The House of Representatives has unanimously passed a significant piece of health care legislation, approving the bipartisan, bicameral, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act.
This bill, also known as the “Hospital at Home” bill, seeks to extend the successful Acute Hospital Care at Home (AHCAH) waiver program for five years, pushing the authorization through 2030.
The legislation, championed by Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and Chair of the Health Subcommittee, aims to provide long-term stability for hospitals offering inpatient-level care in patients’ homes. The existing waiver, first established by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in November 2020 during the COVID-19 public health emergency, was only recently extended through January 30, 2026, via a continuing resolution.
Rep. Buchanan hailed the unanimous House vote, emphasizing the need for innovative health care solutions. “At a time when our health care system is stretched thin, we need solutions like ‘Hospital at Home’ programs that help patients recover faster and get safe, high-quality care at a lower cost,” Buchanan said in a statement.
“My Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act will ensure that hundreds of hospitals, including dozens in Florida, can keep caring for patients in their own homes. With hospitals under strain and chronic disease on the rise, today’s unanimous vote to extend this proven model reflects the kind of commonsense, bipartisan action Americans deserve. With nearly 200,000 seniors in my district, I’m grateful my colleagues and I can preserve a model that expands access and delivers real results for patients.”
The Acute Hospital Care at Home program allows Medicare-certified hospitals to deliver inpatient-level care using remote monitoring technology, telehealth services for virtual doctor visits, and in-home nursing and rehabilitation visits. CMS reports indicate that allowing patients to be treated in a familiar environment accelerates recovery time, lowers the mortality rate, and reduces the risk of hospital-acquired infections and falls.
Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.) commended Buchanan’s efforts in leading the charge for the extension: “The Hospital at Home program has transformed hospital-level care for America’s seniors,” said Smith. “Instead of having to stay alone in a hospital for treatment, seniors can receive care and recover at home surrounded by friends and family. With 23 hospitals participating in this program in his home state of Florida alone, I commend Health Subcommittee Chairman Buchanan for leading the charge to improve health outcomes and fighting to continue this program to give Americans better health care at a lower cost.”
The Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act now moves to the Senate. Congressman Buchanan emphasized the urgency of Senate action before the current temporary waiver expires.
“While I’m pleased that my ‘Hospital at Home’ legislation passed the House unanimously, it’s critical that my Senate colleagues pass the bill through the Senate and send it to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law before the temporary waiver ends,” Buchanan stated.
“Hospitals cannot be expected to build or sustain these programs on a temporary two-month extension that creates chaos for providers and patients alike… We must secure a long-term, multi-year extension of this bipartisan program so hospitals have the certainty they need and seniors can continue receiving the care they deserve.”
In addition to extending the waiver, the bill requires CMS to conduct a study comparing quality of life, costs incurred, service types, and patient demographics under the program versus those in a traditional inpatient setting. Over 400 hospitals across 39 states are currently participating in the AHCAH program.