Congress Faces Deadline to Extend Hospital Care at Home Program

WASHINGTON — If Congress fails to secure government funding by the end of the day on Tuesday, patients nationwide receiving hospital-level care at home will be forced back into traditional hospital settings.

The Acute Hospital Care at Home initiative, which allows Medicare to waive specific regulations enabling hospitals to deliver inpatient care in patients’ homes, was established as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many Medicare and Medicaid programs, it relies on regular renewals through government funding bills.

The potential expiration of this program would create immediate disruptions in patient care. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has issued guidance to participating hospitals, indicating that without Congressional intervention, “all inpatients must be discharged or returned to the hospital on September 30, 2025.” This situation underscores the critical need for timely legislative action to maintain innovative care solutions in the healthcare landscape.