AHA Supports Continuation of Hospital-at-Home Program

In a letter voicing support for the extension of the hospital-at-home (H@H) program through 2027, the American Hospital Association (AHA) went on to suggest a permanent version of the initiative. The H@H model allows eligible patients to receive high-quality care at home rather than staying 3 days or longer in the hospital.

“As you consider action beyond temporary extensions of the waiver, we would welcome the opportunity to work with you to establish and implement a permanent version of the program that enables qualified patients to receive safe and effective hospital-level care in the comfort and safety of their home,” Lisa Kidder Hrobsky, AHA senior vice president of advocacy and political affairs, wrote in a letter to Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R, Ohio) and Earl Blumenauer (D, Oregon), sponsors of a discussion draft of the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act to extend the H@H program. As of March 2024, 320 hospitals in 37 states have received waivers from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to provide H@H services. According to the AHA, several other health systems and hospitals are interested in H@H but wary of investing the necessary time, staff, and money without congressional action to extend the program beyond this year.

“A longer extension of the H@H program would provide much needed stability for existing programs to continue providing care to their patients, and it would give time for others to start programs,” the letter explained.

A growing body of research support the effectiveness of the H@H program in improving outcomes and the patient experience, according to the AHA. In a randomized controlled trial, acutely ill patients admitted to H@H through the emergency department were 3 times less likely to be admitted to the hospital within 30 days compared with patients who received inpatient care.

References

AHA comments on draft legislation to extend hospital-at-home program. News release. American Hospital Association; April 22, 2024. Accessed May 8, 2024. https://www.aha.org/news/headline/2024-04-22-aha-comments-draft-legislation-extend-hospital-home-program

American Hospital Association. AHA supports legislation to continue Hospital-At-Home model. Letter/comment; April 15, 2024. Accessed May 8, 2024. https://www.aha.org/lettercomment/2024-04-22-aha-supports-legislation-continue-hospital-home-model