Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources and Special Communications

The latest COVID-19 updates from the American Hospital Association for its members are included on this page.

In a letter to Secretary Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Rettig, the AHA, AAMC and Catholic Health Association request that the IRS provide a six-month automatic extension for filing Forms 990, 990-T, and 4720 to any Section 501(c)(3) organization that is required to file Form 990, Schedule H. In addition, the organizations recommended that the IRS not impose any penalties if any hospital facilities operated by the section 501(c)(3) organization required to file Schedule H are delayed up to one year in completing a community health needs assessment or implementation plan.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act authorized $2.2 trillion in new spending to help individuals and businesses weather the economic downturn caused by COVID-19, as well as to provide critical resources to the health care system.

Here are some of the latest developments in how hospitals and health systems are leveraging digital tools and technology to handle the rapid influx of novel coronavirus patients. Please note that we are suspending publication of Market Scan to focus on bringing you important tools, resources and news to help you during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Vice President, on behalf of President Trump and the White House Coronavirus Task Force, yesterday sent a letter to the nation's hospitals requesting that all hospitals report certain data on COVID-19 testing results, bed and ventilator capacity. In the letter, hospitals were asked to report the following two streams of data on a daily basis:

A 9-year-old reporter interviews two physicians at Children’s Hospital Colorado about COVID-19.

Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Illinois, is letting their health care teams know how much they are appreciated by placing signs of gratitude at outside entrances.

In a letter to CMS Administrator Seema Verma regarding the expansion of Medicare’s accelerated payment program and creation of an add-on payment for Medicare patients with COVID-19, the AHA urges the agency to provide as much flexibility as possible with implementation in order to maximize the program’s effectiveness in supporting providers during the crisis related to COVID-19

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act authorized $2.2 trillion in new spending to help individuals and businesses weather the economic downturn caused by COVID-19, as well as to provide critical resources to the health care system.

We are grateful to Congress for efforts to support our nation, especially our nurses, physicians and hospitals during this global pandemic.

Building on provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has expanded the Medicare accelerated payment program, which is intended to provide necessary funds to providers when there is a disruption in claims submission and/or claims processing.

The AHA, joined by five other organizations that represent or collaborate with individuals and institutions at the forefront of delivering health care in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, are concerned with the shortages of masks, face shields and other personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilators, swab kits, and testing capacity that are critically needed by frontline caregivers and patients.

At the American Hospital Association our top concern is the health and safety of patients and the physicians, nurses and clinicians who care for them.

The House today by voice vote passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (H.R. 748). The legislation is the third large-scale congressional effort in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The Senate passed the bill 96-0. President Trump is expected to sign it.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) today announced a national initiative to secure millions of masks for the physicians, nurses and caregivers who are treating coronavirus patients and at greater risk due to a nationwide shortage of personal protective equipment. The effort will facilitate private sector partnerships to address these shortages in the fight against COVID-19.

AONL members can access two American Hospital Association (AHA) webinars with information related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To help prevent the spread in health care facilities of the virus causing COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released updated guidance this week on discharging hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Two Mayo Clinic surgeons are sharing their musical talents, providing an inspirational interlude during the COVID-19 pandemic for fellow health care workers and people in communities across the U.S. Elvis Francois, an orthopedic surgery resident who sings, and William Robinson, an orthopedic surgery resident who plays the piano, shared their rendition of “Imagine” by John Lennon on YouTube.