Hospitals, Nurses and Physicians Call for National Emergency Declaration

The American Hospital Association (AHA), the American Nurses Association(ANA) and the American Medical Association (AMA) asks the President to declare the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a disaster or emergency under the Stafford Act or the National Emergencies Act. This step is necessary to provide the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar the
authority to take critical actions, such as providing Section 1135 waivers, to ensure that health care services and sufficient health care items are available to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.