AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack encouraged federal lawmakers to extend the CMS waiver for acute hospital care at home through 2029 and lift restrictions on telehealth providers. He hopes Congress will make the changes during the lame-duck session after the election.
“More than 300 hospitals offer hospital-at-home programs, and many other hospitals and health systems are interested in developing programs for their communities but are reluctant to do so without more certainty from Congress,” Mr. Pollack wrote Oct. 18. “As the healthcare model continues to transform moving into the future, protecting and expanding the opportunities for great patient care via telehealth and hospital-at-home capabilities is paramount.”
Bills that would expand “hospital at home” and telehealth have been working their way through Congress, but otherwise the flexibilities for both programs expire at the end of 2024. On telehealth, the AHA wants legislators to eliminate geographic and originating site restrictions, expand which providers can deliver the service, and get rid of in-person visit requirements for behavioral health, among other changes.
CMS released a study Sept. 30 that found hospital-at-home patients had a lower mortality rate with overall positive experiences reported by patients and caregivers alike.
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