Knoxville Senior AdvisorSenator Ben Atchley State Veterans Home is a 140-bed nursing home at One Veterans Way, Knoxville, certified for Medicare and Medicaid and licensed by Tennessee's Health Facilities Commission as nursing home #385; CMS rates Senator Ben Atchley State Veterans Home 5 out of 5 stars overall in Care Compare data dated October 1, 2026.
What are Senator Ben Atchley State Veterans Home's Care Compare star ratings?
CMS rates Senator Ben Atchley State Veterans Home 5 out of 5 stars overall, with 5 stars for health inspections, 5 for staffing and 3 for quality measures.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| CMS overall rating | 5 of 5 |
| Health inspections (CMS) | 5 of 5 |
| Staffing (CMS) | 5 of 5 |
| Quality measures (CMS) | 3 of 5 |
| Long-stay / short-stay quality (CMS) | 4 / 2 |
| Certification (CMS) | Medicare and Medicaid |
| Certified beds; average daily census | 140; 128.2 |
| Ownership (CMS) | Government - State |
| Chain (CMS) | Tennessee State Veterans' Home, 5 homes |
| Medicare/Medicaid participation since | January 18, 2007 |
| HFC nursing home license | #385, 140 licensed beds |
| Secured / Alzheimer's beds (HFC) | 20 / 0 |
About 128 residents live there on an average day, 92% of certified beds, above the 80% median for certified homes in the seven counties.
What have inspectors cited at Senator Ben Atchley State Veterans Home?
CMS dates Senator Ben Atchley State Veterans Home's last standard inspection March 11, 2026, and the cycle carries 2 health deficiencies: 2 from the survey and 0 from complaints.
Looking one cycle back to February 14, 2024, CMS shows 3 deficiencies. Nearby certified homes have a median of 4 in their latest cycle, so this home sits at or below that mark.
CMS shows no fines and 0 payment denials in its three-year penalty window.
What do staffing and turnover look like at Senator Ben Atchley State Veterans Home?
CMS's payroll-based figures credit Senator Ben Atchley State Veterans Home with 4.52 total nurse hours per resident per day (above the seven-county median of 3.49), of which 0.71 are RN hours.
Nurse aides account for 2.61 hours per resident day. Weekend total nurse staffing is 3.94 hours per resident day. Nursing staff turnover is 37.5%, below the seven-county median of 52.9%; RN turnover is 26.1%. CMS counts 0 administrator departures in its measurement period.
Is Senator Ben Atchley State Veterans Home certified for TennCare long-term stays?
CMS lists Senator Ben Atchley State Veterans Home as certified for Medicare and Medicaid, so it can bill Medicare for qualifying short-term skilled stays and TennCare (Tennessee Medicaid) for long-term residents who qualify through CHOICES Group 1.
Ask the business office which payer a bed is filled under. A Medicare rehab bed and a long-term TennCare bed can be on different halls, and not every home keeps long-term Medicaid beds open. TennCare residents keep a $50 monthly personal needs allowance; the rest of their income goes toward the cost of care.
How does Senator Ben Atchley State Veterans Home compare with nearby nursing homes?
The closest other certified nursing home is Wellpark Health and Rehabilitation in Knoxville (4.6 mi, CMS 3 of 5), and the nearest acute-care hospital is Parkwest Medical Center, about 3.7 miles away.
| Facility | Miles (straight line) | Licensed beds | CMS overall rating | Latest CMS health inspection | Health deficiencies (latest cycle) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellpark Health and Rehabilitation 7512 Middlebrook Pike, 37909 | 4.6 | 32 | 3 of 5 | May 1, 2026 | 6 |
| Legacy Park Health and Rehabilitation 7424 Middlebrook Pike, 37909 | 4.6 | 176 | 1 of 5 | August 13, 2025 | 5 |
| West Hills Health and Rehab 6801 Middlebrook Pike, 37909 | 5.2 | 194 | 3 of 5 | November 15, 2024 | 5 |
| Diversicare of Oak Ridge 100 Elmhurst Drive, 37830 | 7.1 | 120 | 1 of 5 | September 22, 2023 | 17 |
| Lyonsview Health and Rehabilitation Center 5837 Lyons View Pike, 37919 | 7.6 | 222 | 1 of 5 | May 19, 2026 | 5 |
The HFC bed report lists 20 secured and 0 Alzheimer's beds here, relevant for a resident with dementia who also needs nursing care.
What should families ask before choosing Senator Ben Atchley State Veterans Home?
Take the CMS data with you. To begin, ask for the full statement of deficiencies from March 11, 2026, even though the count (2) is not high.
- Turnover is at or below the local median; ask which charge nurses and aides have been there longest.
- With occupancy near 92%, ask about the wait list and whether rehab and long-term beds are separate.
- CMS shows a resident council; ask when it meets and how families raise concerns.
- Ask who the attending physicians are and how often they see long-term residents.
