House Passes Hospital at Home Extension
On December 1, the House of Representatives passed the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act (H.R. 4313), as amended, a bipartisan bill that would extend the Medicare hospital at home program for five years to enable hospitals to provide acute inpatient care while they remain in their homes through the use of telehealth and remote monitoring. The program currently expires along with other extenders on January 30, 2026. This legislation, if passed by the Senate, would extend the program through September 30, 2030.
HHS Unveils AI Strategy and Unified Data System
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released its vision for a consolidated data infrastructure, “OneHHS,” to support artificial intelligence (AI) across its agencies. The plan, developed in response to a presidential executive order, outlines five key goals: improving tech governance, enhancing system design, training staff in AI, advancing health research, and delivering better patient outcomes. The strategy aims to centralize data and provide shared tools internally at HHS for computing, model hosting, and AI management, enabling faster drug approvals, fraud prevention, and streamlined grant reviews.
New CMMI Model to Expand Access to Technology-Supported Care Announced
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and CMS Innovation Center (CMMI) announced the ACCESS (Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions) Model, which will run for 10 years nationwide. The voluntary model will focus on a payment approach designed to expand access to technology-support care in patients with chronic conditions. ACCESS will initially have four tracks—early cardio-kidney-metabolic, cardio-kidney-metabolic, musculoskeletal, and behavioral health. A detailed FAQ is available now, and a Request for Applications is expected in the coming weeks.
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