Philadelphia Hospice Care: Providers & Medicare Coverage

Philadelphia has a long and distinguished history in hospice and end-of-life care. The city's academic medical centers, strong nonprofit sector, and deep community roots make it a market with robust hospice options — though access and awareness vary significantly across neighborhoods.

This guide helps Philadelphia-area families navigate the local hospice landscape, understand coverage options, and find the right provider through NDPAP's directory.

In This Guide

• Understanding Hospice Care
• Philadelphia's Hospice Care Landscape
• How to Choose a Hospice Provider in Philadelphia
• Medicare Coverage for Hospice in Philadelphia
• Medicaid and Private Insurance Hospice Coverage
• When to Consider Hospice
• Palliative Care vs. Hospice in Philadelphia
• Finding Hospice Providers in Philadelphia Through NDPAP
• Questions to Ask Philadelphia Hospice Providers
• The Bottom Line

Understanding Hospice Care

Hospice care focuses on comfort, dignity, and quality of life for patients with a terminal illness and a prognosis of six months or less. Hospice shifts the focus from curative treatment to managing symptoms, providing emotional and spiritual support, and helping families through the end-of-life process.

Services include skilled nursing, pain and symptom management, medical social work, spiritual counseling, home health aide visits, and bereavement support. Most hospice care is delivered at home, though inpatient hospice facilities provide care for patients who need more intensive symptom management.

For more on the distinction between hospice and palliative care, see our guide on hospice vs. palliative care.

Philadelphia's Hospice Care Landscape

Philadelphia's hospice market has several distinctive features:

Strong nonprofit presence. The Philadelphia area has well-established nonprofit hospice organizations with decades of community service. These nonprofits often provide community education, grief support, and volunteer programs that extend well beyond direct patient care.

Academic medical center influence. Penn Medicine, Jefferson Health, and Temple each have palliative care programs that work closely with community hospice providers. These academic connections mean many Philadelphia hospice agencies stay current with the latest evidence-based practices in symptom management and end-of-life care.

Inpatient hospice options. Philadelphia has several dedicated inpatient hospice facilities, which is not always the case in other markets. These units provide round-the-clock nursing care for patients whose symptoms cannot be adequately managed at home.

Disparities in access. Hospice utilization varies significantly across Philadelphia's neighborhoods. Research consistently shows that Black and Hispanic patients use hospice at lower rates than white patients, a disparity that Philadelphia hospice providers are actively working to address through community outreach and culturally informed care programs.

Faith community connections. Philadelphia's strong faith communities — including large Catholic, Black church, and Jewish populations — influence end-of-life care decisions. Hospice providers with chaplains and spiritual care programs that respect diverse faith traditions serve Philadelphia families more effectively.

How to Choose a Hospice Provider in Philadelphia

Key factors when evaluating Philadelphia hospice agencies:

Medicare certification. Required for Medicare coverage and a baseline quality indicator.

Service area. Confirm the hospice covers your specific neighborhood. Some agencies focus on certain parts of the city or only serve the suburbs.

Cultural competence. Philadelphia's diverse communities need hospice providers who understand varied cultural approaches to death and dying. Ask about the agency's experience serving patients from your background.

Inpatient access. Ask whether the hospice operates or has access to inpatient beds. This matters when symptoms escalate beyond what can be managed at home.

After-hours response. End-of-life care needs do not follow business hours. Ask about the agency's response time for after-hours calls and emergency visits.

Bereavement programs. Quality hospices provide grief support for at least 13 months after the patient's death. Ask about individual counseling, support groups, and children's grief programs.

Medicare Coverage for Hospice in Philadelphia

Medicare covers hospice comprehensively. When a patient elects hospice, Medicare pays for virtually all care related to the terminal diagnosis: nursing visits, medications for symptom control, medical equipment, supplies, and short-term inpatient care.

A physician must certify a life expectancy of six months or less. The patient agrees to forgo curative treatment for the terminal condition while continuing treatment for other conditions.

Most hospice services have no copay. Small copays apply only to outpatient prescription drugs (up to $5) and inpatient respite care (5% copay).

For more on Medicare coverage, see our guide to Medicare coverage.

Medicaid and Private Insurance Hospice Coverage

Pennsylvania's Medical Assistance (Medicaid) program covers hospice services. For dual-eligible patients, Medicare is the primary payer with Medical Assistance covering remaining costs. Pennsylvania's managed care Medicaid plans coordinate hospice benefits for enrolled members.

Private insurance plans typically cover hospice, though network requirements vary. Verify your plan's hospice network before selecting a provider, particularly if you have an employer-sponsored plan with limited network options.

When to Consider Hospice

Consider hospice when:

• Curative treatment is no longer working or is no longer desired
• The patient has had frequent hospitalizations or emergency department visits
• There has been a significant decline in daily functioning
• The focus has shifted to comfort and quality of remaining time
• The family needs help managing symptoms and providing care at home

Philadelphia's academic medical centers have palliative care teams that can help facilitate the transition to hospice when the time is right. Do not wait until a crisis — earlier hospice enrollment allows more time to benefit from comprehensive support.

Palliative Care vs. Hospice in Philadelphia

Palliative care can begin at any point during a serious illness alongside curative treatment. Hospice specifically serves patients who have chosen comfort-focused care. Philadelphia has excellent palliative care resources:

Penn Medicine's palliative care program is nationally recognized. Jefferson Health and Temple University Hospital also offer palliative care consultations. These programs help patients manage symptoms and make informed decisions about goals of care, including the transition to hospice when appropriate.

Finding Hospice Providers in Philadelphia Through NDPAP

You can search for hospice providers in Philadelphia on NDPAP's directory. Compare agencies, view contact information, and learn about available services.

Questions to Ask Philadelphia Hospice Providers

1. How quickly can you start services? Timeliness matters when comfort care is needed.
2. Do you have inpatient beds available? Important for symptom crises.
3. What is your experience serving patients from my cultural background? Cultural competence directly affects care quality.
4. What languages do your staff speak? Important in multilingual Philadelphia.
5. What is your after-hours response time? Round-the-clock access is critical.
6. What bereavement services do you offer? Grief support should be comprehensive and long-lasting.
7. Do you have connections with my hospital's palliative care team? Smoother transitions benefit patients.
8. What is your approach to pain management? Ensure alignment with the patient's wishes.

The Bottom Line

Philadelphia's hospice market is strong, supported by major academic medical centers and established nonprofit providers. The key is finding an agency that matches your family's cultural needs, serves your neighborhood, and provides responsive, compassionate care. Use NDPAP's directory to compare options and take time to ask the questions that matter most.

Search Philadelphia hospice providers on NDPAP