House advances FY 2026 health care minibus

On January 22, the House passed a three-bill “minibus” appropriations package for fiscal year 2026. The legislation keeps critical health care programs running and extends key care models that affect people on Medicare, Medicaid, and in-home based services. The package now moves to the Senate, which must still act before the January 30, 2026 funding deadline to prevent disruptions.

Key extensions for telehealth and care at home

The House-passed package includes time-limited extensions that preserve two care approaches that expanded during the pandemic and remain central for many providers and patients. The bill provides:

• A two-year extension of Medicare telehealth flexibilities, preserving access to virtual care that many providers and patients rely on long term.

• A five-year extension of hospital-at-home authority, providing hospitals and home-based care programs stability through 2030.

Other provisions in the package

In addition to telehealth and hospital-at-home, the legislation includes several other health care provisions. The package includes:

• Additional provisions that delay payment cuts for labs.

• Protections for Medicaid disproportionate share hospital funding.

• Support for rural, workforce, maternal, child, and behavioral health programs.

Why the timeline matters for Medicaid and HCBS

These extensions help sustain models of care that expanded during the pandemic and remain especially important for Medicaid and home- and community-based services (HCBS) populations. Without this bill, telehealth coverage and hospital-at-home waivers were set to expire, creating a potential cliff for providers and patients. The Senate must still act before the January 30, 2026 funding deadline to prevent disruptions.