1
Iowa River Hospice
Based in Marshalltown, IA. Tells Medicare it serves Ames
5 out of 5 stars, Patient survey, from CMS Patient survey
Medicare-certified hospice for 40 years. Ownership: non-profit.
Story County, Iowa
Hospice care in Ames, IA
Hospice care is comfort care for someone with a terminal illness, from a team of nurses, aides, social workers and chaplains, usually at home or wherever the person lives.
13 hospices 3.9 of 5 average CMS rating 7 rated 4 stars or more
Get help finding hospice care in Ames
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Hospice care near Ames, ranked by CMS rating
CMS rates hospices from 1 to 5 stars on the CAHPS Hospice Survey, which asks family caregivers about the care their loved one received.
2
Unitypoint Hospice
Based in Fort Dodge, IA. Tells Medicare it serves Ames
5 out of 5 stars, Patient survey, from CMS Patient survey
Medicare-certified hospice for 30 years. Ownership: non-profit.
3
Everystep
Based in Des Moines, IA. Tells Medicare it serves Ames
4 out of 5 stars, Patient survey, from CMS Patient survey
Medicare-certified hospice for 42 years. Ownership: other.
4
St Croix Hospice
Based in Ankeny, IA. Tells Medicare it serves Ames
4 out of 5 stars, Patient survey, from CMS Patient survey
Medicare-certified hospice for 19 years. Ownership: for-profit.
5
Suncrest Hospice, LLC
Based in West Des Moines, IA. Tells Medicare it serves Ames
4 out of 5 stars, Patient survey, from CMS Patient survey
Medicare-certified hospice for 11 years. Ownership: for-profit.
6
Wesleylife Hospice
Based in Urbandale, IA. Tells Medicare it serves Ames
4 out of 5 stars, Patient survey, from CMS Patient survey
Medicare-certified hospice for 18 years. Ownership: non-profit.
7
Mary Greeley Hospice Services
Based in Ames, IA. Tells Medicare it serves Ames
4 out of 5 stars, Patient survey, from CMS Patient survey
Medicare-certified hospice for 39 years. Ownership: government.
8
Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines
Based in West Des Moines, IA. Tells Medicare it serves Ames
3 out of 5 stars, Patient survey, from CMS Patient survey
Medicare-certified hospice for 17 years. Ownership: other.
9
Gentiva
Based in Spirit Lake, IA. Tells Medicare it serves Ames
3 out of 5 stars, Patient survey, from CMS Patient survey
Medicare-certified hospice for 19 years. Ownership: for-profit.
10
Mercyone Des Moines Hospice
Based in Des Moines, IA. Tells Medicare it serves Ames
3 out of 5 stars, Patient survey, from CMS Patient survey
Medicare-certified hospice for 40 years. Ownership: non-profit.
Heartland Hospice (West Des Moines)
Based in Ames, IA
No CMS star rating
Medicare-certified hospice for 4 years.
Crawford County Community Health
Based in Denison, IA. Tells Medicare it serves Ames
No CMS star rating
Medicare-certified hospice for 27 years. Ownership: combination government & non-profit.
Gentiva
Based in Panora, IA. Tells Medicare it serves Ames
No CMS star rating
Medicare-certified hospice for 21 years. Ownership: for-profit.
How these listings are sourced
- Medicare data. Home health agencies, hospices and nursing homes come from the CMS Provider Data Catalog (home health file of October 2026, nursing home file of September 2026). Star ratings are CMS ratings. Each card links to the provider's Care Compare record.
- Ranking. Rated providers are listed first, highest CMS rating first. Providers CMS has not rated come after them, because no rating is unknown, not bad. Nobody can pay for a place on this list.
- Other providers. Home care agencies, assisted living, adult day centers, disability and ABA providers come from the federal NPI registry, read October 2026. The care type is the one the provider chose when it registered. Nobody checks it, so ask what each provider actually does.
- Location. "Based in" is the provider's own address. "Tells Medicare it serves" comes from the ZIP codes the agency reports to CMS. "Miles away" is the distance from the city center to the provider's ZIP code, so check that they cover your address.
How hospice care is paid for
- Medicare covers hospice care when a hospice doctor and the person's regular doctor certify a terminal illness with a life expectancy of 6 months or less, and the person chooses comfort care instead of care to cure the illness.
- Medicare doesn't cover room and board when someone gets hospice care at home or in a nursing home.
For free local help with care options and benefits, contact your Area Agency on Aging through the Eldercare Locator.
Ames at a glance
- 69,026 residents (Census Bureau 2024 estimate)
- 1 hospice with an address in Ames
- 12 based elsewhere that tell Medicare they serve Ames
- 13 Medicare-certified
- 10 with a CMS star rating
Questions about hospice care in Ames
How many hospice care hospices serve Ames, IA?
Carevo lists 13 hospices for Ames: 1 based in the city, 12 that tell Medicare they serve ZIP codes here.
Which hospices near Ames have the highest CMS rating?
7 of the 10 rated hospices on this page have 4 stars or more from CMS in data published August 2026. Iowa River Hospice is listed first with 5 out of 5. Ratings change, so check the Care Compare record linked on each card.
How is hospice care paid for?
Medicare covers hospice care when a hospice doctor and the person's regular doctor certify a terminal illness with a life expectancy of 6 months or less, and the person chooses comfort care instead of care to cure the illness. Medicare doesn't cover room and board when someone gets hospice care at home or in a nursing home.
Can providers pay to be listed higher on Carevo?
No. Carevo does not sell placement or ranking. Rated providers are ordered by their CMS rating, and the rest by where they are based.
Other care in Ames
Home care · Respite care · Home health care · Private duty nursing · In-home physical therapy · Assisted living · Nursing homes · Adult day care · Intellectual and developmental disability services
Hospice care in nearby cities
Ankeny · Johnston · Urbandale · Des Moines · Waukee · West Des Moines · Marshalltown
Sources
- Medicare.gov: Hospice care accessed October 27, 2026
- Medicare.gov Care Compare accessed October 27, 2026