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KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- Hospice of Northeast Missouri is expanding its coverage area to include two more counties.

They'll now take care of patients living in Clark County as well as Lewis County. Currently, Hospice of Northeast Missouri provides care in the counties of Adair, Knox, Schuyler, Scotland, Putnam, Sullivan, Macon and portions of Lewis, Linn and Shelby.

Blessing Hospice and Palliative Care of Quincy, Ill. has been providing care in Clark and Lewis counties for many years but new Medicare regulations have affected the ability of hospices to serve across state lines.

Blessing Hospice and Northeast Missouri will be working closely together to make this a smooth transition for residents of these counties.

"This is good news and we're very excited. We're named Hospice of Northeast Missouri because we have been serving Northeast Missouri for so long and this just reiterates that name and the structure that we are here in Northeast Missouri to care for the folks. It just fits in perfectly with our mission and our philosophy and our service area," said Hospice of Northeast Missouri Executive Director Stephanie Byrum.

Byrum says the two new counties will add anywhere between 15 to 30 new patients this year and they are ready to take on the challenge of this expansion.

"This is a good thing for us. We're expanding our coverage area. We're going to service more people. It will be a longer driving distance from Kirksville to reach some of these folks that live in rural Northeast Missouri, but we are confident we can still provide great quality care for these families and provide them support," said Byrum.

Hospice of Northeast Missouri is a freestanding non-profit hospice and has been serving its current coverage area for over 16 years.

Byrum says they hold fundraisers throughout the year to collect money for their organization and also depend on donations to help maintain their services to these areas.

There are several different ways you can donate. If you would like to make a donation head to their website be clicking here.