Legislation builds on successful home care program deployed by RI hospitals
Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) in introducing the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act, legislation to extend the Acute Hospital at Home Waiver program and modernize how Americans receive hospital-level care. This bill would build on the successful Hospital at Home program, which currently allows Rhode Islanders to safely receive hospital-level care in their homes through a Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) waiver.
“Hospital at home programs deliver high-quality care to patients in the most comfortable possible setting,” said Whitehouse. “Our bipartisan legislation will allow more Rhode Islanders to benefit from at-home care, while freeing up beds in local hospitals for emergencies.”
This legislation addresses the unsustainable costs of the current health care system by leveraging technology and alternative care models.
“Extending the CMS Medicare Waiver for Hospital at Home beyond the 2025 sunset would bring significant benefits to the Kent Hospital at Home patients we serve. This incredibly effective way to treat patients offers the same high-quality acute care of a hospital setting but in the comfort of patient’s homes,” said Paari Gopalakrishnan, MD, MBA, President & COO of Kent Hospital. “Hospital at Home has led to better patient health outcomes, fewer hospital-acquired infections, and higher patient satisfaction. This program is vital in treating patients through Kent Hospital, and we are excited to see Sen. Whitehouse lead the effort of the Hospital Inpatient Service Modernization Act, which would extend the CMS Medicare Waiver for Hospital at Home another five years.”
“Brown University Health is committed to enhancing healthcare delivery and improving patient outcomes through innovative Hospital at Home programs which enable patients to receive high-quality care in the comfort of their own homes, fostering recovery in a familiar and supportive environment,” said Theresa E. Jenner, MSW, LICSW, CCM, Vice President, Care Coordination at Brown University Health which received a waiver for a Hospital at Home program through CMS for both The Miriam and Rhode Island Hospital. “We are grateful to Senator Whitehouse and Senators Scott and Warnock for their support of this innovative program through the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act, which will ensure a 5-year continuation of a program that is helping many patients throughout our region.”
“The Hospital Association of Rhode Island thanks Senator Whitehouse for his leadership in introducing the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act, extending the Acute Hospital at Home program for five years,” said Lisa Tomasso, Senior Vice President of the Hospital Association of Rhode Island. “The Hospital at Home program is reliable and impactful, providing safe and effective hospital-level care to patients in a comfortable and familiar environment. At a time when hospitals in Rhode Island and throughout the country face mounting challenges, this program is crucial in freeing up inpatient beds, lowering costs, and most importantly, improving patient outcomes and experience.”
Under the current program, CMS requires an in-person physician evaluation and screening protocols to assess medical and non-medical factors before at-home care can begin. Research has shown hospital-at-home programs decrease hospital-acquired infections, falls, delirium, and immobility while providing cost savings.
The waiver programs launched in November of 2020 to help decompress hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 39 states have Hospital at Home programs, including Rhode Island. The program is set to expire on September 30, 2025.
While the federal healthcare system is transitioning from payment models that solely fund care in traditional facilities, several states have passed legislation allowing varying levels of hospital-at-home flexibility.
The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Blackburn (R-TN), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Thom Tillis (R-NC).
Full text of the bill is available here.
