Overview
- Medicare reimbursement was restored in the Nov. 12 government funding deal signed by President Donald Trump, reopening the door for acute care delivered at home.
- Mayo Clinic resumed care at home on Nov. 13, Mass General Brigham began ramping back up on Nov. 14 toward a 70-patient capacity, and UMass Memorial plans to readmit patients starting Nov. 17.
- The shutdown’s waiver lapse forced more than half of programs to close, 23% to pivot to ambulatory home care, and led to a 67% drop in daily admissions, according to the Hospital at Home Users Group.
- Massachusetts leaders reported severe emergency department boarding and capacity strain during the pause, redeploying staff and delaying admissions until programs could restart.
- Funding currently extends only through Jan. 30, and with a five-year extension passed by the House Ways and Means Committee in September, health systems are pressing Congress for multi-year stability.