Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources and Special Communications

The American Hospital Association asks the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to consider taking additional actions that would expand the ability of hospitals and health systems to use telehealth in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

We want our health care heroes to see and feel our support. Join us in thanking them for their courageous and tireless efforts in the fight against COVID-19 by using and sharing these collateral materials.

Hear from two nurse executives in California on how they are leading their organizations’ COVID-19 preparedness and response efforts.

We appreciate all of your efforts and encourage you to visit the websites of your local hospitals and health systems to determine what needs exist and how you can best support them. In the event that they are not needed, these masks can be used by you, your family and friends in your community. Our hope is that manufacturing companies across the company will step up to rapidly produce surgery-grade masks and face shields for health care workers.

AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack provides a statement on the use of the CARES Act.

A statement from the AHA, AMA and ANA on the CDC’s Recommendations for the Public on Cloth Masks

The AHA engaged the law firm Jones Day to provide more in-depth information to hospitals and health systems on a number of the key issues they currently face as employers. Recently enacted federal legislation and its implementation by federal agencies in response to the COVID-19 virus has raised a number of these employer-related questions for hospitals and health systems. These new provisions add to the existing laws and various requirements that remain in effect during the crisis.

Released April 1, 2020

As the coronavirus continues to unfold, hospitals and health systems are scrambling to develop, execute and adjust their communications plans. AHA offers tools and resources to help the field communicate efficiently and effectively during this pandemic.

Last week, Congress and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services made important legislative and regulatory changes to expand the Medicare accelerated/advanced payment programs, which are intended to provide necessary funds to providers/suppliers when there is a disruption in claims submission and/or claims processing.

The AHA today urged the Department of Treasury and Federal Reserve to implement a Mid-Sized Business Loan Program quickly and in a manner that ensures such access will be attainable for hospitals.<

the American Hospital Association appreciates the variety of just-enacted statutory and regulatory efforts to assist our country’s health care organizations. Hospitals and health systems are on the frontline of the fight to protect potentially millions of citizens against the ravages of the COVID-19 virus, while continuing to meet the ongoing health needs of their communities. The financial and operational needs of hospitals and health systems at this time and in the near future are and will remain enormous, and must be addressed if our health care system is to survive and continue its central role in supporting the health and wellbeing of our nation.

We encourage all of our hospitals and health systems to partner and coordinate with businesses in your communities that may have the equipment and ability to help produce much needed personal protective equipment. We have provided all of our design specs to be shared widely.

Providence St. Joseph Health, headquartered in Washington State, launched the 100 Million Mask Challenge and has seen a tremendous outpouring of support from individuals, community organizations and local manufacturers. The American Hospital Association will now bring the initiative to scale across the country, facilitating new relationships between providers in need of surgical masks and manufacturers with the capacity to produce them.

AHRMM is collaborating with a valued third-party company utilizing their solution, expertise and processes to vet non-traditional suppliers offering personal protective equipment (PPE) and other critical supplies. The vendor list is updated daily.

Tanner Health System in Carrollton, Georgia, is using social media—outside and inside its hospitals—to encourage and inspire health care workers. Cookies help too.

The AHA has asked the Department of Health and Human Services to consider taking a series of actions to temporarily suspend certain requirements in order for health care providers to better respond to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.