Tulsa Senior AdvisorWho licenses nursing homes in Oklahoma?
OSDH licenses nursing homes under the Nursing Home Care Act and OAC 310:675, and also acts as the state survey agency that inspects homes certified for Medicare and Medicaid on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
OSDH lists 55 open nursing homes in Tulsa, Wagoner, Rogers, Creek, Osage and Okmulgee counties with 6,081 licensed beds; CMS rates 53 of them, 16 with four or five stars overall (Care Compare data as of October 1, 2026). The state roster labels each home's certification: Medicare and Medicaid (SNF/NF), a distinct part of a larger facility, Medicare-only (SNF), or a state veterans center.
What do CMS star ratings measure for Tulsa nursing homes?
CMS's overall rating combines three parts: health inspections (the last three years of surveys and complaint findings), staffing (nurse hours per resident and turnover) and quality measures (clinical outcomes such as falls and pressure ulcers).
The ratings compare homes within Oklahoma, so a four-star home is good relative to other Oklahoma homes, not on a national scale. We show CMS's ratings exactly as published and never add our own.
What does Medicare-only certification mean for a long stay?
A home certified only as a skilled nursing facility (SNF) participates in Medicare for short rehab stays but not in Medicaid, so a resident who later needs SoonerCare to pay for long-term care may have to move.
Ask early. Several continuing care campuses in Tulsa hold SNF-only or distinct-part certifications, which suits residents who will pay privately but can surprise families planning on SoonerCare.
What rights do Oklahoma nursing home residents have when it comes to discharge?
Federal rules for certified nursing homes limit involuntary discharge to specific reasons, such as needs the home cannot meet or nonpayment, and generally require 30 days' written notice with appeal rights; the long-term care ombudsman can help a resident challenge a discharge.
Call the ombudsman line at 1-800-211-2116 as soon as a discharge notice arrives. In the Tulsa, Creek and Osage county area, the INCOG Area Agency on Aging supervises the local ombudsman program.
At a glance
| Oklahoma nursing home oversight includes | It does not include | |
|---|---|---|
| License | An OSDH license under OAC 310:675 | City or county licensing |
| Ratings | CMS stars for certified homes | State-issued star ratings |
| Payment | SoonerCare for eligible long-stay residents | SoonerCare at Medicare-only homes |
Sources include the Oklahoma Administrative Code (chapters 310:663, 310:680, 310:673, 310:675 and 310:605), OSDH, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, Oklahoma Human Services, the Oklahoma Attorney General, CareScout, CMS and the VA, as cited above; see our editorial standards.
