To run a California hospice license lookup, use Cal Health Find, the free online database maintained by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). You can search by hospice name, license number, city, or zip code, and each provider’s profile shows current license status, inspection findings, complaints, and any state enforcement actions.
How to Search Cal Health Find
Cal Health Find is the California Health Facility Information Database, covering more than 10,000 health care facilities regulated by CDPH. Open the Cal Health Find homepage and use the search fields to narrow by facility name, facility type, or location.1California Department of Public Health. CalHealthFind – California Health Facility Information Database
Two hospice options appear under facility type. “Hospice” is the standard agency that sends care teams to a patient’s home or residential facility. “Hospice Facility” is an inpatient location with up to 24 beds that delivers hospice services on-site. Most people looking up a home-based provider want the first option.
If you know the provider’s name, type it into the name field. Partial names work. If you’re browsing providers in a specific area, entering a city or zip code alongside the facility type returns every licensed hospice serving that location. Clicking a result opens a profile page with everything CDPH tracks about that agency.
Reading the Results
License Status
The first thing to check is licensing status. “Active” means the provider holds a current, valid license from CDPH. “Expired,” “Suspended,” or “Revoked” means the agency is not legally authorized to operate.1California Department of Public Health. CalHealthFind – California Health Facility Information Database Suspension is a temporary prohibition, usually while an investigation or corrective action is underway. Revocation is permanent; the state has stripped the provider’s authority to deliver hospice care.
The profile also indicates whether the hospice accepts Medicare and Medi-Cal. That’s separate from the state license itself. A hospice can be state-licensed without being enrolled in either program, which would leave you paying out of pocket.
Enforcement History
Below the license status, Cal Health Find shows the provider’s performance record: complaints filed by patients or families, deficiencies found during inspections, incident reports submitted by the facility, and formal state enforcement actions.1California Department of Public Health. CalHealthFind – California Health Facility Information Database
Deficiency reports document violations of state regulations discovered during routine inspections or complaint investigations. Citations carry financial penalties and are classified by severity, with the most serious involving situations that caused or could have caused direct patient harm. A clean enforcement history is not a guarantee of good care, but a pattern of repeated deficiencies or substantiated complaints is a clear warning sign. Two hospices with identical “Active” licenses can look very different once you compare their enforcement records.
Why the Enforcement Record Matters More Right Now
California has been in the middle of a hospice crackdown. In 2022, the state imposed a moratorium on new hospice licenses after an audit uncovered widespread fraud and abuse. Senate Bill 664 barred CDPH from issuing any new hospice licenses while the state developed stronger screening and oversight rules.2California Legislative Information. SB-664 Hospice Licensure Assembly Bill 177, signed in 2024, extended that freeze until January 1, 2027, or one year after CDPH adopts emergency regulations tightening licensing standards, whichever comes later.3California Legislative Information. AB-177 Health
As of March 2026, CDPH had revoked more than 280 hospice licenses over the preceding two years, with roughly 300 additional providers under evaluation for revocation and 284 individuals arrested.4Governor of California. California Revoked Over 280 Hospice Licenses, 300 More Providers Under Investigation Since Governor Newsom’s Hospice Moratorium A hospice that shows an active license today has survived a period of heightened scrutiny, but the enforcement history section of its profile is the place to spend time.
Check Medicare Certification Separately
A California state license and Medicare certification are two different credentials. The state license authorizes the hospice to operate in California. Medicare certification means the hospice has met separate federal requirements, called Conditions of Participation, and can bill Medicare for services.5Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Hospices Because the Medicare hospice benefit covers most hospice patients in the U.S., this matters to most families.
To check Medicare certification, use the CMS Care Compare tool at medicare.gov/care-compare. Select “Hospice” as the provider type and search by name or location.6Medicare. Find Hospice Care Near Me Care Compare also publishes quality measures that Cal Health Find does not track. A hospice with an active state license that does not appear on Care Compare may not accept Medicare; ask the provider directly before enrolling if Medicare coverage is important to you.
Filing a Complaint With CDPH
If your lookup surfaces problems, or if you experience poor care firsthand, you can file a complaint directly with CDPH. The department accepts complaints three ways:7California Department of Public Health. Complaint Investigation Process
- Online, through the Cal Health Find portal on the CDPH website. The system routes the complaint to the appropriate district office automatically.
- By phone, by calling your local CDPH district office. District office phone numbers and the counties they cover are listed on the CDPH website. For general information, call (916) 558-1784.
- In writing, by fax or mail to the district office that covers the hospice’s location.
After receiving a complaint, CDPH investigates and, if violations are confirmed, issues a Statement of Deficiencies (Form 2567) that becomes part of the hospice’s public record on Cal Health Find. Substantiated complaints are exactly what shows up in the enforcement history section when the next family runs a license lookup.