McAllen Senior AdvisorWhat does a nursing home provide in Texas?
A nursing home, which Texas calls a nursing facility, provides 24-hour licensed nursing, help with all daily activities, rehab therapy and medical oversight, and is licensed by HHSC and, if certified, rated by CMS.
HHSC lists 23 licensed nursing facilities in Hidalgo County with 2,818 licensed beds; CMS gives 22 of them an overall rating, and 11 hold four or five stars (Care Compare data of October 1, 2026).
Who needs a nursing home rather than assisted living?
People who need skilled nursing many times a day, such as complex wound care, tube feeding, frequent injections or two-person transfers, and people recovering from a hospital stay who need daily therapy, are the usual nursing home residents.
In the Valley, where assisted living is scarce and most of it is private pay, nursing homes also care for many residents who elsewhere might live in assisted living, often because Medicaid pays.
How are Valley nursing homes paid for?
Medicare pays for short-term rehab after a qualifying hospital stay, Texas Medicaid pays for long-term care for residents who qualify, and others pay privately or with long-term care insurance; CareScout's 2025 Texas medians are $185 a day semi-private and $250 private.
Ask each home for its private daily rate and whether it has Medicaid beds open.
What should we ask a Hidalgo County nursing home?
Ask for the latest inspection report, how many nurses and aides work each shift, how often agency staff fill in, which physicians see residents, how care conferences are held, and whether long-term Medicaid beds are open.
Compare the answers with the home's CMS record on its facility page. Visit at a meal and in the evening, and ask the resident and family council, if there is one, how concerns are handled.
Where are licensed nursing homes providers in Hidalgo County?
HHSC's records show 23 licensed nursing homes providers in Hidalgo County, 8 in McAllen, 4 in Edinburg, 4 in Weslaco, 2 in Mission, 1 in Pharr, 1 in Penitas.
| City | Licensed providers | Licensed capacity |
|---|---|---|
| McAllen | 8 | 1013 |
| Edinburg | 4 | 462 |
| Weslaco | 4 | 447 |
| Mission | 2 | 290 |
| Pharr | 1 | 123 |
| Penitas | 1 | 130 |
| Mercedes | 1 | 123 |
| San Juan | 1 | 100 |
| Alamo | 1 | 130 |
Every one is on the roster.
Side by side
| A nursing home provides | A nursing home does not provide | |
|---|---|---|
| Care | 24-hour nursing and rehab | Apartment-style independent living |
| Ratings | CMS star ratings and inspections online | Ratings from this site |
| Payment | Medicare rehab and Medicaid long-term care | Free care without eligibility |
Sources: Texas Health and Safety Code ch. 247 and 242; 26 TAC chapters 553, 554, 558 and 559; HHSC directories, TULIP and handbooks; CMS; CareScout; VA rate tables, as cited above. See our editorial standards.
