What Guiding Light Hospice does

Guiding Light Hospice, Inc. is a for-profit, privately held hospice care agency headquartered at 3218 Nacogdoches Rd., San Antonio, Texas, serving the South Texas region including the San Antonio and Laredo areas. Founded in 2013 and led by Chief Administrator/CEO Monica Narvaez, the company delivers end-of-life palliative care to terminally ill patients with a life expectancy of six months or less. Service delivery spans all four CMS-defined levels of hospice care: Routine Home Care, Continuous Home Care, General Inpatient Care, and Respite Care, supplemented by complementary Massage Therapy, Music Therapy, Telehealth, and Telepharmacy Consultations. The company runs a dedicated We Honor Veterans program with a Veteran Liaison on staff, and conducts home visits during the initial days of admission by Board Certified Hospice and Palliative Care physicians — a capability the company describes as rare nationally.

The business is reimbursement-driven: revenue is sourced primarily from the Medicare Hospice Benefit, with secondary streams from Medicaid and private insurance, and is structured as recurring per-diem reimbursement under federal hospice benefit rules. Guiding Light is Medicare (CMS) certified, Medicaid certified, licensed by the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS), and accredited by the Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP), where it achieved a 100% survey score and Standards of Excellence designation. GTM is sales-led and referral-driven, with patient intake originating from physicians, hospitals, nursing homes, social workers, family/self-referrals via phone, and an online referral form.

The company is a small operator by headcount (1-10 employees), operates a sub-regional South Texas footprint with no disclosed parent company, external investors, M&A activity, or funding rounds, and maintains industry memberships in NHPCO, CAPC, and the Texas New Mexico Hospice Organization. In 2022 it was recognized by Healthcare Business Review Magazine as a '2022 Top Hospice Care Services Company'.

Name

Guiding Light Hospice

Legal name

Guiding Light Hospice, Inc.

Website

https://guidinghospice.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Guiding Light Hospice is a Medicare-certified hospice agency in San Antonio, Texas, providing all four levels of hospice care plus complementary therapies to terminally ill patients across the South Texas region, including San Antonio and Laredo.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospice Care Services

NAICS

Home Health Care Services (62161), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (62331)

SIC

Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Home Hospice (Routine Home Care) (HLADAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Hospice / Hospice House (Facility-Based) (HLADAHAC), Inpatient Hospice (General Inpatient Care) (HLADAHAB), Home Hospice Agencies (HLAFAEAC), End-of-Life Planning & Hospice/Palliative Care Coordination (HLADALAL)

Keywords

• Hospice care services
• Palliative care
• End-of-life care
• Inpatient hospice care
• Home health hospice

Headquarters

HQ city

San Antonio

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Medicare Hospice Benefit: Guiding Light Hospice is a Medicare certified hospice receiving federal funding for hospice services under the Medicare Hospice Benefit.
2. Medicaid Hospice Benefit: Certified by Medicaid and receives funding for hospice services. Also accepts Medicaid waivers for home care and respite care services.
3. Private Insurance: Most private insurance plans contribute to the costs of providing hospice care.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Guiding Light Hospice provides a comprehensive, community-based hospice care service portfolio for terminally ill patients in South Texas, centered on pain and symptom management rather than curative treatment. The core offering covers four levels of hospice care (Routine Home Care, Continuous Home Care, General Inpatient Care, and Respite Care), complemented by Massage Therapy, Music Therapy, Telehealth and Telepharmacy Consultations, and a We Honor Veterans specialty program, all delivered by an interdisciplinary team including Board Certified Hospice and Palliative Care physicians, nurses, aides, chaplains, social workers, therapists, and volunteers.

Product overview

Guiding Light Hospice provides a comprehensive hospice care service portfolio serving the San Antonio and South Texas area. The core offering consists of four levels of hospice care: Hospice Care (with physician home visits), Routine Home Care (most common level with scheduled interdisciplinary visits), Continuous Home Care (crisis-level skilled nursing), General Inpatient Care (for complex symptom management), and Respite Care (caregiver relief). Supporting these are complementary therapies including Massage Therapy and Music Therapy. The organization also offers Telehealth & Telepharmacy Consultations for virtual care delivery, and a specialty We Honor Veterans Program recognizing veteran patients. The company is non-denominational, owned by South Texas professionals, and provides 24/7 availability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hospice Care Medical and nursing care for patients with life-limiting illness, focused on pain relief, symptom management, and quality of life for patients and families. Includes home visits by Board Certified Physicians in Hospice and Palliative Care during the initial days of hospice care.
• Routine Home Care The most common level of hospice care with regularly scheduled visits from nurses, home health aides, hospice chaplain, social worker, therapists, and volunteers. Includes home medical equipment, medications, personal supplies, and 24/7 on-call nursing support.
• Continuous Home Care Skilled nursing care provided during periods of crisis requiring continuous nursing care to achieve palliation or management of acute medical symptoms. Includes medication management, diet and nutrition support, daily living assistance, and household help.
• General Inpatient Care Palliative care provided in inpatient settings for pain control and symptom management that cannot effectively be provided in other settings. Includes a specially-trained team of doctors, nurses, and other specialists.
• Respite Care Short-term inpatient care provided to give breaks in caregiving to the patient's caregiver(s). Assists with dressing, bathing, and other personal care needs.
• Massage Therapy Gentle massage therapy using geriatric massage techniques for hospice patients to decrease pain and anxiety, improve sleep, and reduce depression, stress, nausea, and fatigue.
• Music Therapy Music therapy drawing from patient's culture, religious beliefs, and cherished memories to create personal healing experiences. Promotes emotional well-being and relaxation.
• Telehealth and Telepharmacy Consultations Virtual care consultations providing remote medical and pharmacy services for patients when appropriate, implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• We Honor Veterans Program National program creating a veteran-centric environment with pinning services, FINAL SALUTE ceremonies, veteran liaison support, and community outreach to improve veteran connectivity to VA benefits and healthcare.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and regional.

• We Honor VeteranscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational program designed to create a veteran-centric environment. Guiding Light is a member and promotes, encourages, and supports VA-hospice relationships. The program includes community outreach to improve veteran connectivity to benefits and healthcare, pinning services, FINAL SALUTE ceremonies, and has a Veteran Liaison on staff.
• AMMA FoundationminorOthersThe AMMA Foundation's mission is to provide awareness and leadership regarding end-of-life care throughout the community. Guiding Light Hospice donates to support this foundation.
• Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHAP is an approved accreditation organization to conduct licensure surveys for hospice providers. Guiding Light Hospice is accredited through CHAP and achieved a 100% survey score.
• Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuiding Light Hospice is a proud member of CAPC, an organization dedicated to improving access to quality palliative care for people living with serious illness.
• National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuiding Light Hospice is a proud member of NHPCO, the largest nonprofit organization representing hospice and palliative care programs in the United States.
• Texas New Mexico Hospice OrganizationregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuiding Light Hospice is a proud member of the Texas New Mexico Hospice Organization, representing hospice providers in the regional area.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• VITAS Healthcare (Chemed Corporation): Largest U.S. hospice operator, providing the same four levels of hospice care (routine, continuous, inpatient, respite) across a national footprint. Directly comparable service portfolio, payer mix (Medicare-heavy), and clinical model, but at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.
• CenterWell Hospice (Humana / Kindred at Home): National hospice provider offering the same Routine, Continuous, General Inpatient, and Respite levels of care with multi-payer reimbursement including Medicare and Medicaid. Comparable in service offering and clinical structure, but operates as part of a much larger integrated payor-provider platform.
• Amedisys Hospice: Major multi-state hospice and home health operator providing routine home care, continuous home care, and inpatient hospice services reimbursed primarily through Medicare. Closely comparable in service portfolio, payer exposure, and clinical staffing model.
• Encompass Health Hospice (formerly Enhabit): Large national hospice and home health provider offering the same four levels of hospice care with multi-payer reimbursement. Comparable in Medicare-anchored hospice services, interdisciplinary team composition, and CHAP-style accreditation profile.
• Compassus Hospice & Palliative Care: National hospice, palliative, and home health provider delivering the same core hospice service levels with Medicare-anchored reimbursement. Comparable in clinical service design and interdisciplinary care model, though operating at materially larger scale.
• Gentiva Hospice: National hospice and palliative care provider (formerly Curo Health Services) offering routine, continuous, inpatient, and respite care with Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance reimbursement. Closely comparable in service portfolio, clinical model, and multi-payer revenue mix.

Direct peers

• Three Oaks Hospice: Texas-headquartered regional hospice roll-up providing routine home, continuous, general inpatient, and respite care across multiple states with a focus on smaller markets — the closest direct competitor in size, geography, and acquisition-driven growth model.
• Bristol Hospice: Multi-state hospice operator providing the same four levels of hospice care with similar payer mix and a comparable focus on community-based, mid-sized markets. Closely aligned in service portfolio, accreditation standing, and patient-centered care model.

Regional players

• Heart to Heart Hospice: Texas-based regional hospice operator offering routine, continuous, inpatient, and respite hospice care. Comparable in service scope, community-based positioning, and veteran recognition programming, though operating across a wider multi-state footprint than Guiding Light.
• Hope Hospice (Texas): San Antonio / South Texas-based community hospice providing the same four levels of hospice care to a similar demographic. Highly comparable in geographic market, payer mix, and community-based non-profit-adjacent positioning, and a direct regional competitor for the same referral sources.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/guidinglighthospice
• Instagraminstagram.com/guidinglighthospice

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Guiding Light Hospice