Cedar Valley Hospice

What Cedar Valley Hospice does

Cedar Valley Hospice is an independent, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) community hospice organization founded in 1979 and headquartered in Waterloo, Iowa. The organization delivers hospice and palliative care services to patients with life-limiting illnesses across Northeast Iowa, serving nearly 1,000 patients and families per year through in-home visits, facility-based care, and an inpatient Hospice Home facility. Its service portfolio includes core Hospice Care, LINK Palliative Care (for seriously ill patients still pursuing curative treatment), GUIDE Dementia Care (a Medicare benefit program for dementia patients and caregivers), Grief Support (free adult and youth counseling), the CASS HIV case management program, and the Cedar Valley Hospice Home inpatient/respite facility in Waterloo. The organization has no proprietary technology platform described; it operates as a clinical services provider supported by 51–100 employees across five physical locations (Waterloo central office, Waterloo Hospice Home, Grundy Center, Waverly, and Independence).

The business model is a hybrid of fee-for-service healthcare reimbursement and charitable fundraising. As a Medicare-certified hospice provider, Cedar Valley Hospice receives reimbursement through the Medicare Hospice Benefit, Medicaid, and private insurance for eligible patients, with services also provided regardless of ability to pay. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, the organization supplements clinical revenue with donations, event sponsorships, and community fundraising (e.g., Release & Remember, annual campaign). GTM is referral-driven, relying on physician/hospital referrals, self-referrals from families, and community education via CareChats presentations and physician CME events co-developed with the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.

Notable quality and brand signals include the area's only 5-Star CMS hospice rating, CHAP Gold accreditation, 2025 Hospice Honors recognition, multiple Employer of Choice awards, and a Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award. Leadership is stable and long-tenured, with CEO Michaela Vandersee (since 2016) supported by a recently expanded C-suite that added an inaugural Chief Growth Officer and a new Chief Finance Officer in 2026, signaling a formalization of growth and financial discipline.

Name

Cedar Valley Hospice

Legal name

Cedar Valley Hospice

Website

https://cvhospice.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Cedar Valley Hospice is an independent, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) hospice and palliative care organization founded in 1979 in Waterloo, Iowa, serving nearly 1,000 patients and families annually across Northeast Iowa with hospice, palliative, dementia, and grief services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospice and Palliative Care

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Nursing and Residential Care Facilities (623), Other Residential Care Facilities (623990)

SIC

Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Home Hospice Agencies (HLAFAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Home Hospice (Routine Home Care) (HLADAHAA), Inpatient Hospice (General Inpatient Care) (HLADAHAB), Community-Based Palliative Care (Home-Based Non-Hospice) (HLADAHAH), Bereavement, Grief & Family Support Services (Hospice-Linked) (HLAFAEAO), Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK), Non-Hospice Serious-Illness / Community-Based Palliative Care (In-Home) (HSABAFAF)

Keywords

• Hospice care services
• Palliative care
• End-of-life care
• Grief counseling
• Dementia care

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterloo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Medicare Hospice Benefit: As a certified hospice provider, Cedar Valley Hospice receives reimbursement through the Medicare Hospice Benefit for eligible patients. This is the primary revenue source for hospice services.
2. Medicaid and Private Insurance: Hospice services are also covered by Medicaid and private insurance plans for eligible patients.
3. Donations and Fundraising: As a not-for-profit organization, Cedar Valley Hospice relies on charitable donations, event sponsorships, and community gifts to support services and ensure care for all patients regardless of ability to pay.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Cedar Valley Hospice is an independent, not-for-profit community hospice that provides hospice care, palliative care, dementia care, inpatient/respite care, grief support, and HIV case management to patients and families across Northeast Iowa. A personalized interdisciplinary team of nurses, physicians, social workers, spiritual counselors, therapists, and home health aides delivers 24/7 support in patients' homes, resident facilities, and at the Cedar Valley Hospice Home facility in Waterloo.

Product overview

Cedar Valley Hospice is a not-for-profit hospice and palliative care organization offering a comprehensive suite of services centered on end-of-life care and grief support. The core portfolio includes Hospice Care for those with life-limiting illnesses, LINK Palliative Care for individuals with serious illnesses not yet ready for hospice, and GUIDE Dementia Care as a Medicare benefit for dementia patients and caregivers. Additional services include the Cedar Valley Hospice Home (inpatient/respite facility), Grief Support (free counseling for adults and youth), and CASS (HIV case management). Educational offerings include CareChats/Speakers on Site presentations and the Eucalyptus Tree Youth Grief Program. The organization serves Northeast Iowa communities from multiple office locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LINK Palliative Care: Palliative care program for those living with a serious illness who aren't ready or eligible for hospice care.
• GUIDE Dementia Care
• CASS
• Cedar Valley Hospice Home
• Grief Support
• CareChats

Products and services

• Hospice Care Hospice care for individuals with life-limiting illnesses (prognosis of six months or less), delivered by a personalized interdisciplinary team of nurses, physicians, social workers, spiritual counselors, therapists, and home health aides in the patient's home or a facility setting.
• LINK Palliative Care Palliative care program for individuals living with a serious illness who are not yet ready or eligible for hospice care, with nurses and social workers providing symptom management, healthcare navigation, and support while patients continue curative treatment.
• GUIDE Dementia Care Medicare benefit program providing education, support, and respite care for individuals living with dementia and their caregivers before they are eligible for hospice care.
• Cedar Valley Hospice Home Inpatient and respite care facility located on Kimball Avenue in Waterloo, Iowa, providing a comfortable, home-like environment for short-term patient stays as an alternative to a hospital stay.
• Grief Support Adult and youth grief counseling and support groups offered at no cost to the community, including individual meetings, support groups, and referrals for additional resources, regardless of whether the deceased was on the hospice program.
• CASS (Confidential AIDS Case Management Services) Free and confidential case management and benefit coordination services for individuals living with HIV, including navigation of healthcare and support resources.
• CareChats (Speakers on Site) Educational presentations and training sessions offered to businesses, professional groups, civic organizations, schools, and churches on topics including hospice care, grief support, dementia care, and advance care planning.

Quantifiable outcome

• Patients enrolled in hospice care live, on average, 29 days longer than patients not in hospice care
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• John Deery MotorsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond-level sponsor for Cedar Valley Hospice events including Release & Remember. John Deery Motors supports the organization's mission to provide hospice and palliative care to the Cedar Valley community through annual sponsorship contributions.
• KWWL (News 7)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond-level sponsor and media partner for Cedar Valley Hospice events. KWWL provides media coverage and promotional support for the organization's fundraising events and community programs.
• VGM GROUPcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPremier-level sponsor supporting Cedar Valley Hospice events and community programs.
• PDCRx Prescription ManagementminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for the annual Physician Education Event.
• KanTimeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for the annual Physician Education Event.
• NuCara PharmacyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for the annual Physician Education Event.
• University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-implementer of the annual Physician Education Event, providing CME accreditation and medical education expertise in partnership with Cedar Valley Hospice.
• Hawkeye Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue for Youth Grief Camp, hosting the annual grief support event for children ages 5-12 who have experienced the death of a loved one.
• Bartels Lutheran Retirement CommunityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner that works in conjunction with Cedar Valley Hospice to provide coordinated care for patients, particularly those with dementia or chronic conditions.
• Evansdale AMVETSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVeteran organization partner for veteran volunteer programs, connecting veteran patients with like comrades for support and companionship.

Scale indicators6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• St. Croix Hospice: Multi-state hospice operator with significant presence in the Upper Midwest and Iowa. Directly comparable to Cedar Valley Hospice on in-home hospice delivery, palliative care, and dementia support programs, though at a larger geographic scale.
• WesleyLife Hospice: Iowa-based nonprofit senior services organization offering hospice, home health, and senior living. Comparable in mission, nonprofit structure, and Iowa concentration; overlaps with Cedar Valley Hospice in central Iowa counties.
• EveryStep (formerly HCI Care Services): Iowa-based nonprofit hospice, palliative care, and home health provider serving central and eastern Iowa. Closest peer on nonprofit community-hospice model, multi-county service area, and breadth of hospice/palliative/grief programming.
• Care Initiatives Hospice: Iowa-based nonprofit operating skilled nursing, hospice, and palliative services across the state. Directly comparable nonprofit hospice model with rural Iowa footprint and similar Medicare-driven reimbursement.

Broad incumbents

• UnityPoint Hospice (UnityPoint Health): Iowa-headquartered health system with hospice services as part of a broader hospital and home-care portfolio. Competes for hospice referrals in overlapping Northeast Iowa counties, but hospice is a sub-line within a much larger enterprise.
• Compassus: Multi-state hospice, palliative, and home health operator with strong Midwest presence. Directly comparable clinical service lines; differs in scale, ownership structure, and national contracting capability.
• Amedisys (Hospice division): Large national hospice and home health operator with hospice locations across the Midwest. Competes for hospital and physician referrals; offers broader scale, capital, and technology investment than community nonprofit hospices.

Regional players

• Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) of Iowa: Iowa nonprofit home health and hospice provider with comparable mission, rural Iowa footprint, and Medicare hospice reimbursement profile. Adjacent peer on home-based hospice delivery in non-overlapping Iowa counties.
• Iowa City Hospice (HCI affiliate): Eastern Iowa community hospice with similar nonprofit community model and rural service area. Comparable in mission, programming, and patient demographics, though operating in a different Iowa geography.

Others

• Gentiva (formerly Kindred at Home hospice): National hospice and palliative care provider with broad geographic coverage. Comparable service lines (routine home hospice, continuous care, palliative) but at substantially greater scale and with a for-profit, equity-backed model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cedarvalleyhospice

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

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 Cedar Valley Hospice