Des Moines Senior AdvisorEverystep is a Medicare-certified hospice based at 3000 Easton Blvd in Des Moines, IA 50317. It has been certified since 1983. It cares for about 172 patients on an average day, making it one of the larger hospices in the area. It scores 10 out of 10 on Medicare's Hospice Care Index; the Iowa average is 9.5. Family caregivers rate it 4 out of 5 stars. The index flags 5 areas where it is worse than the Iowa average, starting with gaps in nursing visits longer than 7 days.
What is Everystep's Medicare record?
| Hospice | Everystep |
|---|---|
| Address | 3000 Easton Blvd, Des Moines, IA 50317 |
| Phone | (515) 274-3400 |
| Medicare provider number (CCN) | 161500 |
| Ownership | Other |
| Medicare-certified since | 11/02/1983 |
How does Everystep score on Medicare's Hospice Care Index?
Everystep scores 10 out of 10 on the Hospice Care Index, which counts how many of ten visit, discharge and staffing indicators a hospice meets. Against the Iowa average it is better on 0 of the indicators below and worse on 5.
| Indicator | Everystep | Iowa average | U.S. average | vs. Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaps in nursing visits longer than 7 days (lower is better) | 49.3% | 33.1% | 52.4% | Worse |
| Patients discharged alive within 7 days (lower is better) | 5% | 7.7% | 7.3% | About the same |
| Patients discharged alive after 180 days or more (lower is better) | 48.5% | 35.5% | 37.4% | Worse |
| Live discharge followed by a hospital stay and readmission to hospice (lower is better) | 4.5% | 4.6% | 8.5% | About the same |
| Live discharge followed by death in hospital (lower is better) | 1.5% | 1.3% | 2.1% | About the same |
| Nurse minutes per routine home care day | 13.6 min | 19.6 min | 19.9 min | Worse |
| Share of skilled nursing minutes given on weekends | 5.6% | 8.9% | 9.6% | Worse |
| Patients visited by a nurse in the last 3 days of life | 93% | 96.2% | 89.3% | Worse |
Separately, 99.5% of its patients received all seven recommended care steps at admission (Iowa average 97.2%) and 56.2% were visited by a nurse or social worker on at least two of their last three days (Iowa average 73.1%).
What do families say about Everystep?
92% of family caregivers said they would definitely recommend Everystep; the Iowa average is 88%. The survey goes to the family member who was the main caregiver, after the patient has died.
| Survey question | Everystep | Iowa average | U.S. average | vs. Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team always communicated well | 85% | 83% | 82% | About the same |
| Team always provided timely help | 83% | 80% | 78% | Better |
| Team always treated the patient with respect | 93% | 93% | 91% | About the same |
| Right amount of emotional and spiritual support | 95% | 93% | 91% | About the same |
| Patient always got help for pain and symptoms | 76% | 77% | 76% | About the same |
| Caregivers rated the hospice 9 or 10 | 89% | 86% | 83% | Better |
| Would definitely recommend the hospice | 92% | 88% | 85% | Better |
Where does Everystep deliver care, and to whom?
54% of everystep's care is delivered at home and its largest patient group by diagnosis is cancer (39%). It has provided levels of care beyond routine home visits, such as continuous care at home or inpatient stays, in the last three years.
| Where care is delivered | Share of patients |
|---|---|
| At home | 54% |
| In a nursing facility | 30% |
| In assisted living | 9% |
| Other locations | 4% |
| In an inpatient hospice unit | 2% |
| In a hospital | 1% |
| Primary diagnosis | Share of patients |
|---|---|
| Cancer | 39% |
| Other conditions | 17% |
| Heart and circulatory disease | 16% |
| Dementia | 12% |
| Respiratory disease | 11% |
| Stroke | 7% |
Which Des Moines-area ZIP codes does Everystep serve?
Everystep tells Medicare it serves 67 ZIP codes in Des Moines and Polk, Dallas, Warren, Jasper, Madison and Guthrie counties.
- 50001
- 50002
- 50003
- 50007
- 50009
- 50021
- 50023
- 50028
- 50035
- 50047
- 50048
- 50054
- 50061
- 50063
- 50069
- 50070
- 50072
- 50109
- 50111
- 50115
- 50125
- 50131
- 50139
- 50146
- 50149
- 50155
- 50161
- 50164
- 50166
- 50167
- 50168
- 50169
- 50170
- 50208
- 50210
- 50211
- 50216
- 50218
- 50220
- 50222
- 50226
- 50229
- 50233
- 50237
- 50240
- 50257
- 50261
- 50263
- 50265
- 50266
- 50273
- 50309
- 50310
- 50311
- 50312
- 50313
- 50314
- 50315
- 50316
- 50317
- 50320
- 50321
- 50322
- 50323
- 50324
- 50325
- 50327
What should you ask Everystep before choosing it?
Ask how often the nurse visits
49.3% of Everystep's patients went more than seven days without a nursing visit at some point, against 33.1% across Iowa. Ask for the planned visit schedule in writing and who decides when it changes.
Ask how eligibility is reviewed
48.5% of its live discharges came after six months or more of care (Iowa average 35.5%). Ask how often the doctor recertifies eligibility and what support is offered if a patient is discharged.
Ask how long nursing visits last
Its nurses average 13.6 minutes per routine care day, against 19.6 minutes across Iowa. Ask how long a typical visit lasts and whether the same nurse comes each time.
Ask where inpatient care happens
When symptoms cannot be managed at home, hospice provides short inpatient stays. Ask which facility they use and how far it is from the family.
Which other hospices serve Des Moines, IA?
- Mercyone Des Moines Hospice — Hospice Care Index 10 of 10
Last verified: November 2026, against the Medicare hospice data release dated 2026-08-07.
Common questions
Is Everystep Medicare-certified?
Yes. Everystep is certified by Medicare under provider number 161500 and has been since 1983.
What is Everystep's Hospice Care Index score?
10 out of 10 in the current Medicare data. The Iowa average is 9.5.
How large is Everystep?
It cares for about 172 patients on an average day.
