CHIPPEWA COUNTY — The Chippewa County Board of Commissioners announced their decision to end the health department’s Home Health and Hospice division.
They said the difficult decision was made last November. Rumors related to the decision started circulating around the same time.
In a release issued Thursday, Chippewa County Health Department (CCHD) said declining revenue, changes in eligibility and reimbursement, and other factors forced them to end the program. They said all other services will continue as normal, and the decision does not affect Hospice of the EUP.
CCHD was the only health department in Michigan that still had a Home Health and Hospice division.
In the absence of Home Health and Hospice services, CCHD said hospice patients can choose to spend their final days at Ball House, Pennington Home, Harbor View Home and White-Wiles Home. Patients are also able to remain in their own homes and receive care there.
Since the November decision, the county says they’ve has been working to transition the program. At this time, CCHD is still taking hospice referrals. For information regarding hospice care, you can call 906-635-1568.
For questions/concerns about the end of county hospice care, you can contact:
Karen Senkus, Chippewa County Health Department, 906-253-3103
Tracey Holt, Hospice of the EUP, 906-259-0222
