Hospices in California
A fact sheet for reporters, from public CMS data. Free to use with credit to “a HospiceCompare analysis of CMS data”.
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In California, 1,318 hospices cared for people with Medicare in 2024, up from 240 in 2014, according to a HospiceCompare analysis of CMS data. Together they served 179,276 Medicare patients in 2024. Of the 1,136 hospices with an office in California in the latest CMS enrollment file, 92% are for-profit and 965 have no CMS family survey star rating.
The numbers
* Average of the star ratings CMS published for hospices in the state, computed by HospiceCompare; CMS publishes no average star rating. The “would definitely recommend” averages are CMS’s. CMS publishes a star rating only when enough families answered its survey. Source: HospiceCompare analysis of CMS data (Care Compare hospice data released August 2026; Hospice Enrollments loaded October 20, 2026).
Ownership and growth
| Ownership | 2014 | 2019 | 2024 | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| For-profit | 175 | 444 | 1,231 | 1,050 (92%) |
| Nonprofit | 47 | 50 | 54 | 54 (5%) |
| Government | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 (0%) |
| Other | 17 | 26 | 31 | 30 (3%) |
Years: hospices that billed Medicare, by their ownership as CMS lists it today. Today: hospices with an office in the state. Source: HospiceCompare analysis of CMS data (Medicare Post-Acute Care and Hospice utilization by provider, 2014 to 2024, loaded October 20, 2026).
Hospices and Medicare patients per year
| Year | Hospices that billed Medicare | Medicare patients |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 240 | 94,826 |
| 2015 | 277 | 100,208 |
| 2016 | 330 | 106,175 |
| 2017 | 396 | 113,266 |
| 2018 | 462 | 120,939 |
| 2019 | 521 | 125,739 |
| 2020 | 592 | 135,267 |
| 2021 | 677 | 147,490 |
| 2022 | 818 | 151,692 |
| 2023 | 1,089 | 161,883 |
| 2024 | 1,318 | 179,276 |
A person cared for by two hospices in a year is counted by both. CMS does not publish counts below 11. Source: HospiceCompare analysis of CMS data (Medicare Post-Acute Care and Hospice utilization by provider, 2014 to 2024, loaded October 20, 2026).
Largest hospices by Medicare patients in 2024
Size is a count of patients, not a measure of quality.
| Hospice | City | Ownership | Medicare patients | CMS star rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suncrest Hospice | Fremont | For-profit | 3,243 | 3 of 5 |
| Vitas Healthcare Corporation of California | San Diego | For-profit | 2,583 | 3 of 5 |
| Sutter Care at Home | Roseville | For-profit | 2,482 | 3 of 5 |
| By the Bay Health | Larkspur | Nonprofit | 1,772 | 4 of 5 |
| Bristol Hospice Fresno | Fresno | For-profit | 1,687 | 3 of 5 |
| Mission Hospice Services of San Diego | San Diego | For-profit | 1,539 | 3 of 5 |
| Elizabeth Hospice | Escondido | Nonprofit | 1,527 | 3 of 5 |
| Sharp Hospicecare | La Mesa | For-profit | 1,524 | 3 of 5 |
| Central Coast Home Health | San Luis Obispo | For-profit | 1,462 | 4 of 5 |
| Providence at Home With Compassus Hospice Care La County | Torrance | Other | 1,422 | 3 of 5 |
Hospice offices by county
Counties by the address of each hospice’s office. Hospices usually care for people at home across several counties, so an office count is not a count of the hospices serving a county.
How to cite
HospiceCompare analysis of CMS data (Care Compare hospice data released August 2026; Medicare hospice utilization 2014 to 2024). https://www.hospicecompare.org/press/california
Methods and limits of the data: Data and methods. National numbers and charts: Press room. Questions: info@funeralus.com.