Hospices in Kentucky
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 Kentucky, 23 hospices cared for people with Medicare in 2024, the same number as in 2014, according to a HospiceCompare analysis of CMS data. Together they served 23,078 Medicare patients in 2024. Of the 23 hospices with an office in Kentucky in the latest CMS enrollment file, 35% are for-profit and 2 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 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 (35%) |
| Nonprofit | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 (65%) |
| Government | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (0%) |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (0%) |
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 | 23 | 16,077 |
| 2015 | 23 | 16,438 |
| 2016 | 23 | 18,047 |
| 2017 | 23 | 19,077 |
| 2018 | 23 | 20,484 |
| 2019 | 23 | 21,424 |
| 2020 | 23 | 21,823 |
| 2021 | 23 | 22,869 |
| 2022 | 23 | 22,449 |
| 2023 | 23 | 22,295 |
| 2024 | 23 | 23,078 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hosparus | Louisville | Nonprofit | 6,763 | 4 of 5 |
| Hospice of the Bluegrass, Inc DBA Bluegrass Care N | Lexington | Nonprofit | 3,666 | 3 of 5 |
| Hospice of the Bluegrass | Hazard | Nonprofit | 2,235 | 4 of 5 |
| Hospice Care of St Elizabeth Healthcare | Edgewood | Nonprofit | 1,623 | 4 of 5 |
| Mercy Health - Hospice, Paducah | Paducah | Nonprofit | 1,041 | 4 of 5 |
| Hospice of Lake Cumberland | Somerset | Nonprofit | 996 | 5 of 5 |
| Hospice of Southern Kentucky | Bowling Green | Nonprofit | 920 | 5 of 5 |
| Hospice of Western Kentucky | Owensboro | For-profit | 893 | 4 of 5 |
| Community Hospice | Ashland | Nonprofit | 891 | 5 of 5 |
| Compassionate Care Plus | Richmond | For-profit | 603 | 4 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/kentucky
Methods and limits of the data: Data and methods. National numbers and charts: Press room. Questions: info@funeralus.com.