GREENVILLE – By the time families turn to hospice care, they are no longer comparing prices or scanning ratings. They are asking a much simpler, more human question: Will someone be there when we need help the most?
Recent headlines about the misuse of the Medicare Hospice Benefit in California have understandably shaken public confidence. EverHeart Hospice believes any fraud or abuse of a benefit designed to serve people at the end of their lives is unacceptable and must be addressed swiftly. However, as policymakers and the public respond, we must not allow misconduct by a few to obscure a critical truth: not all hospices are the same, and the ownership model matters.
Hospices such as EverHeart that have long served communities and have been pioneers of the hospice movement are trustworthy. Founded in 1981 as one of the country’s first rural hospices, EverHeart has spent over four decades building trust with the families it serves. This legacy of service is not coincidental-it reflects an unwavering commitment to the mission that guided the hospice movement from its earliest days.
Across the country, and here in Ohio, community-based nonprofit hospices continue to deliver the highest quality end-of-life care, stronger family trust, and better value for Medicare. These organizations were not created to exploit a reimbursement system. They were built by communities to ensure dignity, comfort, and compassion at life’s most vulnerable moment.
The Evidence Is Clear
National caregiver surveys published in JAMA Internal Medicine show that families consistently report better care experiences at nonprofit hospices than at for-profit providers. Communication, symptom management, emotional and spiritual support-all the elements that define quality hospice care-score higher when care is delivered by organizations governed by mission rather than margin.
“Families feel it when a nurse spends extra time with patients,” said Cortney Yount, Chief Growth Officer of EverHeart Hospice. “They feel it when calls after-hours are answered quickly by clinicians who know the patient. They feel it when social workers, chaplains, and caregivers collaborate as a team, without pressure to limit visits or shorten time.”
As a community-owned, nonprofit hospice, EverHeart reinvests its limited margins directly into care: interdisciplinary teams, bereavement services, volunteer programs, and community education. This is done not because it is lucrative, but because it reflects the organization’s mission and values.
“Hospice is a promise,” added Cortney Yount. “A promise that people will not be abandoned at the end of life. That pain will be addressed. That families will not face loss alone. EverHeart Hospice keeps that promise every day-quietly and faithfully-in homes and assisted living communities.”
Our Commitment
At a time when trust in healthcare feels fragile, we should invest in what has proven to work. At the end of life, mission matters more than margin-and our policies should reflect that truth. EverHeart Hospice remains steadfast in its commitment to compassionate, quality care for every patient and family we serve.
About EverHeart Hospice
EverHeart Hospice is a community-based, nonprofit hospice organization dedicated to providing compassionate, quality end-of-life care to patients and families. For more information, visit www.everhearthospice.org or call 800-417-7535.
