Care Delivery Models

Hospital-at-home momentum got a fresh evidence boost: a new study linked the model to lower in-hospital mortality and fewer ED visits, though not lower readmissions, reinforcing its potential as a VBC-aligned site-of-care shift while underscoring unresolved utilization and program-design questions—especially as adoption remains concentrated in urban markets (Healthcare Dive). Medicaid and aging-in-place models also stayed in focus, with MACPAC examining state Medicaid agency roles in PACE and infrastructure vendors pushing scalable Medicaid innovation, while home health and LTC operators face operational uncertainty from proposed narrower joint-employer liability rules and rising calls for AI governance in long-term care. For ACOs, MA plans, and Medicaid managed care organizations, the near-term implication is clear: care-at-home, virtual-first, and PACE-like models remain attractive for total-cost-of-care strategies, but scaling will hinge on workforce rules, technology oversight, rural access, and whether alternative sites can demonstrate readmission and longitudinal cost savings beyond acute-episode outcomes.