My grandmother was a fiercely independent woman. She lived on top of a hill in the Ozarks and, as she aged, she wanted nothing more than to stay in her own home surrounded by the view and the people she loved.
Home healthcare turned her dream of a comfortable retirement into reality. Visiting nurses ensured she took her medications, checked on her after surgery and provided the care and respect she deserved in the comfort of her own home. This compassionate care was vital for her well-being and sense of dignity—and she was thankful for this option for the remainder of her life.
For families like mine, where “sandwich-generation” adults care for kids and parents at the same time, home health isn’t just convenient—it’s a lifeline. This essential Medicare benefit helps countless seniors and people with disabilities recover and stay at home instead of going to a hospital or nursing facility.
There have been many instances in the past several years where I’ve seen how home health can and does fill gaps in care for families: My father-in-law received wound care in our living room, and my stepmother was fortunate enough to have home health services to help manage Alzheimer’s disease, which allowed her stay in her home for as long as possible. And, because of Medicare’s home healthcare options, my mother-in-law was also able to continue living with us until she passed away earlier this year. It’s no exaggeration that home healthcare has lifted our family up when we needed help most and provided crucial support that allowed us to remain together. And as a patient advocate, I know that we’re not alone—millions of families like ours rely on home health every day.
Sadly, this Medicare lifeline could become out of reach for many Americans because the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed significant cuts to the home health program. Unless the federal government turns back from the brink, home health funding will be slashed by 9% starting Jan. 1, 2026. This could force thousands of home health providers to close their doors for good, leaving millions of at-risk patients without the care they rely on.
This is not just a threat; it is a troubling reality that is already having an impact on care due to current underfunding levels. Since 2019, more than 1,000 home health agencies have closed across the U.S., and, between 2020 and 2024, more than 1.5 million Medicare beneficiaries lost access to care. The CMS’ own actuaries project (PDF) that 44% of home health providers will be operating at a loss by 2027. If these latest cuts are finalized, those numbers will only worsen, leading to fewer and fewer options for families like mine.
The strain on home health is one part of a healthcare access crisis sweeping the country. The same barriers limiting home health availability are affecting nearly every corner of our healthcare system. Before my mother-in-law passed away earlier this year, she was unable to find a provider in our area for speech therapy. If we live in the suburbs of our nation’s capital and are seeing these challenges, how difficult can it be for families in rural North Dakota or south Texas?
But here’s what is especially frustrating in the case of home health: The CMS is cutting a program that saves the Medicare program and taxpayers’ money.
This is counterintuitive, as fewer home health options will mean more seniors will be forced into hospitals and nursing homes that are already at capacity. These cuts are bad for patients, taxpayers and the entire healthcare system.
When patients receive care at home, they recover faster and avoid costly hospital stays. This is not only positive for the patients who want to remain in a safe, familiar environment, it also saves Medicare about $1.3 billion annually. However, when seniors and patients with disabilities are referred for home health but do not receive it, studies show that hospital readmissions increase by 35%, emergency room visits go up by 16% and mortality rates rise by 43%. It doesn’t take an MBA to see that improving outcomes saves long-term spending and that home healthcare is a fraction of the cost of institutional care settings.
It’s time for the CMS to get its priorities straight and protect the Medicare home health benefit for millions of American seniors as well as their families and caregivers.
Our leaders in Washington have a chance to stop this. But we need the administration to do the right thing—to listen to patients, families and caregivers—and reject these cuts before it’s too late. If that doesn’t happen, then Congress must intervene quickly and advance the bipartisan Home Health Stabilization Act of 2025. If passed, this bill would pause the cuts for two years, giving lawmakers time to evaluate and fix the CMS’ broken payment formula and come up with a solution that protects Americans’ access to care at home.
Home healthcare allows people to live with comfort and dignity in their own homes. It also keeps families like mine together while loved ones remain close. It’s time for policymakers to stop putting this care at risk and ensure that home health remains sustainable for the long haul. Please, for the sake of America’s seniors, please protect the integrity of the home health system and preserve patient access.
Terry Wilcox is co-founder and chief mission office of patient advocacy organization Patients Rising.