Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, causing roughly 1 in every 3 deaths.¹ While cardiopulmonary rehabilitation significantly reduces the risk of hospitalization and mortality², cardiopulmonary rehabilitation programs remain severely underutilized.³ Geographic limitations, transportation challenges, mobility restrictions and lack of insurance coverage prevent countless patients from receiving the rehabilitation care they desperately need.⁴

During the COVID-19 pandemic, temporary Medicare policies allowed for reimbursement of virtual in-home rehabilitation services, ensuring continued care for vulnerable patients and demonstrating the effectiveness of home-based delivery models. However, these policies expired in 2023, leaving many without necessary support. This policy gap has created a healthcare crisis where patients who could benefit from rehabilitation services are left without access to care that could save their lives and prevent costly readmissions.

The pandemic proved that in-home cardiopulmonary rehabilitation is not only feasible but often more accessible and convenient for patients who cannot travel to traditional facility-based programs. We must act now to make these proven flexibilities permanent and ensure equitable access to rehabilitation services regardless of a patient's location or mobility status.

Specifically, this bill:

• Permanently extends Medicare coverage for in-home cardiopulmonary rehabilitation services that were temporarily authorized during the COVID-19 public health emergency;
• Allows Medicare beneficiaries to receive cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services in their homes when clinically appropriate;
• Maintains the same quality standards and oversight requirements for home-based services as facility-based programs;
• Provides flexibility for patients who cannot access traditional facility-based rehabilitation due to geographic, transportation, or mobility barriers;
• Ensures continuity of care for vulnerable populations who benefited from home-based services during the pandemic; and
• Expands access to rehabilitation services while maintaining Medicare program integrity and patient safety standards.

In-home cardiopulmonary rehabilitation saves lives by reducing rehospitalization rates and improving patient outcomes. Yet patients in rural areas, those without transportation, or with mobility limitations are being denied access to these lifesaving services simply because they cannot travel to facilities. This bill would permanently extend the in-home rehabilitation flexibilities that were proven effective during the COVID-19 public health emergency. We must pass this legislation to eliminate these dangerous disparities and ensure all Medicare beneficiaries can access care where they need it most. This will save lives, reduce costs, and prevent avoidable hospital admissions.

Read the full text of the bill and contact your legislators today!

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024b, October 24). Heart disease facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/data-research/facts-stats/index.html#:~:text=Coronary%20artery%20disease%20(CAD),3.
2. Patel, D. K., Duncan, M. S., Shah, A. S., Lindman, B. R., Greevy, R. A., Jr, Savage, P. D., Whooley, M. A., Matheny, M. E., Freiberg, M. S., & Bachmann, J. M. (2019). Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation With Decreased Hospitalization and Mortality Risk After Cardiac Valve Surgery. JAMA cardiology, 4(12), 1250–1259. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamacardio.2019.4032.
3. Mueller, A. S., & Kim, S. M. (2025). Cardiac Rehabilitation in the Modern Era: Evidence, Equity, and Evolving Delivery Models Across the Cardiovascular Spectrum. Journal of clinical medicine, 14(15), 5573. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14155573.
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