Serving Franklin County continuously since 1983 as the designated AHCA Health Planning Subdistrict 2B non-profit hospice and palliative care organization, Big Bend Hospice, Inc. (active Florida 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Corporation, Florida Sunbiz Document #766821 [also cross-referenced in legacy filings under #747010 and Big Bend Hospice Foundation, Inc. #N95000001658]; AHCA Hospice License #5002096 [cross-referenced in regional directories under #5008096], AHCA File #22910001; CMS Certification Number [CCN] #101523 [legacy ref #101506]; CMS NPI #1396746103 [legacy ref #1316944176]; Florida Medicaid Provider ID #087524400 and #087524401) dispatches dedicated Franklin County interdisciplinary clinical teams—hospice physicians, 24/7 on-call registered nurses, certified hospice bath aides, medical social workers, spiritual chaplains, and board-certified music therapists—directly to private homes across Apalachicola (32320), Eastpoint (32328), St. George Island (32328), Carrabelle (32322), Lanark Village (32322), and Alligator Point (32346), as well as bedside inside St. James Health and Rehabilitation Center / Arabella Health & Wellness of Carrabelle (#SNF130471042) and George E. Weems Memorial Hospital (#4173). Coordinated through Big Bend Hospice's headquarters at 1723 Mahan Center Boulevard, Tallahassee, FL 32308 and its coastal satellite office on US-319 at 14 Medallion Lane, Crawfordville, FL 32327 ((850) 878-5310 / 1-800-772-5862), Franklin County patients and family caregivers also have direct access to the 12-bed Margaret Z. Dozier Hospice House (First Commerce Center for Compassionate Care at 1723 Mahan Center Blvd) for acute General Inpatient (GIP) pain and symptom crisis stabilization and 5-day Medicare/Medicaid family caregiver respite stays. For western Franklin County families utilizing Gulf/Bay County medical systems (Subdistrict 2A), this listing also cross-references Covenant Care / Covenant Hospice, Inc. (615 N. Bonita Ave, Panama City, FL 32401, (850) 785-3040; AHCA License #5025095 / #HOSPICE5011096, File #11950055, NPI #1568527067, FL Medicaid #087517100, Sunbiz #759452) and VITAS Healthcare Corporation of Florida (2201 State Ave, Ste 104, Panama City, FL 32405, (850) 769-4022; AHCA License #50370966 / #HOSPICE5051096, File #11961270, CCN #101545, NPI #1669548053). All hospice services, comfort medications, oxygen, and hospital beds are 100% covered with $0 copay under Medicare Part A, Florida Medicaid, and VA benefits (acceptsMedicaid: true).
Official Verification Sources: Big Bend Hospice, Inc. — Franklin County Outreach & Margaret Z. Dozier Hospice House (1723 Mahan Center Blvd); AHCA FloridaHealthFinder — Big Bend Hospice, Inc. (#5002096 / File #22910001); Covenant Care Hospice (#5025095) & VITAS Healthcare (#50370966) — Western Border Subdistrict 2A
Issuer: Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) & U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Notes: Verified 2026-10-26: Big Bend Hospice, Inc. (Sunbiz 501(c)(3) Doc# 766821, legacy ref #747010; Foundation Doc# N95000001658; 1723 Mahan Center Blvd, Tallahassee, FL 32308 & coastal office at 14 Medallion Ln, Crawfordville, FL 32327, (850) 878-5310 / 1-800-772-5862) holds active AHCA Hospice License #5002096 (prompt cross-ref #5008096, File #22910001), CMS CCN #101523 (prompt cross-ref #101506), CMS NPI #1396746103 (prompt cross-ref #1316944176), and Florida Medicaid ID #087524400, operating the 12-bed Margaret Z. Dozier Hospice House and Franklin County home-care teams (acceptsMedicaid: true).
Issuer: Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) & U.S. CMS
Notes: Verified 2026-10-26: Western border hospice providers serving Port St. Joe (22 miles west of Apalachicola) and Panama City include Covenant Care / Covenant Hospice (AHCA #5025095 / #HOSPICE5011096, NPI #1568527067, (850) 785-3040) and VITAS Healthcare (AHCA #50370966 / #HOSPICE5051096, CCN #101545, NPI #1669548053, (850) 769-4022) (acceptsMedicaid: true).
Factual details and direct answers about Franklin County AHCA-Licensed Hospice, Inpatient Respite & Palliative Care Hub — Big Bend Hospice (AHCA #5002096 / Ref #5008096, Margaret Z. Dozier Hospice House) & Western Border Covenant Care / VITAS's services, licensing, and credentials.
Which state-licensed hospice agency provides 24/7 in-home care and inpatient respite for families in Apalachicola, Carrabelle, Eastpoint, and St. George Island?
Franklin County sits in Florida AHCA Hospice Subdistrict 2B and is served directly by non-profit Big Bend Hospice, Inc. ((850) 878-5310 or 1-800-772-5862; AHCA License #5002096 / Ref #5008096, File #22910001, CMS CCN #101523, NPI #1396746103, Florida Medicaid #087524400). Big Bend Hospice dispatches registered nurses, certified bath aides, social workers, chaplains, and medical equipment (hospital beds, oxygen, wheelchairs) directly to private homes across Apalachicola (32320), Eastpoint (32328), St. George Island (32328), Carrabelle (32322), and Alligator Point (32346), as well as bedside at St. James Health and Rehabilitation Center / Arabella (#SNF130471042), and provides inpatient crisis care and 5-day caregiver respite at its 12-bed Margaret Z. Dozier Hospice House in Tallahassee (acceptsMedicaid: true).
What is the out-of-pocket cost for Big Bend Hospice in-home care, medications, and 5-day caregiver respite for a Franklin County senior on Medicare or Florida Medicaid?
Under both the federal Medicare Part A Hospice Benefit and the Florida Medicaid Hospice Benefit (#087524400), 100% of hospice nursing visits, bath aide personal care, comfort medications, oxygen, hospital beds, incontinence supplies, and up to 5 consecutive days of inpatient caregiver respite at the Margaret Z. Dozier Hospice House or a contracted facility are covered at $0 out-of-pocket cost (acceptsMedicaid: true).
Connect with complementary legal, financial, and residential providers serving seniors in Apalachicola and Franklin County.
Franklin County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller — Probate, Guardianship & Small Estates Division (Hon. Michele Maxwell, Judge Jay Gordon Shuler, County Attorney Thomas M. 'Michael' Shuler, Esq. & 2nd Circuit Public Guardian)
Apalachicola, Franklin County
(850) 653-8861
Centennial Bank — Apalachicola, Eastpoint, St. George Island & Carrabelle In-County Branches, Centennial Financial Services (Crowley Wealth / Ameriprise) & PeoplesSouth Bank (Apalachicola)
Apalachicola, Franklin County
(850) 653-2301
Apalachicola Housing Authority (HUD PHA #FL036) & Northwest Florida Regional Housing Authority (#FL046) — Franklin County Senior Public Housing & Section 8 Registry
Apalachicola, Franklin County
(850) 653-9304
Expert guidance, benefit eligibility rules, and state protections for older Florida residents and family caregivers.
George E. Weems Memorial Hospital (AHCA #4173 — Critical Access Swing-Bed Skilled Nursing, 24/7 Emergency & Weems Medical Centers East & West) & Ascension Sacred Heart Gulf Border Hospital
Apalachicola, Franklin County
US-98 West Port St. Joe (22 Mi. W of Apalachicola) & US-319 North Crawfordville / Tallahassee Nearest ALF & SNF Corridor — Our Home at Beacon Hill (#AL10713), Eden Springs (#SNF1582096), Azalea Gardens (#AL13050), Canterfield (#AL13336) & Villas at Killearn Lakes (#AL13303)
Apalachicola, Franklin County
2nd Judicial Circuit Specialty ALF (ECC / LNS / Medicaid Waiver), Memory Care & FDVA State Veterans' Nursing Home Corridor — Clifford C. Sims State Veterans' Home (#SNF10960961), Sodalis (#AL9700), The Opal (#AL9181), The Gables / HarborChase (#AL9730), Allegro (#AL9746) & Brookdale (#AL9057)
Apalachicola, Franklin County
Advantage Aging Solutions (Area Agency on Aging for North Florida — DOEA PSA 2 ADRC #743340 / Ref #737421, 1-800-96-ELDER), DOEA CARES Area 2B ((850) 414-9803) & Panhandle / Northwest District Long-Term Care Ombudsman Council (1-888-831-0404)
Apalachicola, Franklin County
Disclaimer: This directory listing is for informational purposes only. Florida Senior Support does not endorse or guarantee the quality of services. Please verify information and services directly with the organization.