Agrace’s New Iowa Hospice Growth ‘Stepping Stone’

Thursday, July 23, 2026

As reported by Hospice News, Holly Vossel 

Wisconsin-based Agrace has expanded its hospice program’s geographic service reach into Dubuque, Iowa, marking its entry in the state.

The expansion marks a significant milestone for the nonprofit hospice and palliative care provider, according to Agrace Chief Growth Officer Kevin Kirkland. The new location is the first of more de novos to come in the near future, Kirkland indicated.

The growth represents an opportunity to expand access to high-quality end-of-life care, he stated.

“We’re really interested in expanding beyond the borders of just Wisconsin,” Kirkland told Hospice News. “From a growth perspective, it’s important for us to have a local, physical presence in a community to coordinate care. I see Dubuque as a stepping stone for Agrace [and] we’re going to have regional, organic growth radiating it. Our expectations are to continue to expand into other parts of Iowa as well.”

Agrace is launching hospice services in the new market, with some of its additional services such as palliative care “shortly to follow,” Kirkland said.

The new location serves as a hub for Agrace’s interdisciplinary hospice care team, which includes a physician, certified nursing assistants and registered nurses, volunteers and a spiritual and grief counselor. The team provides community-based hospice services to patients wherever they call home.

The nonprofit recognized growing demand for hospice care through existing referral relationships and partnerships with healthcare providers in the new region, Kirkland stated. Agrace is accepting referrals for patients from various settings such as assisted living or skilled nursing facilities, physician offices or home-bound terminally ill individuals.

Growth on the horizon

Hospice has been a key element of Agrace’s organic growth strategy, Kirkland said.

Agrace provides hospice, palliative care and dementia support, as well as grief services and education. Founded in 1978 as HospiceCare Inc., the nonprofit rebranded in 2011 and currently has an average daily census of roughly 1,600 patients.

“Hospice is the leading edge of the sphere in terms of market entry for us,” he told Hospice News. “Once we learn what the patient and referral demands and needs are, we can layer in some of those other complementary service lines that we know are highly valued but are different from market to market.”

The organization currently has seven office locations across southern Wisconsin, and now one location in Iowa.

This year marks a period of growth for Agrace as its geographic reach widens across the Upper Midwest, Kirkland indicated. The organization is looking to expand into Minnesota and Illinois as part of its strategic growth plans during the next three to five years, he said.

Agrace submitted its application to enter Minnesota prior to the launch of the six-month national moratorium on hospice and home health enrollment unveiled by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in May. Strategic expansion in its home state of Wisconsin is a main priority, particularly during the moratorium period, Kirkland said.

“Our license to serve in Minnesota is in queue, which is really exciting,” he told Hospice News. “We had the proactive vision to anticipate a need before the moratorium took effect. We applaud the federal government scrutiny in managing fraud and weed out the bad actors. However, the new moratorium [may] impact our industry’s ability to deliver care to communities that need it. Wisconsin is always part of our regional strategic expansion plans, but now we’re going to be able to move that up during the moratorium.”

Agrace is “extremely well-positioned” for organic and strategic growth over the next three to five years, Kirkland said.

The organization has not ruled out the potential for acquisitions on the horizon, he indicated.

“Our expansion strategy is very forward-thinking,” Kirkland said. “Agrace is seriously considering acquisitions not only in Wisconsin, but also in our neighboring states that would help continue to fuel that growth.”