The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) utilizes a star rating methodology to grade the quality of acute care hospitals that treat Medicaid and Medicare enrollees. This methodology assesses hospital data on several quality-related measures, including data on the timeliness of care, mortality experience, readmission rates, patient safety, and patient experience.  The CMS then computes a standardized score for each measure and consolidates the scores into an all-embracing overall quality rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with 5-stars being the scale's best score.  As of November 10, 2025, nine (9) acute care hospitals in the state of Utah earned a CMS five-star quality rating.  Alphabetically listed, here are the five-star quality acute care hospitals in Utah as rated by CMS:

Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in Utah

1. Intermountain Health Utah Valley Hospital
   Location:  Provo
   View Rating Details
   
   
2. Intermountain Medical Center
   Location:  Murray
   View Rating Details
   
   
3. Lakeview Hospital
   Location:  Bountiful
   View Rating Details
   
   
4. Logan Regional Hospital

   Location:  Logan

   View Rating Details
   
   
5. Lone Peak Hospital

   Location:  Draper
   View Rating Details

   
   
6. McKay-Dee Hospital
   Location:  Ogden

   View Rating Details
   
   
7. Mountain View Hospital

   Location:  Payson
   View Rating Details

   
   
8. University of Utah Hospital and Clinics

   Location:  Salt Lake City

   View Rating Details
   
   
9. VA Salt Lake City Healthcare - Wahlen VA Medical Center
   

   Location:  Salt Lake City

   View Rating Details

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than 40,000 optometrists were employed in the United States as of May 2024. At that time, approximately 4,550 optometrists were working across the four-state Southwestern U.S. region. BLS data indicated that this region was relatively weak in terms of optometrist pay. While New Mexico ranked among the top 10 states for annual mean wage, it accounted for less than 3% of the region’s optometrists. Nearly 78% of optometrists in the region earned below the national average. A closer look at BLS data from May 2024 reveals the following about optometrist pay in the Southwestern United States:

Optometrist Pay in the Southwestern U.S.

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
AZ	960	$139,300	22nd
NM	140	$159,800	7th
OK	580	$105,920	48th
TX	3,180	$132,370	31st
U.S.	40,900	$137,190	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on November 7, 2025

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published data earlier this year indicating that, as of May 2024, there were over 185,900 healthcare social workers (HSWs) employed in the United States.  More than 40,000 of those HSW jobs were in the five-state Mid-Eastern U.S. region.  BLS data revealed the Mid-Eastern U.S. to be a mixed bag for healthcare social worker pay.  Although New Jersey and DC recorded an annual mean wage level for healthcare social workers that ranked in the top 5 nationally, more than 90% of the Mid-Eastern region's HSW jobs were in states where that pay metric was at or below the national average for the profession. An examination of BLS data from May 2024 produced the following details about healthcare social worker pay in the Mid-Eastern U.S.

Healthcare Social Worker Pay in the Mid-Eastern U.S.

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
DC DE	490 710	$92,240 $66,300	2nd 32nd
MD	5,430	$66,910	28th
NJ	4,390	$87,110	3rd
NY	22,880	$72,480	16th
PA	6,560	$65,940	35th
U.S.	185,940	$69,904	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on November 5, 2025

Using a five-star rating methodology, the CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) grades the quality of over 4,000 acute care hospitals that treat Medicaid and Medicare participants. The CMS rating methodology involves analyzing data from participating hospitals on key quality of care measures, calculating a score for each metric, and then aggregating the scores into a unified quality rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with 5-stars being the high score on the scale. The particular metrics studied for acute care hospitals include the timeliness of care, patient safety, patient experience, readmission rates, and mortality. As of November 5, 2025, nine (9) acute care hospitals, including two devoted to veterans' care, in the state of Washington earned a five-star quality rating from the CMS.  Listed here, in alphabetical order, are the hospitals rated as CMS five-star quality acute care hospitals in Washington:

CMS Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in Washington

1. Evergreenhealth Medical Center
   Location:  Kirkland
   View Rating Details
   
   
2. Island Hospital
   Location:  Anacortes
   View Rating Details
   
   
3. Multicare Valley Hospital

   Location:  Spokane Valley

   View Rating Details
   
   
4. Prosser Memorial Hospital

   Location:  Prosser

   View Rating Details
   
   
5. Seattle VA Medical Center

   Location:  Seattle

   View Rating Details
   
   
6. Spokane VA Medical Center
   Location:  Spokane
   View Rating Details
   
   
7. St. Clare Hospital

   Location:  Lakewood

   View Rating Details
   
   
8. Swedish Issaquah

   Location:  Issaquah

   View Rating Details
   
   
9. Virginia Mason Medical Center

   Location:  Seattle

   View Rating Details

Recreational Therapist Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released data earlier this year that reported over 14,000 recreational therapists employed in the United States as of May 2024.  Just over 400 of the nation's recreational therapists were employed in the five-state Rocky Mountain region according to the BLS.  Relative to the rest of the country, BLS data shows the region to be a weak one for recreational therapist pay, with no states in the region having an annual mean wage for recreational therapists that was better than the national average.  A closer study of May 2024 BLS data details the following about recreational therapist pay in the Rocky Mountain region:

Recreational Therapist Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
CO	N/A	$62,040	16th
ID	90	$54,390	34th
MT	40	$58,130	25th
UT	260	$56,740	27th
WY	30	$61,270	19th
U.S.	14,620	$62,644	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on October 30, 2025

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) uses a star rating methodology to rate the quality of acute care hospitals that service Medicaid and Medicare enrollees. This rating methodology assesses hospital data on several quality-related metrics, including data on the timeliness of care, mortality experience, patient safety, readmission rates, and patient experience.  The CMS then calculates a standardized score for each metric and consolidates the scores into a unified overall quality rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with 5-stars being the best score on the scale.  As of October 27, 2025, eight (8) acute care hospitals in the state of Kansas earned a CMS five-star quality rating.  Alphabetically listed, here are the five-star quality acute care hospitals in Kansas as rated by CMS:

Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in Kansas

1. Kansas Heart Hospital
   Location:  Wichita
   View Rating Details
   
   
2. LMH Health
   Location:  Lawrence
   View Rating Details
   
   
3. McPherson Hospital
   Location:  McPherson
   View Rating Details
   
   
4. Pratt Regional Medical Center

   Location:  Pratt

   View Rating Details
   
   
5. Saint Luke's South Hospital

   Location:  Overland Park

   View Rating Details
   
   
6. University of Kansas Hospital

   Location:  Kansas City

   View Rating Details
   
   
7. VA Eastern Kansas Healthcare System

   Location:  Topeka

   View Rating Details
   
   
8. Wichita VA Medical Center

   Location:  Wichita

   View Rating Details
   

Using a five-star rating methodology, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) grades the quality of the more than 4,000 acute care hospitals that treat Medicare and Medicaid participants. The CMS rating methodology analyzes hospital-submitted data on various quality metrics, computes a score for each measure, and then aggregates the scores into a comprehensive quality grade on a 1 to 5-star scale, with 5-stars being the top score. The metrics examined for acute care hospitals include mortality rates, patient safety, the timeliness of care, patient experience, and readmission rates. As of October 25, 2025, twelve (12) acute care hospitals in the state of Indiana, including two devoted to veterans' care, earned a five-star quality rating from the CMS.  Listed in alphabetical order, here are the hospitals rated as CMS five-star quality acute care hospitals in Indiana:

CMS Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in Indiana

1. Franciscan Health Mooresville
   Location:  Mooresville
   View Rating Details
   
   
2. Hendricks Regional Health
   Location:  Danville
   View Rating Details
   
   
3. Indianapolis VA Medical Center
   

   Location:  Indianapolis

   View Rating Details
   
   
4. Indiana University Health Bedford Hospital
   Location:  Bedford

   View Rating Details
   
   
5. Indiana University Health White Memorial Hospital 
   

   Location:  Monticello

   View Rating Details
   
   
6. Johnson Memorial Hospital
   Location:  Franklin
   View Rating Details
   
   
7. Putnam County Hospital

   Location:  Greencastle

   View Rating Details
   
   
8. Schneck Medical Center

   Location:  Seymour

   View Rating Details
   
   
9. St Elizabeth Dearborn Hospital

   Location:  Lawrenceburg

   View Rating Details
   
   
10. St Vincent Heart Center
    Location:  Carmel
    View Rating Details
    
    
11. The Women's Hospital
    Location:  Newburgh
    View Rating Details
    
    
12. VA Northern Indiana Healthcare System
    Location:  Marion
    View Rating Details
    
    

General Dentist Pay in the Great Plains Region

Nearly 122,000 general dentists were employed in the U.S. as of May 2024 according to data released earlier this year by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Per BLS data, just over 7,790 of those employed general dentists worked in the seven-state Great Plains region of the country.  Although home to three states ranked among the ten best in the nation for general dentist annual mean wages, on the whole the region was a subpar one in terms of pay, as nearly 64% of the region's dentists lived in states where the annual mean wage for general dentists was below the national average.  A closer examination of May 2024 BLS data details the following about general dentist pay in the Great Plains region:

General Dentist Pay in the Great Plains Region

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
IA	850	$216,520	6th
KS	1,240	$172,120	38th
MN	2,500	$224,700	3rd
MO	1,980	N/A	N/A
NE	740	$185,360	26th
ND	210	$224,300	4th
SD	270	$166,690	40th
U.S.	121,940	$188,952	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on October 24, 2025

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) latest occupational employment figures estimated that more than 40,800 optometrists were working in the United States as of May 2024.  At that time, an estimated 8,680 optometrists were employed in the twelve-state Southeastern U.S region. BLS data shows the region to be a relatively poor one for optometrist pay.  Although having two states (Kentucky and North Carolina) that ranked among the top ten states in the country for optometrist annual mean wages, nine of twelve Southeastern states were below the national average for that optometrist pay metric.  Moreover, those nine states were home to over 80% of the region's employed optometrists.  A closer look into BLS data from May 2024 details the following about optometrist pay in the Southeastern U.S.:

Optometrist Pay in the Southeastern U.S.

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
AL	470	$125,860	39th
AR	350	$124,990	41st
FL	2,280	$132,350	32nd
GA	860	$132,250	33rd
KY	500	$154,120	9th
LA	230	$127,470	37th
MS	250	$127,920	36th
NC	1,400	$159,420	3rd
SC	480	$123,900	42th
TN	590	$125,970	38th
VA	1,120	N/A	N/A
WV	150	$136,210	25th
U.S.	40,900	$137,190	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on October 23, 2025

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently published May 2024 statistics that reported that over 185,000 healthcare social workers (HSWs) were employed in the United States at that time.  Nearly 11,600 of those HSW jobs were in the six-state New England region.  BLS data further revealed New England to be a relatively good one for healthcare social worker pay.  All states reported an annual mean wage for healthcare social workers that was above the national average, furthermore four New England states ranked among the ten best states in the nation for healthcare social worker annual mean wages. May 2024 BLS data tells us the following about healthcare social worker pay in New England:

Healthcare Social Worker Pay in New England

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
CT	2,010	$85,570	4th
MA	7,540	$71,210	14th
ME	590	$74,510	17th
NH	530	$79,400	9th
RI	570	$78,560	10th
VT	300	$81,580	6th
U.S.	185,940	$69,904	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on October 20, 2025

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) employs a star rating system to appraise the quality of acute care hospitals that service Medicaid and Medicare recipients. This rating methodology appraises participating hospital data on several quality metrics, including the timeliness of care, patient safety, readmission rates, patient experience, and mortality. Utilizing a multi-step analysis, the CMS computes a standardized score for each metric, then compiles the scores into a consolidated quality rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with the scale's best score being 5-stars. Based on this CMS analysis, as of October 13, 2025, only eight (8) acute care hospitals, two of which are veteran's medical centers, in the state of South Carolina earned a five-star quality rating.  Alphabetically listed, here are the hospitals rated by the CMS as five-star quality acute care hospitals in South Carolina:

Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in South Carolina

1. Charleston VA Medical Center
   Location:  Charleston
   View Rating Details
   
   
2. Columbia VA Medical Center
   Location:  Columbia
   View Rating Details
   
   
3. East Cooper Medical Center
   Location:  Mount Pleasant
   View Rating Details
   
   
4. Mount Pleasant Hospital
   Location:  Mount Pleasant
   View Rating Details
   
   
5. Pelham Medical Center
   Location:  Greer
   View Rating Details
   
   
6. Prisma Health Baptist Hospital
   Location:  Columbia
   View Rating Details
   
   
7. Prisma Health Greer Memorial Hospital
   Location:  Greer
   View Rating Details
   
   
8. Roper St Francis Hospital-Berkeley
   Location:  Summerville
   View Rating Details

Recreational Therapist Pay in the Great Lakes Region

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently released data reporting that there were more than 14,000 recreational therapists employed in the United States as of May 2024.  About 1,700 recreational therapists were employed in the five-state Great Lakes region according to BLS reports.  Relative to the rest of the nation, BLS data shows the region to be a modestly weak one for recreational therapist pay, with only one state in the region registering an annual mean wage for recreational therapists that was above the national average.  A closer look at May 2024 BLS data reveals the following about recreational therapist pay in the Great Lakes region:

Recreational Therapist Pay in the Great Lakes Region

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
IL	290	$67,720	9th
IN	220	$55,350	33rd
MI	450	$61,970	17th
OH	310	$61,250	20th
WI	430	$58,580	24th
U.S.	14,620	$62,644	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on October 17, 2025

Using a five-star rating system, the CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) grades the quality of the more than 4,000 acute care hospitals that treat Medicaid and Medicare enrollees. This rating methodology analyzes hospital-submitted data on various quality metrics, calculates a score for each measure, and then aggregates the scores into a unified quality rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with 5-stars being the highest score. The particular metrics examined for acute care hospitals include patient safety, the timeliness of care, patient experience, readmission rates, and mortality. As of October 13, 2025, nine (9) acute care hospitals, including one devoted to veterans' care, in the state of Minnesota earned a five-star quality rating from the CMS.  Listed here, in alphabetical order, are the hospitals rated as CMS five-star quality acute care hospitals in Minnesota:

CMS Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in Minnesota

1. Buffalo Hospital
   Location:  Buffalo
   View Rating Details
   
   
2. Essentia Health St Joseph's Medical Center
   Location:  Brainerd
   View Rating Details
   
   
3. Lake Region Healthcare Corporation

   Location:  Fergus Falls

   View Rating Details
   
   
4. Mayo Clinic Health System - Albert Lea and Austin

   Location:  Albert Lea

   View Rating Details
   
   
5. Mayo Clinic Health System - Mankato

   Location:  Mankato

   View Rating Details
   
   
6. Mayo Clinic Hospital Rochester
   Location:  Rochester
   View Rating Details
   
   
7. M Health Fairview Woodwinds Hospital

   Location:  Woodbury

   View Rating Details
   
   
8. Minneapolis VA Medical Center

   Location:  Minneapolis

   View Rating Details
   
   
9. Ridgeview Medical Center

   Location:  Waconia

   View Rating Details

General Dentist Pay in Far Western U.S. States

About 121,940 general dentists were employed in the U.S. as of May 2024 according to data recently published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Nearly 21,000 general dentists were working in the six-state Far Western region of the country.  For general dentists, the region is a mixed bag in terms of pay relative to the national average.  About two-thirds of the Far West’s general dentists practice in California, where the average annual wage for general dentists falls below the national mean. However, three other states in the region—Alaska, Oregon, and Washington—reported average annual wages for general dentists that exceed the national average. An examination of BLS data from May 2024 reveals the following details about general dentist pay in Far Western U.S. states:

General Dentist Pay in Far Western U.S. States

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
AK	260	$202,250	17th
CA	14,760	$184,350	29th
HI	570	$136,200	46th
NV	1,040	$146,480	43rd
OR	1,180	$209,670	9th
WA	3,100	$203,780	13th
U.S.	121,940	$189,551	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on October 16, 2025

Healthcare Social Worker Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data released earlier this summer indicated that, as of May 2024, there were over 185,000 healthcare social workers (HSWs) employed in the United States.  The five-state Rocky Mountain region accounted for about 7,610 of those health care social worker jobs.  BLS data reveals the Rocky Mountain region to be a generally below average one for healthcare social worker pay.  Although Utah ranks among the fifteen best states nationally for health care social worker annual mean wages, over 75% of the region's health care social workers live in states where the HSW annual mean wage runs below the national average of $69,280.  BLS data from May 2024 shows the following about healthcare social worker pay in the Rocky Mountain region.:

Healthcare Social Worker Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
CO	4,050	$66,660	30th
ID	840	$68,230	22nd
MT	650	$60,720	46th
UT	1,930	$74,820	13th
WY	150	$67,550	24th
U.S.	185,940	$69,904	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on October 13, 2025

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) operates a star rating system to grade the quality of the more than 4,000 acute care hospitals that treat Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries. This rating methodology assesses participating hospital data on various quality metrics, including patient safety, patient experience, the timeliness of care, mortality, and readmission rates. Employing a multi-step analytical process to calculate a standardized score for each metric, the CMS then compiles the scores into an all-embracing quality rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with the scale's top score being 5-stars. Based on this CMS analysis, as of September 27, 2025, only seven (7) acute care hospitals in the state of Virginia earned a five-star quality rating.  Alphabetically listed, here are the hospitals rated by the CMS as five-star quality acute care hospitals in Virginia:

Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in Virginia

1. Inova Fairfax Hospital
   Location:  Falls Church
   View Rating Details
   
   
2. Inova Fair Oaks Hospital
   Location:  Fairfax
   View Rating Details
   
   
3. Inova Loudoun Hospital
   Location:  Leesburg
   View Rating Details
   
   
4. Richmond VA Medical Center
   Location:  Richmond
   View Rating Details
   
   
5. Salem VA Medical Center
   Location:  Salem
   View Rating Details
   
   
6. Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital
   Location:  Charlottesville
   View Rating Details
   
   
7. Virginia Hospital Center
   Location:  Arlington
   View Rating Details

The most recent occupational employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that, as of May 2024, nearly 50,000 optometrists were working in the United States.  At that time, New England accounted for an estimated 2,220 employed optometrists. BLS data shows the region to be a generally strong one for optometrist pay.  Almost three-fourths of the region's optometrists worked in a state where the optometrist annual mean wage level topped the national average for the profession.  This included New Hampshire, where the annual mean wage level for optometrists was the highest in the nation. A deeper examination of BLS data from May 2024 reveals the following state-level details about optometrist pay in New England:

Optometrist Pay in New England

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
CT	410	$154,780	8th
MA	1,120	$150,070	11th
ME	170	$158,880	4th
NH	200	$167,100	1st
RI	220	$144,670	15th
VT	100	$146,710	12th
U.S.	40,900	$137,190	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on October 10, 2025

The CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) uses a star rating system to grade the quality of more than 4,000 acute care hospitals that treat Medicaid and Medicare participants. This rating methodology analyzes participating hospital data on various quality metrics, including mortality, patient safety, patient experience, the timeliness of care, and readmission rates. Applying a multi-step analytical process to compute a standardized score for each metric, the CMS then consolidates the scores into a unified quality rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with 5-stars being the the scale's top score. Based on this analysis, as of September 27, 2025, only seven (7) acute care hospitals in the state of Massachusetts earned a five-star quality rating from the CMS.  Listed alphabetically, here are the hospitals rated by the CMS as five-star quality acute care hospitals in Massachusetts:

CMS Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in Massachusetts

1. Baystate Wing Hospital
   Location:  Palmer
   View Rating Details
   
   
2. Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital
   Location:  Jamaica Plain
   View Rating Details
   
   
3. Brigham and Women's Hospital
   Location:  Boston
   View Rating Details
   
   
4. Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Burlington
   Location:  Burlington
   View Rating Details
   
   
5. Massachusetts General Hospital
   Location:  Boston
   View Rating Details
   
   
6. New England Baptist Hospital
   Location:  Boston
   View Rating Details
   
   
7. Newton-Wellesley Hospital
   Location:  Newton
   View Rating Details

Recreational Therapist Pay in the Southwestern U.S.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently released data showing that more than 14,620 recreational therapists were employed in the United States as of May 2024. Approximately 1,360 of them worked in the four-state Southwestern region. While all states in the region reported data, the national figures are based on incomplete data, as not all states submitted wage information for recreational therapists. The Southwest presented a mixed picture in terms of pay: Texas stood out, ranking among the top three states nationally for annual mean wages, while New Mexico and Oklahoma lagged behind, with wages falling below the national average. A closer examination of May 2024 BLS data reveals the following about recreational therapist pay in the Southwestern U.S.:

Recreational Therapist Pay in the Southwestern U.S.

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
AZ	150	$66,150	12th
NM	90	$62,190	15th
OK	90	$50,950	39th
TX	1,030	$81,870	3rd
U.S.	14,620	$62,644	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on October 8, 2025

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) uses a star rating system to convey the overall quality of acute care hospitals that service Medicare and Medicaid participants. The CMS rating methodology examines hospital-provided data on various quality measures, computes a standardized score for each measure, and then combines those scores into a single, overall quality rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with 5-stars being the top level on the scale. The specific quality measures examined include mortality experience, patient safety, readmission rates, patient experience, and the timeliness of care. Only hospitals that submit data used for the CMS rating methodology are eligible for an overall quality rating.  As of September 20, 2025, there were twenty-five (25) acute care hospitals in the state of California that earned a five-star quality rating.  Based on CMS analysis, here are the 25 five-star quality acute care hospitals in California (listed alphabetically):

Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospitals in California

1. Adventist Health Howard Memorial Hospital
   Location:  Willits
   View Rating Details
   
   
2. Alta Bates Summit Medical Center
   Location:  Oakland
   View Rating Details
   
   
3. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
   Location:  Los Angeles
   View Rating Details
   
   
4. Dominican Hospital

   Location:  Santa Cruz

   View Rating Details
   
   
5. French Hospital Medical Center

   Location:  San Luis Obispo

   View Rating Details
   
   
6. Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital

   Location:  Santa Barbara

   View Rating Details
   
   
7. Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian

   Location:  Newport Beach

   View Rating Details
   
   
8. Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Riverside

   Location:  Riverside

   View Rating Details
   
   
9. Kaiser Foundation Hospital, South San Francisco

   Location:  South San Francisco

   View Rating Details
   
   
10. Novato Community Hospital 

    Location:  Novato

    View Rating Details
    
    
11. Palo Alto VA Medical Center
    Location:  Palo Alto
    View Rating Details
    
    
12. Peninsula Medical Center

    Location:  Burlingame

    View Rating Details

    
    
13. San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital

    Location:  Banning

    View Rating Details
    
    
14. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital

    Location:  Santa Barbara

    View Rating Details
    
    
15. Scripps Green Hospital
    Location:  La Jolla
    View Rating Details
    
    
16. Scripps Memorial Hospital - Encinitas
    Location:  Encinitas
    View Rating Details
    
    
17. Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla
    Location:  La Jolla
    View Rating Details
    
    
18. Sequoia Hospital

    Location:  Redwood City

    View Rating Details
    
    
19. Sharp Coronado Hospital

    Location:  Coronado

    View Rating Details
    
    
20. Stanford Health Care

    Location:  Stanford

    View Rating Details
    
    
21. Sutter Lakeside Hospital

    Location:  Lakeport

    View Rating Details
    
    
22. UC San Diego Hillcrest Medical Center

    Location:  San Diego

    View Rating Details
    
    
23. UCSF Medical Center
    Location:  San Francisco
    View Rating Details
    
    
24. VA San Diego Healthcare System
    Location:  San Diego
    View Rating Details
    
    
25. Woodland Memorial Hospital
    Location:  Woodland
    View Rating Details