privately held long-term elderly care company in the United States and, by number of CMS-affiliated nursing facilities, the third-largest nursing home chain in the country.^[4][5]

The company was founded in 1970 by Forrest Preston and is headquartered in Cleveland, Tennessee.^[5] Unlike the large publicly traded operators, Life Care is owned by its founder rather than by shareholders, and it does not publicly report its financial results.^[5]

What Kind of Chain Is Life Care Centers of America?

Life Care is primarily a skilled nursing facility (SNF) chain. Skilled nursing facilities care for patients who need 24-hour nursing care, often after a hospital stay. The company also operates senior living, assisted living, and retirement communities, and provides rehabilitation and other services. Because assisted living and retirement communities are regulated at the state level and are not rated on the federal CMS five-star scale, the company's own count of total locations is larger than the number of CMS-certified nursing homes affiliated with the chain.^[4]

How Big Is the Life Care Centers of America Nursing Home Chain?

Life Care by the Numbers

Federal CMS data describes a very large operation:

Facility, state, and bed counts are from the CMS Nursing Home Chain Performance Measures dataset (most recent 2026 release); Life Care is privately held and does not publicly report revenue.^[3]

• The most recent federal CMS chain-level data affiliates 194 nursing homes across 26 states with the Life Care chain (CMS chain ID 311) — making it the third-largest nursing home chain in the United States by number of facilities, ranked #3 of the 611 chains CMS tracks.^[3]
• The affiliated homes hold about 25,340 certified beds.^[3]
• The company reports a larger total of locations when its assisted living and retirement communities are included; those settings are not CMS-rated nursing homes and are not counted in the chain figure above.^[4]

Is Life Care Centers of America For-Profit or Nonprofit?

Life Care is a for-profit company. It is privately held — owned by its founder, Forrest Preston — rather than publicly traded, and it does not publicly report revenue or profit.^[5] Within the CMS data, the Life Care-affiliated facilities are operated almost entirely as for-profit entities.^[1] Like other large nursing home operators, Life Care depends heavily on government healthcare programs; Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement account for a substantial share of skilled nursing revenue industrywide.^[4]

Life Care Centers of America Nursing Home Facilities

The table below is the complete roster of the 194 nursing facilities affiliated with Life Care Centers of America (CMS chain ID 311), taken directly from the federal CMS Provider Information dataset (May 2026 release). It lists each facility's name, city and state, street address, and phone number, along with any current CMS quality flag. The chain-level totals cited above reflect the most recent CMS Nursing Home Chain Performance Measures release, which affiliates the same 194 facilities with the chain. Life Care's facility list changes as the company acquires and divests properties, so this roster should be refreshed from the CMS data on each republish.^[1]

The "CMS Flag" column marks homes that CMS has identified as a Special Focus Facility, a Special Focus Facility Candidate, behind on inspections ("Delayed inspection"), or carrying an abuse icon. Rows shaded gold indicate a current Special Focus designation.^[1]

Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Provider Data Catalog, Nursing Home "Provider Information" dataset (NH_ProviderInfo_May2026.csv), filtered to Life Care Centers of America, chain ID 311. Inclusion on this list reflects CMS chain-affiliation data and does not by itself indicate that any particular facility committed wrongdoing.^[1]

Special Focus Facilities and SFF Candidates in Life Care Centers of America

The Special Focus Facility (SFF) program is run by CMS. It identifies nursing homes with a history of serious quality problems; CMS describes these facilities as among the poorest-performing nursing homes in the country.^[8] A "Special Focus Facility Candidate" is a home with a history of serious quality issues that has not yet been formally placed in the program.^[8]

According to the federal CMS Provider Information dataset (May 2026 release), the Life Care chain included 0 Special Focus Facilities, 1 Special Focus Facility Candidate, and 27 homes whose most recent standard health inspection was more than two years ago. CMS data also showed 14 Life Care facilities carrying an abuse icon, meaning they were cited for abuse or neglect at or above a defined harm level.^[1]

These designations are reassessed by CMS monthly and can change. The most recent CMS Nursing Home Chain Performance Measures release reports 0 Special Focus Facilities and 3 SFF candidates for the Life Care chain; the specific facilities named below reflect the CMS May 2026 provider-level release.^[3]

Life Care Special Focus Facility Candidate

This Life Care facility was listed as a Special Focus Facility Candidate in the May 2026 CMS data:^[1]

• Life Care Center of Reno — Reno, NV

Life Care Facilities With a CMS Abuse Icon

These 14 Life Care facilities carried a CMS abuse icon in the May 2026 data, meaning they were cited for abuse or neglect at or above a defined harm level:^[1]

• Desert Cove Nursing Center — Chandler, AZ
• Heritage Health Care Center — Globe, AZ
• Mi Casa Nursing Center — Mesa, AZ
• Life Care Center of Sierra Vista — Sierra Vista, AZ
• Evergreen Nursing Home — Alamosa, CO
• Canon Lodge Care Center — Canon City, CO
• Darcy Hall of Life Care — West Palm Beach, FL
• Green Valley Care Center — New Albany, IN
• Life Care Center of Andover — Andover, KS
• Garden Terrace at Overland Park — Overland Park, KS
• Life Care Center of Plainwell — Plainwell, MI
• Life Care Center of Grandview — Grandview, MO
• Life Care Center of Hilton Head — Hilton Head Island, SC
• Life Care Center of Mount Vernon — Mount Vernon, WA

Life Care Facilities With Delayed Inspections

These 27 Life Care facilities had not received a standard health inspection in more than two years as of the May 2026 CMS data:^[1]

• Desert Cove Nursing Center — Chandler, AZ
• Life Care Center of North Glendale — Glendale, AZ
• Life Care Center of Aurora — Aurora, CO
• Hallmark Nursing Center — Denver, CO
• Villa Manor Care Center — Lakewood, CO
• Western Hills Health Care Center — Lakewood, CO
• Life Care Center of Longmont — Longmont, CO
• Columbine Manor Care Center — Salida, CO
• Hale Anuenue Restorative Care — Hilo, HI
• Life Care Center of Hilo — Hilo, HI
• Life Care Center of St Louis — Saint Louis, MO
• Life Care Center of Elyria — Elyria, OH
• Life Care Center of Medina — Medina, OH
• Life Care Center of Westlake — Westlake, OH
• Life Care Center of Athens — Athens, TN
• Life Care Center of Collegedale — Collegedale, TN
• Life Care Center of Columbia — Columbia, TN
• Life Care Center of Rhea County — Dayton, TN
• Life Care Center of Elizabethton — Elizabethton, TN
• Life Care Center of Gray — Gray, TN
• Life Care Center of Hixson — Hixson, TN
• Life Care Center of Old Hickory Village — Old Hickory, TN
• Life Care Center of Ooltewah — Ooltewah, TN
• Life Care Center of Tullahoma — Tullahoma, TN
• Life Care Center of Morgan County — Wartburg, TN
• The Vosswood Nursing Center — Houston, TX
• Life Care Center of New Market — New Market, VA

Life Care Centers of America Quality and Staffing Record

Federal data offers a comparatively strong picture for a chain of this size. Across the Life Care-affiliated chain in the most recent CMS Nursing Home Chain Performance Measures release (194 facilities in 26 states):

• The average overall star rating was about 3.4 of 5 — above the national chain average of 3.0. The chain-level averages CMS publishes were 2.9 for health inspections, 3.3 for staffing, and a higher 4.5 on the quality measure rating, which is largely self-reported.^[3]
• Within the chain, about 16 facilities (8.2%) carried a one-star ("much below average") overall rating — well below the roughly 20.5% national rate — and 15 facilities (7.7%) carried a CMS abuse icon, close to the 9.7% national rate.^[3]
• The affiliated facilities collectively recorded 124 fines totaling about $3.34 million and 9 Medicare payment denials in the most recent three-year window reflected in the data. Average total nurse staffing was about 3.8 hours per resident per day (near the national average of roughly 3.9), and reported nursing-staff turnover was about 41.4% (below the national 45.8%).^[3][2]

Life Care Centers of America Lawsuits, Federal Settlements, and Sanctions

The events below are drawn from government records, court filings, and news reporting. The federal settlement described was resolved without an admission of liability.

2016 — $145 Million False Claims Act Settlement (Unnecessary Therapy)

In October 2016, Life Care Centers of America, Inc. and its owner, Forrest L. Preston, agreed to pay $145 million to resolve U.S. Department of Justice allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act by knowingly causing its skilled nursing facilities to bill Medicare and TRICARE for rehabilitation therapy that was not reasonable, necessary, or skilled.^[6][7] The Department of Justice described it as the largest settlement with a skilled nursing facility chain in the department's history at the time.^[7] As part of the resolution, Life Care entered a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.^[6] The settlement resolved the allegations without an admission of liability.

2020 — COVID-19 Outbreak and CMS Penalty at the Kirkland, Washington Facility

In early 2020, the Life Care Center of Kirkland, Washington became the site of one of the first major COVID-19 outbreaks in a U.S. nursing home; dozens of residents associated with the facility died. Following federal and state inspections, CMS fined the facility approximately $611,000 and cited deficiencies in its infection-control and emergency response.^[9] This describes a regulatory enforcement action and the findings of inspectors; it is specific to one facility.

Medicare and Medicaid Allegations Against Life Care Centers of America

Life Care's largest federal matter centered on how the company billed Medicare and TRICARE:

• Billing federal health programs for rehabilitation therapy that the government alleged was medically unnecessary, in order to reach the highest Medicare reimbursement levels (resolved by the 2016 settlement).^[6]

It is important to be precise about what has and has not been established. The 2016 federal matter was resolved through a civil settlement in which Life Care did not admit liability. The 2020 Kirkland penalty was a regulatory enforcement action specific to one facility. As of the date this page was prepared, no court has found Life Care Centers of America liable for Medicare or Medicaid fraud.

How Michael Hill Trial Law Investigates Claims Against Life Care Centers of America

Michael Hill Trial Law focuses exclusively on nursing home abuse and neglect. The firm has handled more than 1,000 cases against nursing home operators and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients, including a $26 million verdict in Ohio.^[10]

Financial pressure on a large chain can affect care at the bedside. When staffing is thin, when administrators are stretched across multiple buildings, or when a facility carries a history of serious deficiencies, residents can suffer preventable harm. When we investigate a claim against a Life Care facility, we compare the home's CMS staffing and inspection history against what happened to the resident, obtain the facility's care records and any available documentation, and work to identify which operating subsidiary, landlord, and management entity were responsible for the resident's care. The kinds of injuries and claims our firm investigates include:

• Bedsores and pressure injuries
• Falls and fractures
• Malnutrition and dehydration
• Infections and sepsis
• Medication errors
• Elopement (wandering away from a facility)
• Understaffing and neglect
• Physical or sexual assault
• Wrongful death

We are investigating claims against facilities operated by Life Care Centers of America. If your loved one was injured or died in a Life Care nursing home, the public record on this page may be relevant to your situation. Our firm serves families nationwide.

Frequently Asked Questions About Life Care Centers of America

Who owns Life Care Centers of America?

Life Care Centers of America is a privately held, for-profit company founded in 1970 by Forrest Preston and headquartered in Cleveland, Tennessee. It is one of the largest privately held long-term elderly care companies in the United States. Because it is private, it does not publicly report its revenue.

How many nursing homes does Life Care Centers of America operate?

The most recent CMS chain-level data affiliates about 194 nursing homes across 26 states with the Life Care chain, making it the third-largest nursing home chain in the United States by number of facilities — ranked #3 of the 611 chains CMS tracks. The company reports a larger total of locations when assisted living and retirement communities are included.

Is Life Care Centers of America for-profit or nonprofit?

Life Care Centers of America is a for-profit company. It is privately held — owned by its founder, Forrest Preston — rather than publicly traded, and it does not publicly report financial results.

Has Life Care Centers of America been sued or investigated?

In 2016, Life Care Centers of America and its owner agreed to pay $145 million to resolve federal False Claims Act allegations that it billed Medicare and TRICARE for medically unnecessary rehabilitation therapy — described at the time as the largest settlement of its kind with a skilled nursing chain — and entered a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement. In 2020, the Life Care Center of Kirkland, Washington, the site of one of the first major U.S. COVID-19 outbreaks, was fined about $611,000 by CMS. The 2016 matter was resolved without an admission of liability.

How is Life Care Centers of America rated by Medicare?

Across the chain, CMS reports a chain-average overall rating of about 3.4 of 5 — above the national average of 3.0 — with 2.9 for health inspections, 3.3 for staffing, and 4.5 on quality measures. About 16 facilities (8.2%) carry a one-star rating, below the 20.5% national rate. The most recent CMS chain summary reports 0 Special Focus Facilities and 3 SFF candidates for the chain.

What states have Life Care Centers of America nursing homes?

The Life Care-affiliated chain operates in 26 states: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.

What should I do if a loved one was harmed at a Life Care facility?

Michael Hill Trial Law investigates abuse and neglect claims against nursing home operators nationwide, including facilities affiliated with Life Care Centers of America. You can contact the firm for a confidential review of your situation.

Sources

1. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Provider Data Catalog, Nursing Home "Provider Information" dataset (NH_ProviderInfo_May2026.csv), filtered to Life Care Centers of America, chain ID 311 (facility counts, addresses, phone numbers, bed counts, ownership type, star ratings, abuse icons, Special Focus status, delayed inspections). https://data.cms.gov/provider-data/dataset/4pq5-n9py
2. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Provider Data Catalog, Nursing Home "Penalties" file (May 2026 release) (fine amounts and payment denials). https://data.cms.gov/provider-data/
3. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Provider Data Catalog / data.gov, "Nursing Home Chain Performance Measures" (Affiliated Entity Performance Measures) dataset, most recent 2026 release, filtered to Life Care Centers of America (CMS chain ID 311): affiliated-facility count, state count, bed count, chain-average star ratings, one-star share, abuse-icon share, Special Focus Facilities and candidates, fines, payment denials, staffing hours, and turnover. https://data.cms.gov/provider-data/ ; dataset listing: https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/nursing-home-chain-performance-measures
4. Life Care Centers of America, corporate profile (skilled nursing, senior living, and retirement services). https://lcca.com/
5. Life Care Centers of America — company history and ownership (founded 1970 by Forrest Preston; headquartered in Cleveland, Tennessee; largest privately held long-term elderly care company in the U.S.). Encyclopedia / public company records. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_Care_Centers_of_America
6. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General, "Life Care Centers of America Inc. Agrees to Pay $145 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to the Provision of Medically Unnecessary Rehabilitation Therapy Services" (Oct. 24, 2016). https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/enforcement/life-care-centers-of-america-inc-agrees-to-pay-145-million-to-resolve-false-claims-act-allegations-relating-to-the-provision-of-medically-unnecessary-rehabilitation-therapy-services/
7. U.S. Department of Justice, "Life Care Centers of America Inc. Agrees to Pay $145 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations" (Oct. 24, 2016). https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/life-care-centers-america-inc-agrees-pay-145-million-resolve-false-claims-act-allegations
8. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, "Special Focus Facility (SFF) Program" overview and monthly candidate/participant lists. https://www.cms.gov/medicare/health-safety-standards/certification-compliance/special-focus-facility
9. Coverage of the 2020 Life Care Center of Kirkland COVID-19 outbreak and the approximately $611,000 CMS penalty and infection-control citations (NPR; CMS/CDC inspection findings). https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/02/826360394/seattle-area-nursing-home-linked-to-dozens-of-coronavirus-deaths-faces-600-000-f
10. Michael Hill Trial Law. https://protectseniors.com/

This page is for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. It is attorney advertising. The allegations described are claims made in government inquiries or civil litigation and have not been proven in court unless otherwise noted; the federal settlement described was resolved without an admission of liability. Facility data and litigation status change over time; verify current details before relying on them. Last reviewed: October 26, 2026.