Hospice care shows projected annual growth of 5.9 percent in the U.S. market and 7.1 percent globally. Median stays last 22 days, with 35 percent of admissions occurring in the final week of life. Multiple studies associate enrollment with a 30 percent reduction in hospital deaths and an 18 percent drop in caregiver burden after four weeks.
Key Takeaways
- 5.9% projected CAGR for the U.S. hospice care market from 2024 to 2033
- 7.1% projected CAGR for the global hospice care market from 2024 to 2029
- The U.S. hospice workforce included 94,000 hospice nurses in 2022
- Medicare pays hospices a per-diem payment for routine home care under the hospice benefit
- In a cost-effectiveness analysis, hospice care reduced total healthcare costs by 12.6% per patient versus usual care (modeled scenario)
- Hospice providers reported a median hospice length of stay of 22 days in 2021
- 35% of hospice admissions occur in the last week of life, according to a 2020 study using Medicare claims
- Between 2010 and 2020, Medicare hospice spending grew by 73% (real dollars adjusted), per analysis of CMS data
- In a randomized trial, home-based hospice care reduced caregiver burden by 18% at 4 weeks versus usual care
- Hospice enrollment is associated with a 30% reduction in the likelihood of dying in the hospital compared with similar patients not receiving hospice (study using Medicare data)
- Hospice use increases the probability of dying outside an acute-care setting by 21 percentage points in a national observational study (2016–2019)
Hospice care demand is rising fast, with better outcomes and lower costs for patients and caregivers.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size3 stats
01
5.9% projected CAGR for the U.S. hospice care market from 2024 to 2033
02
7.1% projected CAGR for the global hospice care market from 2024 to 2029
03
The U.S. hospice workforce included 94,000 hospice nurses in 2022
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
From a Market Size perspective, the hospice care sector is set to keep expanding steadily, with the U.S. market projected to grow at a 5.9% CAGR from 2024 to 2033 and the global market at 7.1% from 2024 to 2029, supported by a substantial workforce base of 94,000 hospice nurses in the U.S. in 2022.
02 · Category
Policy & Economics2 stats
01
Medicare pays hospices a per-diem payment for routine home care under the hospice benefit
02
In a cost-effectiveness analysis, hospice care reduced total healthcare costs by 12.6% per patient versus usual care (modeled scenario)
Interpretation
Policy & Economics Interpretation
From a Policy & Economics perspective, the Medicare per diem structure for routine home care under the hospice benefit, combined with evidence that hospice care can cut total healthcare costs by 12.6% per patient versus usual care in a modeled scenario, suggests the current payment approach may support meaningful cost savings.
More related reading
03 · Category
Industry Trends4 stats
01
Hospice providers reported a median hospice length of stay of 22 days in 2021
02
35% of hospice admissions occur in the last week of life, according to a 2020 study using Medicare claims
03
Between 2010 and 2020, Medicare hospice spending grew by 73% (real dollars adjusted), per analysis of CMS data
04
Hospice median start-of-care timing was 14 days after first palliative-care consultation in a 2021 cohort study
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
From an industry trends perspective, hospice use and investment are accelerating, with Medicare hospice spending up 73% from 2010 to 2020 and 35% of admissions arriving in the last week of life, even as median hospice stays remain relatively short at 22 days in 2021.
04 · Category
Clinical & Outcomes11 stats
01
In a randomized trial, home-based hospice care reduced caregiver burden by 18% at 4 weeks versus usual care
02
Hospice enrollment is associated with a 30% reduction in the likelihood of dying in the hospital compared with similar patients not receiving hospice (study using Medicare data)
03
Hospice use increases the probability of dying outside an acute-care setting by 21 percentage points in a national observational study (2016–2019)
04
Serious symptom burden decreased by 25% after hospice initiation in a prospective study (N=1,200)
05
Caregivers reported a 0.7-point improvement on a 0–10 quality-of-care scale after hospice enrollment in a longitudinal study
06
Hospice patients have a median survival of about 20 days after enrollment in the U.S., according to Medicare-linked analyses
07
A 2021 study found 41% of hospice beneficiaries had an emergency department visit in the last month of life
08
Palliative care consultation before hospice is associated with a 12% relative reduction in hospitalizations near end of life (claims study)
09
Hospice is associated with reduced ICU utilization: 22% lower ICU admission odds in a 2019 propensity-matched study
10
Pain prevalence among hospice patients declined from 63% at baseline to 38% after hospice care in a prospective cohort
11
Caregiver bereavement outcomes: 29% of caregivers reported clinically significant depressive symptoms within 6 months post-death in a cohort study
Interpretation
Clinical & Outcomes Interpretation
Across Clinical and Outcomes measures, hospice care shows consistent benefits such as a 25% reduction in serious symptom burden, a 21 percentage point shift toward dying outside acute care, and about a 20 day median survival after enrollment, with caregiver support improving alongside these patient outcomes.
report visual · Key figures
Hospice Care Growth and Patient-Centric Outcomes
Market growth projections align with evidence that hospice use is associated with reduced utilization and improved end-of-life care experiences.
5.9%
5.9% projected CAGR for the U.S. hospice care market from 2024 to 2033
7.1%
7.1% projected CAGR for the global hospice care market from 2024 to 2029
22%
Hospice is associated with reduced ICU utilization: 22% lower ICU admission odds in a 2019 propensity-matched study
30%
Hospice enrollment is associated with a 30% reduction in the likelihood of dying in the hospital compared with similar p
source-verifiedalliedmarketresearch.com · mordorintelligence.com · sciencedirect.com · healthaffairs.org2024
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Lukas Bauer. (2026, February 13). Hospice Care Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hospice-care-statistics
MLA
Lukas Bauer. "Hospice Care Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/hospice-care-statistics.
Chicago
Lukas Bauer. 2026. "Hospice Care Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hospice-care-statistics.
Sources & references
20 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+8 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)