After weeks of uncertainty, many U.S. health systems are restarting their hospital-at-home services following the restoration of Medicare reimbursements sparking fresh opportunities for international nurses seeking to work in the United States.
The recent federal spending deal reopened the government and reinstated the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) waiver, allowing hospitals to deliver acute care directly in patients’ homes. This development is a turning point for healthcare organizations that had shuttered or scaled back services after the waiver expired on October 1.
Shutdown Pressures Increased Staffing Needs
When the CMS waiver lapsed, more than half of hospital-at-home programs nationwide either paused operations or closed permanently, while another 23% shifted to providing ambulatory care at home. Patient admissions plummeted by 67%, according to data from the Hospital at Home Users Group. This abrupt change not only reduced access to care but also created staffing challenges for health systems.
With programs back online, hospitals must quickly rebuild their care teams making global recruitment of nurses an increasingly strategic solution. Healthcare employers are finding that internationally educated nurses bring vital expertise and adaptability, especially in community-based models like hospital-at-home.
Major Health Systems Restart Services
Some health system leaders began preparing for a relaunch even before the official policy change. Here are the latest updates:
- Cleveland Clinic Florida resumed hospital-at-home services across its five regional hospitals on November 13, admitting more than 15 patients into home-based acute care on the first day back.
- Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Florida, and Wisconsin reinstated its program using existing technology platforms, making for a seamless transition.
- Mass General Brigham in Massachusetts is reopening its home hospital on November 14, aiming to ramp up capacity to 70 patients within days.
- UMass Memorial Health will restart on November 17, with expectations to return to a daily patient census of 15–20 within a week.
Other programs, such as Saint Luke’s Hospital in Your Home in Kansas City, have yet to announce a reopening date a reminder that not every provider has the resources to recover quickly from operational disruptions.
Why International Nurses Are Critical for Hospital-at-Home Growth
Hospital-at-home care requires nurses with strong clinical expertise, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to work independently in diverse community settings. This model reduces hospital overcrowding, improves patient satisfaction, and lowers costs but only if there are enough qualified professionals to staff it.
VisaMadeEZ works closely with U.S. healthcare organizations to navigate immigration law for hiring international nurses, ensuring compliance while accelerating recruitment timelines. By facilitating visas such as the H-1B, EB-3, or TN, we help hospitals fill urgent roles in high-demand specialties including acute care, critical care, and home healthcare.
As Dr. Constantinos “Taki” Michaelidis from UMass Memorial Health noted, restarting programs involves complex logistics redeploying staff, coordinating with referring physicians, and ensuring patient safety. International nurses can play a pivotal role in bridging staffing gaps during such transitions.
Short-Term Approval Means Long-Term Planning is Essential
Although the federal funding extension allows hospital-at-home programs to continue until January 30, 2025, the uncertainty around future reimbursements remains. Healthcare leaders are advocating for a five-year extension to give the model stability.
For healthcare organizations, this short-term policy window highlights the need to strategically recruit and onboard nurses now using both domestic and international talent pipelines to protect service continuity in case of future disruptions.
At VisaMadeEZ, we understand that staffing challenges can impact patient care and operational efficiency. Our dedicated immigration team partners with hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities to successfully hire and sponsor skilled international nurses, helping ensure critical programs like hospital-at-home continue to thrive.
If your healthcare organization needs expert help with U.S. visa solutions for nurses, contact VisaMadeEZ today and discover how we can streamline your recruitment process.
