Washington, D.C. – Hospital-at-home programs across the United States are experiencing significant disruptions as the ongoing federal government shutdown delays critical funding disbursements from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The pause is affecting thousands of patients who rely on these innovative care delivery models that provide hospital-level treatment in the comfort of patients’ homes.
According to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and reporting by STAT News, more than 120 healthcare systems nationwide have been forced to temporarily suspend new patient admissions to their home hospital programs due to uncertainty surrounding federal reimbursements. The programs, which gained permanent Medicare coverage status in 2023, depend on timely payments from CMS to maintain operations.
“We’re in an untenable position,” said Dr. Rebecca Morrison, Director of Home Hospital Services at Johns Hopkins Medicine. “These programs have proven to reduce costs by 30% while improving patient outcomes, but without reliable federal funding, we cannot sustain operations or guarantee care continuity for our most vulnerable patients.”
The home hospital model allows patients with acute conditions—including pneumonia, heart failure, and certain infections—to receive comprehensive medical care at home, including daily physician visits, nursing care, and necessary medical equipment. Studies have shown that patients treated through these programs experience lower rates of hospital-acquired infections and report higher satisfaction scores.
Dr. Thomas Chen, a health policy expert at the Commonwealth Fund, warned that the funding disruption could have lasting consequences. “Hospital-at-home programs represent the future of healthcare delivery,” Chen stated. “Any prolonged interruption risks undermining years of progress in building these systems and could force providers to abandon innovative care models entirely.”
The American Hospital Association has called on Congress to resolve the shutdown immediately, emphasizing that healthcare providers cannot absorb the financial uncertainty indefinitely. Meanwhile, patient advocacy groups are urging CMS to implement emergency procedures to ensure continuity of care for those currently enrolled in home hospital programs.
Source: Aggregated by MetaNews USA — original reporting credited to KFF Health News and STAT, with expert commentary from healthcare policy analysts.
