# How this directory works | TopRated Hospice

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# How this directory works

What the list is, where it comes from, and what it is not.

## What it is

A list of hospice providers that CMS shows as Medicare-certified, grouped by
state and city.

## How the list is ordered

Alphabetically. States are in alphabetical order, cities are in alphabetical
order within a state, and providers are in alphabetical order within a city.
Nothing else changes the order: not size, not distance, not reviews, and not
payment. This is a list, not a ranking.

## Star ratings

There are none. The CMS data this directory comes from does not include one, and we do not make one up.

## Where the information comes from

The [CMS hospice provider directory](https://data.cms.gov/provider-data/dataset/yc9t-dgbk). We show the
name, address, phone number, ownership type and certification date as CMS lists
them, with small display fixes: obvious city misspellings are corrected, and a
name that CMS cut off mid-phrase is shown without the dangling fragment. Our
copy was pulled on August 16, 2026 and is updated from time to time,
not live.

## What certification means, and what it does not

Medicare certification means a provider is approved to serve Medicare
patients. It does not tell you how good the care is or whether a provider is a
fit for your family. Before you choose, ask about staff-to-patient ratios,
after-hours coverage, and how the team keeps the family informed.

## Not advice

This is not medical advice and not a recommendation. We do not refer you to a provider, and we do not
pass your details to one.

## Corrections

Write to [hello@topratedcities.com](mailto:hello@topratedcities.com). Corrections and removal
are free.