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Hospice care in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is the most populous city in California and the second-largest in the United States. The Los Angeles metropolitan area — encompassing the San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley, South Bay, the Westside, East LA, Long Beach, and surrounding communities across LA County — is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse regions in the world. The hospice market here is among the largest and most competitive in the country, with dozens of Medicare-certified hospice agencies operating across the metro, ranging from nationally recognized organizations to smaller, locally-owned agencies.
Los Angeles's extraordinary linguistic diversity means hospice agencies frequently offer services in Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Armenian, Farsi, Russian, and many other languages common in the region. If language accessibility is critical for your family, ask prospective providers about bilingual staff, interpreter services, and culturally specific care approaches during your evaluation.
Because LA County is geographically vast, service areas vary significantly. Families in the Valley (Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Northridge, Chatsworth) may be served by different agencies than those in South Bay (Torrance, Redondo Beach, Carson), Long Beach, East LA (Boyle Heights, Montebello, El Monte), or the Westside (Santa Monica, Culver City, West Hollywood). Always confirm coverage by ZIP code before enrolling with any provider.
California licenses hospice providers through the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Licensing and Certification Division. All Medicare-certified hospice providers in California meet CDPH licensing requirements as a condition of federal certification. California does not require a Certificate of Need (CON) for hospice licensure — any provider meeting state licensing and Medicare certification requirements may operate in the state, which contributes to the large and competitive nature of the LA hospice market.
Major Los Angeles health systems and hospice transitions
Los Angeles is home to some of the most prominent academic medical centers and health systems in the United States. When a patient at any of these institutions reaches the point where curative treatment is no longer the goal, the palliative care or social work team can facilitate a referral to a community hospice provider. Families can also contact a hospice provider directly — most will work with any of these institutions to receive records and coordinate a smooth transition.
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (West Hollywood) — One of the nation's most renowned academic medical centers, Cedars-Sinai is home to the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute and an internationally recognized palliative care program. Patients completing cancer treatment or managing advanced illness at Cedars-Sinai can work with the palliative care team or a social worker to initiate a hospice referral to a community provider.
- UCLA Health / Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center (Westwood) — A top-ranked academic medical center and home to the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. UCLA's palliative care program serves patients across West LA and the Westside. The social work and care coordination team facilitates hospice transitions for both inpatient and outpatient oncology and other complex cases.
- USC Keck Medicine / Keck Hospital of USC (East Los Angeles Health Sciences campus) — Serves the central and east LA region with a major cancer and transplant program. The Keck Medical Center team coordinates hospice referrals for patients transitioning from complex hospital-based care.
- City of Hope (Duarte, San Gabriel Valley) — A National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and one of the largest cancer treatment and research centers in the United States. Many patients from across Southern California — and the country — receive cancer treatment at City of Hope; the palliative care program there coordinates hospice transitions when treatment is complete. Community hospice providers in the San Gabriel Valley and across LA County regularly receive referrals from City of Hope.
- LAC+USC Medical Center (Los Angeles) — Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center is the public safety-net hospital for Los Angeles County and one of the largest public hospitals in the United States. It serves a large Medi-Cal and uninsured population and has active social work and palliative care resources for hospice coordination.
- Providence Health & Services — Providence operates multiple LA-area hospitals including Providence Saint John's Health Center (Santa Monica), Providence Little Company of Mary (Torrance), and Providence Holy Cross Medical Center (Mission Hills). Each has palliative care and case management resources.
- Kaiser Permanente Southern California — Kaiser operates a large integrated health system across LA County with multiple medical centers (Los Angeles, West Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, Baldwin Park, Downey, and others). Kaiser members who qualify for hospice typically transition to Kaiser's own hospice program or a Kaiser-contracted community provider.
When transitioning from any of these institutions, ask to speak with the hospital's palliative care team or the inpatient social worker. They can initiate the referral, transfer medical records, and coordinate the discharge timing with the hospice provider's intake team — often enabling a same-day or next-day start after discharge.
Medicare and Medi-Cal hospice coverage in Los Angeles
Medicare Part A
Medicare Part A covers hospice comprehensively for eligible Los Angeles patients in 2026. To qualify, a physician must certify a terminal prognosis of six months or less if the illness runs its normal course. Covered services include:
- Nursing visits — $0 to the patient
- Comfort-focused medications for the terminal diagnosis — $0 or up to $5 per prescription
- Medical equipment (hospital bed, oxygen, wheelchair, commode) — $0
- Home health aide and homemaker services — $0
- Social worker, chaplain, and bereavement counseling — $0
- Inpatient respite care — 5% coinsurance
- Continuous home care during a medical crisis — $0 or minimal cost
Medicare Advantage plans available in Los Angeles — including those offered by UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Aetna, Blue Shield of California, L.A. Care, and Kaiser Permanente — are required to cover hospice at the same levels as traditional Medicare Part A. Verify your specific plan's hospice network with the hospice provider before enrolling.
Medi-Cal (California Medicaid)
Medi-Cal covers hospice for qualifying low-income California residents. In Los Angeles County, Medi-Cal managed care plans include:
- L.A. Care Health Plan
- Health Net
- Molina Healthcare
- Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente
Ask your hospice provider to verify your specific Medi-Cal managed care plan and confirm they are contracted with it before enrollment. For patients enrolled in both Medicare and Medi-Cal (dual eligibles), Medicare is the primary payer for hospice and Medi-Cal may cover certain additional costs.
California's In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program provides personal care and domestic services to qualifying low-income seniors and adults with disabilities. If your loved one currently receives IHSS, confirm with the hospice provider how IHSS services interact with the hospice benefit — the two programs can sometimes overlap or require coordination.
PACE in Los Angeles
California has an extensive PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly) network, with PACE sites operating in Los Angeles and surrounding communities. If a patient is currently enrolled in a PACE program and transitions to hospice, PACE enrollment will need to be adjusted. Coordinate these changes carefully with both the PACE program and the hospice provider to ensure continuity of care.
Free Medicare counseling: HICAP
California's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is called HICAP — the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program — administered through county Area Agencies on Aging and the California Department of Aging. HICAP counselors provide free, unbiased Medicare counseling on hospice benefits, Medi-Cal interaction with hospice, Medicare Advantage plan options, and more. In Los Angeles, HICAP is administered through the Los Angeles County Department of Aging. Contact 1-800-434-0222 or visit the California Department of Aging website to find your local HICAP office.
California laws, advance directives, and end-of-life options
Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD)
California uses the Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD) to allow individuals to document their end-of-life care preferences and designate a healthcare agent (also called a healthcare proxy or power of attorney for healthcare). The AHCD becomes effective when the individual lacks capacity to make their own decisions. Hospice social workers and admissions staff can help families complete or update an AHCD.
POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment)
California uses the POLST form — called POLST in California — as a portable medical order for patients with serious illness or advanced age. Unlike an advance directive, a POLST is a physician-signed medical order that can be honored by emergency responders and healthcare providers across care settings. Hospice patients are encouraged to have a signed POLST in the home. The hospice nurse or physician can assist with completing the POLST.
California End of Life Option Act
California's End of Life Option Act (effective June 2016, amended 2021) allows terminally ill California adults with a prognosis of six months or less to request a prescription for aid-in-dying medication from a participating physician. This option is separate from hospice — patients can be enrolled in hospice and separately inquire about the End of Life Option Act. Not all physicians or hospice organizations participate; if this option is important to your family, confirm participation with the hospice provider when evaluating options.
Hospice licensure: no CON requirement
California does not require a Certificate of Need (CON) for hospice licensure. Any provider meeting California Department of Public Health (CDPH) licensing requirements and Medicare certification standards may operate in the state. All Medicare-certified California hospice providers must meet CDPH Licensing and Certification Division requirements as a condition of federal certification. This open-entry regulatory environment contributes to LA's large, competitive hospice market — which means families have extensive choices and should invest time in comparing providers before enrolling.
How to choose a hospice provider in Los Angeles
Los Angeles has one of the largest and most competitive hospice markets in the country. Having many options is an advantage, but it also means the quality and responsiveness of providers can vary. Here are the most important factors to evaluate:
- Coverage by ZIP code. Because LA is geographically vast, confirm that the provider serves your specific neighborhood — particularly if you are in the Valley, South Bay, East LA, Long Beach, or communities at the edges of the county. Do not assume coverage based on a provider's general LA service area.
- Language and cultural competency. Los Angeles is one of the most linguistically diverse cities in the world. Ask whether the provider has bilingual staff (Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Armenian, Farsi, Russian, or other languages relevant to your family) or access to professional interpreters for care visits, family meetings, and grief counseling.
- After-hours response. Ask about the after-hours nursing coverage: Is a nurse available by phone 24/7? What is the typical response time for an in-person urgent visit in your area of LA? Response times can vary across a metro as large as Los Angeles.
- Insurance acceptance. Confirm that the provider accepts your specific insurance — Medicare, your Medicare Advantage plan, or your specific Medi-Cal managed care plan (L.A. Care, Health Net, Molina, Blue Shield Promise, Kaiser). Not all providers are contracted with all plans.
- Experience with the specific diagnosis. Ask whether the team has experience with your loved one's primary diagnosis — cancer, heart failure, COPD, dementia, ALS, or other conditions. Providers with relevant clinical depth can anticipate and manage symptoms more effectively.
- Inpatient hospice availability. Ask whether the provider has access to a contracted inpatient hospice facility in LA County for symptom management crises that cannot be managed at home. The availability and location of an inpatient unit matters given LA's traffic and geography.
- Volunteer services and bereavement. California-licensed hospice agencies are required to provide bereavement counseling to family members after the patient's death. Ask about the scope and duration of bereavement services and whether the provider offers volunteer support (companionship visits, errands, caregiver relief).
BestHospice.com allows you to search Partner LA-area hospice providers by ZIP code — free for families, no referral fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find hospice care in Los Angeles?
Search BestHospice.com by ZIP code to find partner hospice providers serving Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley, South Bay, Long Beach, the Westside, and all communities across LA County. Coverage areas vary significantly across this large metro — always confirm your ZIP code with the provider.
Does Medicare cover hospice in Los Angeles?
Yes. Medicare Part A covers nursing visits, comfort medications, medical equipment, home health aide, social work, chaplain services, and bereavement counseling at little to no out-of-pocket cost in 2026. A physician must certify a prognosis of six months or less. Medicare Advantage plans in LA must cover hospice at the same levels as traditional Medicare.
Does Medi-Cal cover hospice in Los Angeles?
Yes. Medi-Cal covers hospice for qualifying low-income California residents. In LA County, Medi-Cal managed care plans include L.A. Care Health Plan, Health Net, Molina Healthcare, Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, and Kaiser Permanente. Ask your provider to verify your specific plan before enrolling. IHSS recipients should confirm how that program interacts with the hospice benefit.
How do I transition from Cedars-Sinai, UCLA, or City of Hope to hospice?
All three institutions have palliative care teams and social workers who coordinate hospice referrals. Ask your oncologist or attending physician to request a palliative care consultation, then speak with the social worker about community hospice options. You can also contact an LA hospice provider directly — they can receive records from these institutions and begin the intake process before discharge, often enabling a same-day or next-day start.
What advance directive does California use?
California uses the Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD) to document end-of-life wishes and designate a healthcare agent. California also uses the POLST form as a portable medical order for patients with serious illness. Hospice teams can help families complete or update both documents. California's End of Life Option Act separately allows terminally ill adults to request aid-in-dying medication — this is separate from hospice and not all providers participate.
Do Los Angeles hospice providers offer services in languages other than English?
Many do. Los Angeles is one of the most linguistically diverse cities in the world. Providers frequently offer services in Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Armenian, Farsi, and Russian, among other languages. Ask prospective providers about bilingual staff and interpreter availability in your family's preferred language.
What is HICAP and how can it help my family?
HICAP — the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program — is California's free Medicare counseling program. HICAP counselors provide unbiased guidance on hospice benefits, how Medi-Cal interacts with Medicare hospice, and Medicare Advantage plan questions. In Los Angeles, HICAP is administered through the LA County Department of Aging. Call 1-800-434-0222 to connect with your local HICAP office.
How quickly can hospice start in Los Angeles?
Most LA-area hospice providers can begin within 24 to 48 hours. Same-day starts are often possible for urgent discharge situations from Cedars-Sinai, UCLA, LAC+USC, USC Keck, City of Hope, or other area hospitals. The provider handles physician certification and insurance verification before the first visit.
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