# What the John W. Walsh Alpha-1 Home Infusion Act Does

This bill makes Medicare cover a specific treatment for people with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, a genetic lung disease. Right now, Medicare doesn't pay for this treatment when it's given at home, so patients either have to go to a hospital or clinic for infusions or pay out of pocket. This bill changes that by allowing Medicare to cover the medication and the nursing care needed to administer it in patients' homes.

Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency is a rare inherited condition where people lack a protein that protects their lungs, leading to early-onset emphysema and breathing problems. The treatment, called augmentation therapy, involves regular intravenous infusions of a medication to slow lung damage. For people with this condition, being able to receive treatment at home instead of traveling to a medical facility is a big deal—it saves time, reduces travel burden, and lets them manage their condition more conveniently.

Under this bill, Medicare will pay for the medication infusions themselves, plus up to two hours of nursing care per visit to set up the IV equipment and monitor the patient. Medicare will cover 80 percent of these costs, with patients responsible for the remaining 20 percent. The treatment must be prescribed by a doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant, and it only applies to people enrolled in traditional Medicare (Parts A and B), not those in Medicare Advantage plans. The coverage starts on January 1, 2027, giving Medicare time to set up the payment system and make sure qualified home infusion suppliers are ready to provide the service.

John W. Walsh Alpha-1 Home Infusion Act of 2025

Salazar, Maria Elvira

John W. Walsh Alpha-1 Home Infusion Act of 2025This bill provides for Medicare coverage of treatment for alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency (a protein deficiency that raises the risk of lung and other diseases). Specifically, the bill provides for coverage of at-home augmentation therapy for beneficiaries with emphysema as a result of severe hereditary AAT deficiency. Treatment must be provided through qualified home infusion therapy suppliers; beneficiaries must be under the care of a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant.