DALLAS – VITAS Innovative Hospice Care announced an agreement with American CareSource that will provide their members access to comprehensive hospice services in every market in which VITAS operates.

VITAS provides quality compassionate end-of-life care for adult and pediatric patients with a wide range of life-limiting illnesses, including but not limited to cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, liver disease, kidney disease, multiple sclerosis, ALS, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and AIDS. VITAS cares for patients and their loved ones in major metro areas in California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.

American CareSource Holdings, Inc., the nation’s leading ancillary healthcare system, offers a comprehensive national network of over 4,000 ancillary service providers at more than 32,000 sites through its subsidiary, Ancillary Care Services.

“Hospice care not only provides medical, emotional and spiritual care to patients at the end of life and their families, it also eases financial concerns, both for patients and families, and for providers and payors. Our commitment to provide the best service at the lowest cost was an important consideration when pursuing a relationship with VITAS,” said David S. Boone, chief executive officer of American CareSource. “VITAS employs nearly 10,000 professionals who care for terminally ill patients daily, primarily in the patients’ home, but also in the company’s 29 inpatient hospice units, as well as in hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living communities/residential care facilities for the elderly. Their compassionate, effective, end-of-life care is an important addition to our customized network of quality providers.”

“VITAS is proud to be a participating provider for Ancillary Care Services and its clients and families throughout the country,” says Tim O’Toole, VITAS chief executive officer. “For 30 years, VITAS has been a leader in the American hospice movement. Each and every day we are defining the standards for quality hospice care and striving to ensure that terminally ill patients and their families have ready access to a kind of care that cannot be duplicated by other providers.”

Ancillary Care Services members will have access to the full range of hospice services through VITAS, benefiting from VITAS’ record of accomplishment as the nation’s leading provider of hospice care. Hospice coverage for members will include all prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, medical equipment and supplies required to treat the patient’s life-limiting illness. All four levels of hospice care – routine home care, Intensive Comfort CareSM (called Continuous Care by Medicare), General Inpatient Care and Respite Care – will be covered for Ancillary Care Services members.

About VITAS

As a pioneer and leader in end-of-life care, VITAS has built a record of accomplishment, innovation and advocacy unmatched among hospice providers. VITAS’ leaders were in the forefront of the grassroots effort in 1982 that prompted Congress to add hospice to the Medicare benefit. When hospice care was considered exclusively for cancer patients, VITAS led the effort to include patients with lung disease, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease and Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis. When the AIDS epidemic was at its peak, with no proven treatments, VITAS was reportedly the first hospice in the nation to field care teams dedicated to the care of AIDS patients and their loved ones. VITAS clinicians have developed a hospice-specific pain formulary, wound care guide, analgesic dosage conversion ruler, and educational materials on end-of-life care for families and healthcare professionals. Nearly 20 VITAS clinicians authored and edited one of the definitive textbooks on hospice care, 20 Common Problems in End-of-Life Care.

Headquartered in Miami, Florida, VITAS operates 45 hospice programs in 16 states (California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin). VITAS, which has evolved from its founding as a volunteer organization by a United Methodist minister and a registered nurse, today employs 9,625 professionals who care for terminally ill patients daily, primarily in the patients’ homes, but also in the company’s 30 inpatient hospice units as well as in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living communities/residential care facilities for the elderly. At the conclusion of the Fourth quarter of 2009, VITAS reported an average daily census of 12,142; VITAS served more than 67,000 patients throughout all of 2009. The name, VITAS (pronounced VEE-tahs), is derived from the Latin word for lives. It symbolizes the VITAS mission: To preserve the quality of life for those who have a limited time to live. Visit www.vitas.com.