What is hospital at home?
Short, sourced answers about Medicare's Acute Hospital Care at Home program. This is public information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor.
Frequently asked questions
What is hospital at home?
Under Medicare's Acute Hospital Care at Home initiative, CMS lets approved Medicare-certified hospitals give some patients inpatient-level care in their homes. CMS launched it in November 2020 by waiving the rule that hospital nursing services be provided on site 24 hours a day.
Source: CMS fact sheet, Mar 17, 2026
Is my hospital approved?
CMS publishes the approved facility list on QualityNet. As of October 19, 2026, CMS lists 358 approved CCNs across 134 health systems in 37 states. Search our copy of the list, then confirm with the CMS source and the hospital.
Source: CMS QualityNet
How do I find a program in my state?
Use the state pages on this site, which list every hospital in that state on the CMS approved list. Approval doesn't mean a program is taking patients today, so contact the hospital to ask.
Source: CMS QualityNet
Does Medicare cover hospital at home?
CMS describes the initiative as the first example of payment for this level of care for Medicare Fee-for-Service and non-managed-care Medicaid beneficiaries. Coverage for your situation depends on your plan and the hospital, so ask your plan and care team.
Source: CMS fact sheet, Mar 17, 2026
What conditions are treated?
CMS's 2024 study found care centered on a small set of conditions: respiratory (36%), circulatory (16%), renal (16%), and infectious diseases (12%). Each hospital sets its own rules on who qualifies.
Source: CMS Report on the Study of the AHCAH Initiative, Sept 2024
How long does the program last?
Section 6210 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 extended the waivers and flexibilities through September 30, 2030.
Source: CMS fact sheet, Mar 17, 2026
About the CMS 2024 study
CMS's September 2024 report also found lower 30-day death rates for program patients than for similar hospital inpatients, with mixed readmission results. CMS notes that hospitals choose which patients qualify, so the groups aren't fully comparable.
Sources: CMS fact sheet on the study · Full report (PDF) · MedPAC, June 2024
Last updated October 20, 2026.