House Passes Smucker Legislation to Extend Successful “Hospital at Home” Programs

WASHINGTON - This week, the House of Representatives unanimously passed the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act (H.R. 4313), bipartisan, bicameral legislation introduced by Reps. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11), senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, and Vern Buchanan (FL-16), Chairman of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee. This legislation would extend successful "Hospital at Home" programs for an additional five years.

"Home health care options provide patients with high-quality care at lower costs, reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections, and increase recovery outcomes for patients," said Rep. Smucker."Extending this commonsense policy is a clear win for patients and taxpayers. I am proud to co-lead these efforts with Rep. Buchanan and thank my House colleagues for passing this legislation to give patients the ability to recover in the comfort of their own homes."

The Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025 (H.R. 4313)

In November 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) established the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver to provide hospitals with increased flexibility to care for certain patients from the comfort and convenience of their homes, rather than in a hospital setting. According to the American Hospital Association, this model has been proven to "reduce costs, improve outcomes and enhance the patient experience."

A recent report from CMS shows that allowing patients to be treated in a more familiar environment and routine accelerates recovery time, lowers the mortality rate and reduces the risk of hospital-acquired infections and falls.

Rep. Dwight Evans (D-Pa.) cosponsored this bill. Sens. Tim Scott, Reverend Raphael Warnock introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

The American Hospital Association endorsed this legislation.

See Rep. Smucker's full remarks on H.R.4313 here.