Hospices in Delaware
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 Delaware, 10 hospices cared for people with Medicare in 2024, up from 8 in 2014, according to a HospiceCompare analysis of CMS data. Together they served 6,981 Medicare patients in 2024. Of the 11 hospices with an office in Delaware in the latest CMS enrollment file, 64% are for-profit and 3 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 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 (64%) |
| Nonprofit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 (18%) |
| Government | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (0%) |
| Other | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 (18%) |
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 | 8 | 5,113 |
| 2015 | 8 | 5,292 |
| 2016 | 8 | 5,571 |
| 2017 | 8 | 5,797 |
| 2018 | 8 | 6,381 |
| 2019 | 10 | 6,514 |
| 2020 | 11 | 6,586 |
| 2021 | 11 | 6,953 |
| 2022 | 11 | 7,084 |
| 2023 | 11 | 6,928 |
| 2024 | 10 | 6,981 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christianacare Accentcare Hosp & Palliative Care | Newark | For-profit | 3,034 | 2 of 5 |
| Vitas Healthcare Corporation Atlantic | Newark | For-profit | 831 | 3 of 5 |
| Delaware Hospice, Inc Southern Division | Milford | Other | 727 | 4 of 5 |
| Delaware Hospice Central Div | Dover | Nonprofit | 604 | 4 of 5 |
| Delaware Hospice - North Division | Newark | Nonprofit | 490 | 4 of 5 |
| Compassionate Care Hospice of the Delmar Peninsula | Milford | For-profit | 394 | 3 of 5 |
| Compassionate Care Hospice | Newark | For-profit | 342 | 3 of 5 |
| Bayada Hospice | Wilmington | Other | 315 | 3 of 5 |
| Heartland Hospice | Newark | For-profit | 174 | None |
| Acts Signature Hospice Delaware | Hockessin | For-profit | 70 | None |
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.
| County | Hospice offices |
|---|---|
| New Castle County | 8 |
| Sussex County | 2 |
| Kent County | 1 |
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/delaware
Methods and limits of the data: Data and methods. National numbers and charts: Press room. Questions: info@funeralus.com.