Exalting Hospice and Palliative Care LLC
A hospice in Houston, Texas 77004
5445 Almeda Rd Ste 312, Houston, Texas 77004. (832) 815-9086.
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The short answer
Record last released by CMS on Oct 23, 2026.
- 3 deficiencies cited in the last three years
- Not rated family caregiver rating
- 6of 10 CMS’s Hospice Care Index
Each figure’s source sits beside it, in its section below.
What these words mean2
- Inspection (survey)
- A visit by state inspectors, often unannounced, who check a place against the rules it must meet. For nursing homes and other places Medicare pays, CMS calls these visits surveys: a standard survey of a nursing home comes at least every 15 months, and a complaint survey whenever a complaint calls for one. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 488.308.
- Deficiency, citation, violation
- What inspectors write up when a place didn’t meet a rule: the rule, what they saw, and when. CMS calls it a deficiency; states may say citation or violation. It is the inspectors’ finding, not a court’s, and the place is usually asked for a plan to correct it. Source: CMS, statement of deficiencies (Form CMS-2567); each state’s licensing agency.
What did inspectors find?
3 deficiencies cited in the last three years
The middle of the 104 hospices serving ZIP code 77004 had 5.
The last inspection on record was on May 30, 2025: a reaccreditation inspection by the Community Health Accreditation Partner.
CMS, QCOR hospice inspection reports. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated quarterly.
CMS, Hospice ZIP Data. Released Aug 26, 2026. Updated quarterly.
When those deficiencies happened
3 deficiencies in 1 month of the last 36. Last cited May 2025. Most serious: Standard-level. The last 3 years, to Oct 27, 2026.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Nov | Dec | ||||||||||
| 2024 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2025 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2026 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct |
Hover or focus a month to read it.
Hearth Record drew this from the dates and levels in the source’s own records.
Each deficiency, as cited
Rule titles as CMS’s inspectors cite them, set in sentence case.
CMS, QCOR hospice inspection reports. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated quarterly.
May 30, 2025: reaccreditation inspection by the Community Health Accreditation Partner3 deficiencies
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Counseling services (42 CFR 418.64(d)(1)(iv))
The inspectors’ words, 236 words
“It is required that counseling services include an organized program for providing bereavement services delivered by or under the supervision of a qualified professional with experience or education in grief or loss counseling. Bereavement services are available to the family and other individuals up to one (1) year following the death of the patient. Bereavement counseling extends to residents of a SNF/NF (skilled nursing facility/nursing facility) or ICF/IID (intermediate care facility/Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities) when appropriate and identified in the bereavement plan of care. The bereavement services reflect the needs of the bereaved per a bereavement plan of care that includes: the types of bereavement services to be offered and the frequency of service delivery. This standard was not met as evidenced by clinical record review and interview. In 1 of 2 (50%) clinical records review with bereavement services accepted, the agency did not ensure a bereavement plan of care was developed. CLINICAL RECORD 12: The patient elected the hospice benefit on 09/30/2024. The date of death was 10/15/2024. Clinical record review revealed bereavement services were offered and accepted. However, there was no documented evidence in the clinical record that a bereavement plan of care was developed. During an interview on 05/30/2025, the Bereavement Coordinator stated that she did not know how she had missed that one but that she would conduct an audit of bereavement files to ensure that she did not miss any others.”
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Role (42 CFR 418.78(b))
The inspectors’ words, 184 words
“It is required that volunteers are used in day-to-day administrative and/or direct patient care roles. This standard was not met as evidenced document review and interview. The agency did not ensure volunteers provided day-to-day administrative and direct patient care services. During a review of the agency’s volunteer program on 05/28/2025, the agency’s Administrator/Director of Nursing stated that the agency had one volunteer, but that she was hired as a full-time employee in June of 2024. She explained that they have not had another volunteer since that time. She did explain that they are currently in the onboarding process for a volunteer that started with the agency last week, but the volunteer had not finished her training and orientation at this time. During a review of the agency administrator/director of nurses on 05/28/2025, she stated that they had one volunteer, but that she was hired as a full-time employee in June of 2024. They have not had another volunteer since that time. However, they are currently in the onboarding process for a volunteer, but she has not finished her training or orientation at this time.”
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Discharge or transfer of care (42 CFR 418.104(e)(2)(i))
The inspectors’ words, 185 words
“It is required that if a patient revokes the election of hospice care or is discharged from hospice per hospice regulation §418.26 (i.e., no longer terminally ill), the hospice forwards to the patient’s attending physician a copy of the hospice discharge summary and the patient’s record, if requested. This standard was not met as evidenced by clinical record review and interview. In 2 of 2 (100%) clinical records reviewed with patient discharge from hospice care, the agency did not ensure the hospice discharge summary was sent to the patient’s attending physician. CLINICAL RECORD 13: The patient elected the hospice benefit on 05/11/2024 and was discharged on 01/16/2025. There was no documented evidence in the clinical record that the discharge summary was sent to the attending physician. CLINICAL RECORD 14: The patient elected the hospice benefit on 07/23/2024 and was discharged on 05/30/2024. There was no documented evidence in the clinical record that the discharge summary was sent to the attending physician. During an interview on 05/30/2025, the Administrator stated that she will be putting together education to present to her staff regarding the discharge process.”
The one inspection in the last three years
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| May 30, 2025 | Reaccreditation inspection by the Community Health Accreditation Partner | 3 deficiencies cited |
Is it certified?
- Medicare-certified hospice since Sep 4, 2022.
- CMS doesn’t list its type of ownership.
- No For hospices, home health agencies, hospitals and dialysis facilities, CMS writes deficiencies at two levels. Standard is the usual one; condition-level is the more serious, when a problem is serious enough that the provider doesn’t meet a whole condition of taking part in Medicare. Source: CMS, State Operations Manual. deficiency or CMS’s most serious finding: the place’s failure to meet a rule caused, or was likely to cause, serious injury, harm, impairment or death to someone in its care. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 489.3. on record in the last three years.
CMS, Hospice General Information. Released Aug 26, 2026. Updated quarterly.
CMS, QCOR hospice inspection reports. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated quarterly.
Has anything been proven against it?
- CMS doesn’t publish fines or other penalties for hospices, so none are shown.
- 0 deficiencies cited in the last three years came from inspections that included a complaint investigation.
CMS, QCOR hospice inspection reports. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated quarterly.
Who does the caring?
- From Medicare claims (Jan 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2024): 6.8 nurse care minutes per routine home care day, 7.2% of skilled nursing minutes at weekends and a visit near death for 100% of patients who died.
- Where its patients were cared for (Jan 1, 2024 to Dec 31, 2024): 64% at home, 36% in assisted living.
CMS, Hospice Provider Data. Released Aug 26, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Measure | This provider |
|---|---|
| Nurse care minutes per routine home care day | 6.8 min |
| Skilled nursing minutes at weekends | 7.2% |
| Visits near death | 100.0% of patients who died |
Who owns it?
- 7 owners or officers are people: Shanna Ashberry (managing employee (under contract), 100%); Shanna Ashberry (owns 5% or more directly, 100%); Shanna Ashberry (corporate officer, 100%); Shanna Ashberry (corporate director, 100%); Shanna Ashberry (managing employee (on the payroll), 100%); Shanna Ashberry (runs it (operational or managerial control), 100%); Rabia Chaudhry (managing employee (under contract), 0%).
- No private-equity firm among the owners CMS lists.
- No real-estate investment trust among the owners CMS lists.
CMS, Hospice All Owners and Hospice Enrollments. Released Sep 29, 2026. Updated quarterly.
What do families say?
- CMS gives no family caregiver survey rating: “The number of cases is too small to report Star Ratings.”
- CMS’s Hospice Care Index: 6 of 10 (Jan 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2024).
- 95.92% of patients were assessed on all seven of CMS’s measures at the start of care (Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025).
CMS, CAHPS Hospice Survey and Hospice Provider Data. Released Aug 26, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Measure | Rating |
|---|---|
| Family caregiver survey ratingCMS star rating from its survey of patients’ family caregivers, 1 to 5 | Not rated |
| Hospice Care IndexCMS’s Hospice Care Index, 0 to 10 (higher is better): a point for each of ten measures from Medicare claims on which the hospice meets CMS’s threshold | 6 of 10 |
How does it compare nearby?
- Of the 104 hospices CMS’s data show serving patients in ZIP code 77004, where this hospice’s office is, the middle number of deficiencies cited in the last three years was 5; this one had 3.
CMS, Hospice ZIP Data. Released Aug 26, 2026. Updated quarterly.
CMS, QCOR hospice inspection reports. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Place | Deficiencies, 3 years |
|---|---|
| Midtown Hospice, Inc. | Not given |
| Residential Hospice, Inc. | Not given |
| Celestial Hospice, Inc. | Not given |
| Eternal Light Hospice Inc. | Not given |
| Peaceful Bridge Hospice | Not given |
| Grand Hospice, Inc. | 1 |
| Loving Touch Hospice Inc. | 0 |
| Four Pillars Hospice | 0 |
| Exalting Hospice and Palliative Care LLC This hospice | 3 |
| Peaceful Bridge Hospice 3, Inc. | Not given |
| Houston Hospice | 4 |
| Vitas Healthcare of Texas L P | 4 |
What the record doesn’t say
- CMS doesn’t publish fines or other penalties for hospices, so none are shown.
- Only complaints that led to a citation appear; complaints that didn’t aren’t published.
- CMS ended its Special Focus Program for hospices with serious problems on Feb 14, 2025, so no hospice is marked as one.
- Hospice quality measures have a gap from October 2025: CMS replaced its patient assessment then, and public results from the new one (HOPE) are expected around November 2027.
Sources
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospice General Information (yc9t-dgbk).
Released Aug 26, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospice Provider Data (252m-zfp9).
Released Aug 26, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CAHPS Hospice Survey (gxki-hrr8).
Released Aug 26, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, QCOR hospice inspection reports (Hospice Survey Reports - Oct 2021 through Sep 2026.xlsx).
Released Oct 23, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospice All Owners (e983965e-1603-4cb8-82b5-c40090e380d1).
Released Sep 29, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospice Enrollments (25704213-e833-4b8b-9dbc-58dd17149209).
Released Sep 29, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospice ZIP Data (95rg-2usp).
Released Aug 26, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
If you believe something here is wrong, a correction starts with the agency whose record this copies: CMS. CMS’s own record is on Care Compare. If Hearth Record copied something wrongly, it will fix it and log the correction publicly, with its date: how corrections work.
This copy of the record was made on Oct 27, 2026.
From the hospice
The public record above comes first. Anything the hospice adds will appear here, below it, and say who wrote it.
Replies
None. Replies aren’t open yet. When they open, the hospice will be able to answer any finding for free, and the reply will show beside that finding, unedited and dated.
Paid listing
None. Paid listings aren’t open yet. When they open, anything paid for will say “Paid by the hospice”, and paying will never change a finding, a rating or the order of results.