Hospital-at-home, telehealth extension advances in Congress

A U.S. House committee unanimously passed a bill Sept. 18 that would extend the hospital-at-home program and telehealth flexibilities.

The Telehealth Modernization Act of 2024 moved out of the Committee on Energy and Commerce and will now go before the full House. The legislation, which would be funded by pharmacy benefit manager reform, would continue the CMS hospital-at-home waiver for five years and ease telehealth rules on Medicare recipients for two years.

“Seniors, individuals with mobility issues, and those living in rural areas rely on telehealth to bring qualified healthcare professionals right to their home,” said bill sponsor Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter, R-Ga., in a Sept. 18 statement. “I urge a swift House floor vote on this bill so that we can get Medicare beneficiaries the life-saving health care they need.”

Without an extension, the COVID-era flexibilities will expire at the end of 2024. CMS has approved 345 hospitals across 137 health systems to provide acute hospital care at home since the waiver started in 2020.

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