For families
In the hospital now? How to go home on hospice
If a doctor or case manager has said the word hospice, you can choose which hospice provides it. To choose Beta, tell the case manager the name, the phone number and the fax below, or call us and we will contact the hospital team. A hospice nurse answers (877) 258-7129 at any hour. A person leaving the hospital is admitted on the day of discharge unless you ask for a different day.
Reviewed by Jack Demirchyan, Chief Operating Officer, October 22, 2026
On this page (7 sections)
What to tell the case manager
Say it, or show this table on your phone. The case manager sends the referral; you do not fill in anything.
| What they need | Beta's details |
|---|---|
| Hospice name | Beta Hospice Care, Inc. |
| Phone, answered at any hour | (877) 258-7129 |
| Referral fax | (855) 563-3575 |
| Medicare certification (CCN) | A11527 |
| Where we care for people | San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles and Orange counties. See service area. |
Can you choose the hospice?
Yes. Hospitals must tell patients and families that they are free to choose among Medicare providers for care after discharge, and the choice of hospice is yours whatever list you are given. If you are not sure which hospice to pick, read how to verify a hospice and how to choose a hospice.
If the person has a Medicare Advantage plan, hospice is still paid by Original Medicare, so the plan does not limit which Medicare-certified hospice you choose.
What happens in the next 24 hours?
Every discharge is different. This is the usual order when someone goes home on hospice.
- Step 1
The referral
The case manager sends the referral by fax or phone, or you call us and we contact the hospital team. A hospice nurse reviews the records and talks with you.
- Step 2
The visit and the consents
A hospice nurse meets you in the hospital or at home, explains what hospice will do, and the person or their representative signs the consents and the election statement. A doctor certifies eligibility.
- Step 3
Home is ready
We arrange the equipment the person needs, such as a hospital bed, and the comfort medicines, timed for when they get home.
- Step 4
The first visit at home
A hospice nurse visits after the person gets home, writes the plan of care with you and explains how to reach the nurse at night. What the first days look like is on what happens when hospice starts.
What if the person is going to a nursing home or board and care?
Hospice can start there too. Tell the case manager where the person is going, and we coordinate with the facility. Read hospice in a nursing home and hospice in assisted living.
What if they are already on another hospice?
You can change hospice once in each benefit period, without a gap in care. Call us and we explain the steps. Read can you leave hospice.
Common questions about going home on hospice
Do I have to pick the hospice on the hospital's list?
No. A list helps you find options, but the choice is yours. Tell the case manager the name of the hospice you want.
Can hospice start on the day of discharge?
Yes. A person leaving the hospital is admitted on the day of discharge unless you ask for a different day.
Who arranges the hospital bed and the medicines?
The hospice does. Equipment and comfort medicines for the hospice diagnosis are arranged by the hospice team.
What if we are not ready to decide?
Call anyway. A nurse can answer questions before anything is decided, and nothing is signed on the call.
Related guides
How to start hospice, is it time for hospice? and does Medicare cover hospice?
About this page
- Written by
- Beta Hospice care team
- Reviewed by
- Jack Demirchyan, Chief Operating Officer
- Last reviewed
- October 22, 2026
- Next review
- April 22, 2027
How we write and review this site
Sources
- 42 CFR 482.43: Discharge planning (patient freedom to choose post-discharge providers) (opens in a new tab)
- Medicare.gov: Hospice care coverage (opens in a new tab)
- CMS: Hospice benefit component of the VBID model ends December 31, 2024 (opens in a new tab)
- Medicare Care Compare: Beta Hospice Care, Inc. (opens in a new tab)
These sources support the general information on this page. For one person鈥檚 care and coverage, talk with the hospice team.
Call us from the hospital, at any hour.
Call (877) 258-7129 any time, or leave your number and someone from Beta's hospice team will call you. No decision is needed to call. Most families start with a question.
Only a hospice doctor, together with the person鈥檚 own doctor, can confirm hospice eligibility. A website cannot.
- A nurse answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- You can stop hospice at any time
- You have the right to choose your hospice