Hospice Care in the Philadelphia Metro
Philadelphia and its surrounding counties — Montgomery, Delaware, Chester, and Bucks in Pennsylvania, along with Camden County in southern New Jersey — make up one of the most medically rich metropolitan areas on the East Coast. The Philadelphia metro has a large and competitive hospice market shaped by the presence of multiple nationally recognized academic medical centers, a significant senior population, and a wide range of community hospice agencies serving urban neighborhoods, inner-ring suburbs, and outer county communities including Coatesville, Malvern, Royersford, and North Huntingdon.
BestHospice.com helps Philadelphia-area families find partner hospice providers by ZIP code, compare services, and connect with local agencies without referral fees or sales pressure.
Philadelphia's Major Health Systems and Hospice Transitions
Penn Medicine is the health system of the University of Pennsylvania, with the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center as its major centers. Penn's Abramson Cancer Center is an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and one of the largest sources of oncology hospice referrals in the region. Penn's palliative care program coordinates transitions across the Penn Medicine system.
Jefferson Health (Thomas Jefferson University Hospital) is the other major academic health system in center city Philadelphia, with a strong palliative care program and multiple hospital campuses across the metro including Jefferson Einstein in Elkins Park and Jefferson Torresdale in northeast Philadelphia. Temple Health (Temple University Hospital) serves North Philadelphia and coordinates hospice transitions for patients across Temple's hospitals and clinical network.
Main Line Health is the dominant suburban health system, operating Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital, and Riddle Hospital across Montgomery, Delaware, and Chester counties. Main Line's palliative care program is a significant source of hospice referrals across the western suburbs. Tower Health operates Brandywine Hospital in Coatesville and other facilities across Chester and Berks counties.
Drexel Medicine (Hahnemann University Hospital's successor system) and Einstein Healthcare Network (now part of Jefferson Health) also contribute to the Philadelphia metro's dense hospice referral ecosystem. Philadelphia's large African American, Latino, Vietnamese, and South Asian communities mean multilingual hospice services are often available.
Medicare and Pennsylvania Medicaid Coverage in Philadelphia
Medicare Part A covers hospice for eligible Philadelphia-area patients with a physician-certified prognosis of six months or less. Covered services include nursing visits, comfort medications, medical equipment, home health aide, social work, chaplain services, and bereavement counseling — most at $0 to the patient or family.
Pennsylvania Medical Assistance covers hospice through the HealthChoices managed care program. In the southeast Pennsylvania zone (Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, Chester, Bucks counties), plans include Aetna Better Health of Pennsylvania, AmeriHealth Caritas Pennsylvania, Geisinger Health Plan, and Independence Blue Cross. Pennsylvania also operates the LIFE (Living Independence for the Elderly) program, which provides home- and community-based care for eligible seniors as an alternative to nursing home placement.
Pennsylvania licenses hospice providers through the Pennsylvania Department of Health. All Medicare-certified Pennsylvania hospice providers meet state licensing requirements as a condition of federal certification.
How to Choose a Hospice Provider in Philadelphia
- Do they serve your specific ZIP code? Coverage zones vary significantly across the Philadelphia metro. A city provider may not serve Chester County, and vice versa. Confirm before calling.
- How quickly can they respond? Especially important for hospital discharges from Penn, Jefferson, Main Line Health, or Temple facilities.
- What is their experience with your loved one's diagnosis? Oncology, dementia, cardiac, and pulmonary cases each require specific clinical expertise.
- What languages do they serve? Philadelphia's diverse communities may need services in Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, or other languages.
- Do they have an inpatient arrangement? Confirm where inpatient care would occur if symptoms escalate beyond what can be managed at home.
Frequently Asked Questions — Hospice Care in Philadelphia
How do I find hospice care in Philadelphia?
Enter your ZIP code on BestHospice.com to find partner hospice providers serving your Philadelphia neighborhood or suburb. Free, instant, no referral fees.
Does Medicare cover hospice in Philadelphia?
Yes. Medicare Part A covers most hospice services at little to no cost for eligible patients. See exactly what Medicare covers →
Does Pennsylvania Medicaid cover hospice in Philadelphia?
Yes. HealthChoices plans (Aetna Better Health, AmeriHealth Caritas, Independence Blue Cross) cover hospice for qualifying low-income Philadelphia-area residents.
When is it time for hospice care in Philadelphia?
Hospice is appropriate when a physician certifies a prognosis of six months or less and the focus shifts to comfort. Signs it may be time for hospice →
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