2026-04-05 · cms
CMS released a second data release for the Acute Hospital Care at Home (AHCAH) initiative, expanding access to data collected from hospitals delivering care at home. The AHCAH data covers 2023–2025 and, when combined with earlier releases, brings researchers almost five years of home-care data. Access is coordinated through ResDAC under a Data Use Agreement. The AHCAH program began in 2020 as part of CMS's Hospital Without Walls strategy, enabling certain hospitals to provide inpatient-level care at home under waivers. The 2026 Consolidated Appropriations Act extended waivers and flexibilities through September 30, 2030, signaling ongoing support for this model.
CMS announced the ongoing AHCAH data expansion, including new data from 2023–2025. The release complements earlier AHCAH data and provides key metrics for analysis: patient admissions to home settings, escalations back to hospitals, and mortality data. Access is through ResDAC with a Data Use Agreement.
Data from AHCAH can inform policy and practice around home-based acute care, potentially improving access and reducing hospital burden for Nevadan patients. Researchers and policymakers can study outcomes to assess the viability and safety of hospital-at-home models in Nevada communities.
Interested researchers should apply for a Data Use Agreement with ResDAC to access the AHCAH dataset. Look for CMS's user guide and the AHCAH data release documentation for specifics on data fields and study design.
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