Boston Senior AdvisorThere are 45 Medicare-certified hospices based in Boston and Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, Essex and Plymouth counties. Medicare publishes a Hospice Care Index score for 40 of them and family caregiver survey stars for 22. 16 score a full 10 out of 10 on the index; the Massachusetts average is 9.2.
Which hospices in Boston score highest with Medicare?
The table lists every hospice, highest index score first. A linked name opens the full record: each index indicator against the state and national averages, the family survey answers, where care is delivered and the ZIP codes served.
| Hospice | Hospice Care Index | Family caregiver survey | Patients per day | Certified since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Colony Hospice, Inc W Bridgewater, MA 02379 · (781) 341-4145 | 10 / 10 | ★★★★★5 / 5 | 179 | 1986 |
| Cranberry Hospice Plymouth, MA 02360 · (508) 746-0215 | 10 / 10 | ★★★★★5 / 5 | 127 | 1988 |
| Compassionate Care Hospice of Southeastern Massachusetts LLC Bridgewater, MA 02324 · (508) 399-5900 | 10 / 10 | ★★★★★5 / 5 | 121 | 2010 |
| Brookhaven Hospice Marlborough, MA 01752 · (508) 820-4800 | 10 / 10 | ★★★★☆4 / 5 | 137 | 2008 |
| Metrowest Homecare and Hospice, an Amedisys Compan Marlboro, MA 01752 · (508) 383-7000 | 10 / 10 | ★★★★☆4 / 5 | 34 | 1984 |
| Care Dimensions, Inc Danvers, MA 01923 · (978) 822-3846 | 10 / 10 | ★★★☆☆3 / 5 | 859 | 1989 |
| Beacon Hospice, an Amedisys Company Charlestown, MA 02129 · (617) 242-4872 | 10 / 10 | ★★★☆☆3 / 5 | 475 | 1995 |
| Tufts Medicine Care at Home Lowell, MA 01852 · (978) 552-4000 | 10 / 10 | ★★★☆☆3 / 5 | 202 | 1985 |
| Compassus - Southern Massachusetts North Andover, MA 01845 · (978) 777-8222 | 10 / 10 | ★★★☆☆3 / 5 | 133 | 2002 |
| Compassionate Care Hospice Woburn, MA 01801 · (781) 935-5550 | 10 / 10 | ★★☆☆☆2 / 5 | 157 | 2008 |
| Pathways Healthcare Westwood, MA 02090 · (617) 481-9077 | 10 / 10 | No rating published | 118 | 2022 |
| Accentcare Hospice of Massachusetts Fall River, MA 02723 · (508) 235-5312 | 10 / 10 | No rating published | 53 | 1987 |
| Constellation Hospice Newburyport, MA 01950 · (978) 904-3059 | 10 / 10 | No rating published | 48 | 2015 |
| Visiting Nurse & Community Care Arlington, MA 02474 · (781) 643-6090 | 10 / 10 | No rating published | 46 | 2009 |
| Brockton Visiting Nurse Association Brockton, MA 02301 · (508) 587-2121 | 10 / 10 | No rating published | 36 | 2019 |
| Longwood Hospice Brookline, MA 02446 · (617) 505-3443 | 10 / 10 | No rating published | 26 | 2022 |
| Croi Health Norwell, MA 02061 · (781) 659-2342 | 9 / 10 | ★★★★★5 / 5 | 209 | 2008 |
| Hospice Services of Massachusetts Lakeville, MA 02347 · (508) 291-0049 | 9 / 10 | ★★★★★5 / 5 | 118 | 2006 |
| Gentiva Auburndale, MA 02466 · (617) 332-0813 | 9 / 10 | ★★★★★5 / 5 | 37 | 2010 |
| All Care Hospice Inc Lynn, MA 01901 · (781) 586-1608 | 9 / 10 | ★★★★☆4 / 5 | 163 | 2005 |
| Continuum Care of Mass, LLC Fall River, MA 02723 · (434) 977-9715 | 9 / 10 | ★★★★☆4 / 5 | 114 | 2019 |
| Faith and Family Hospice Marlborough, MA 01752 · (774) 405-3326 | 9 / 10 | ★★★★☆4 / 5 | 72 | 2019 |
| Good Shepherd Community Care Newton, MA 02459 · (617) 969-6130 | 9 / 10 | ★★★☆☆3 / 5 | 249 | 1984 |
| Beth Israel Lahey Health at Home Danvers, MA 01923 · (781) 756-2488 | 9 / 10 | ★★★☆☆3 / 5 | 203 | 1993 |
| New England Hospice II, LLC Hingham, MA 02043 · (781) 749-2900 | 9 / 10 | ★★★☆☆3 / 5 | 107 | 2005 |
| Harborside Hospice of Massachusetts, LLC Haverhill, MA 01831 · (800) 331-1044 | 9 / 10 | ★★★☆☆3 / 5 | 40 | 2018 |
| Accentcare Hospice & Palliative Care of Massachuse Norwood, MA 02062 · (866) 670-9449 | 9 / 10 | ★★☆☆☆2 / 5 | 195 | 2007 |
| Autumn Hospice Norwell, MA 02061 · (781) 480-1445 | 9 / 10 | ★★☆☆☆2 / 5 | 79 | 2020 |
| Brighton Hospice Massachusetts, LLC Newton, MA 02464 · (801) 996-3217 | 9 / 10 | No rating published | 52 | 2022 |
| Hebrew Seniorlife Hospice Care, Inc Dedham, MA 02026 · (781) 234-9950 | 9 / 10 | No rating published | 41 | 2014 |
| Caring Hospice Services of Massachusetts LLC Norwood, MA 02062 · (732) 901-6600 | 9 / 10 | No rating published | 36 | 2020 |
| Elara Caring Newburyport, MA 01950 · (978) 358-1007 | 9 / 10 | No rating published | 28 | 2017 |
| Serenity Hospice, LLC Southborough, MA 01772 · (508) 266-6402 | 9 / 10 | No rating published | 28 | 2009 |
| Dignity Hospice Care Framingham, MA 01701 · (508) 872-0038 | 9 / 10 | No rating published | 14 | 2017 |
| Convenient Hospice Services, Inc Sudbury, MA 01776 · (781) 642-0880 | 9 / 10 | No rating published | 9 | 2021 |
| First Choice Healthcare Inc Newton, MA 02458 · (617) 738-1113 | 8 / 10 | No rating published | 47 | 2017 |
| Hands and Hearts Hospice Corporation Wellesley Hills, MA 02481 · (617) 675-1900 | 8 / 10 | No rating published | 14 | 2024 |
| Sunset Hospice Middleboro, MA 02346 · (774) 419-2029 | 7 / 10 | No rating published | 38 | 2023 |
| West River Hospice Needham, MA 02494 · (781) 707-9524 | 6 / 10 | No rating published | 43 | 2017 |
| Legacy Lifecare Hospice and Palliative Care Chelsea, MA 02150 · (617) 889-0779 | 6 / 10 | No rating published | 33 | 2008 |
| Alliance Hospice Care LLC Newton, MA 02461 · (617) 663-4881 | Not published | No rating published | 2 | 2015 |
| Solara Hospice, LLC Waltham, MA 02451 · (978) 992-8108 | Not published | No rating published | 1 | 2022 |
| Tides Hospice, LLC Norwell, MA 02061 · (774) 218-4095 | Not published | No rating published | 1 | 2024 |
| Maestro Hospice Care, LLC Lawrence, MA 01843 · (978) 258-5637 | Not published | No rating published | — | 2016 |
| Sudbury Pines Hospice Sudbury, MA 01776 · (978) 443-3359 | Not published | No rating published | — | 2001 |
What does the Hospice Care Index measure, and what does it not?
The Hospice Care Index is a score out of 10 that counts how many of ten Medicare claims-based indicators a hospice meets. It measures patterns of visits and discharges. It does not measure bedside manner, and it is not a patient satisfaction score.
| Hospice Care Index | Family caregiver survey | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it comes from | Medicare billing claims over two years | A survey mailed to the main family caregiver after a death |
| What it shows | How often nurses visit, weekend care, visits near death, and patterns of live discharge | Communication, timely help, respect, symptom control and whether families would recommend the hospice |
| What it misses | How families felt about the care | Small hospices, which often have too few responses to report |
Does Medicare pay for hospice care in Massachusetts?
Yes. Medicare covers hospice for people a doctor certifies as terminally ill with a life expectancy of six months or less who choose comfort care. It covers the nurse, aide, social worker and chaplain visits, medications for the terminal illness, and equipment, with at most a small copay for prescriptions and respite stays. It does not cover room and board in assisted living or a nursing home.
Why do so many Boston hospices have no published scores?
5 of the 45 hospices here have no index score. Medicare only publishes results once a hospice has enough claims in the two-year window, and Boston and Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, Essex and Plymouth counties has many recently certified, small hospices. A missing score tells you a hospice is new or small. It does not tell you whether it is good.
Last verified: November 2026, against the Medicare hospice data release dated 2026-08-07.
Common questions
How many Medicare-certified hospices are in Boston?
45 are based in Boston and Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, Essex and Plymouth counties. 40 have a published Hospice Care Index score.
What is a good Hospice Care Index score?
The index runs from 0 to 10. The Massachusetts average is 9.2, and 16 hospices in Boston and Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, Essex and Plymouth counties score a full 10.
Can a hospice patient stay in assisted living?
Yes. Hospice staff visit wherever the patient lives, including assisted living and memory care. Medicare pays for the hospice care but not for the room and board.
