News

Hospitals and health systems added 3,400 jobs in January, while U.S.

The AHA and a number of other national health care organizations yesterday published a new resource with five evidence-based action items that hospital and health system leaders can use to support the well-being of nurses, doctors and other team members during the current stage of the pandemic.

The Government Accountability Office today extended to Feb. 11 its survey for HIPAA-covered health care entities and business associates on their experiences complying with the Department of Health and Human Services’ data breach reporting requirements and HHS efforts to improve the data breach reporting process. The AHA assisted GAO in developing the survey, which will inform a future GAO report to Congress on data breach reporting by covered entities, including any challenges reported by covered entities and HHS efforts to address them.

The AHA today responded to a request for information on design considerations for legislation to make health care more affordable, released last month by a House Republican task force led by Reps. Kevin Hern, R-Okla.; Rick Allen, R-Ga.; and Victoria Spartz, R-Ind.

The Coalition to Protect America’s Health Care, of which the AHA is a founding member, will launch a new TV ad urging Congress to act now to prevent pending Medicare cuts and ensure hospitals and health systems have the resources they need to care for their patients and communities.

Community-based ambulatory patient care centers that sponsor an accredited primary care residency program can apply through March 31 for grants from the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program to expand their residency positions, particularly in rural and underserved areas, the Health Resources and Services Administration announced yesterday. HRSA expects to award about $19.2 million in grants. 

Rural hospitals have been and always will be a critical part of the nation’s health care delivery system. For nearly one-in-five Americans, they offer a caring and compassionate lifeline for individuals and families who would have few health care options otherwise.

The White House today released a preliminary planning guide to inform jurisdictional, federal partner and pharmacy planning to distribute the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 6 months through 4 should the Food and Drug Administration authorize the vaccine for emergency use in this age group.

In a statement submitted to the House Ways and Means for a hearing yesterday on the nation’s mental health crisis, AHA voiced support for several initiatives that would expand access to mental health professionals, enforce parity in mental health coverage, and better integrate and coordinate mental and behavioral health care for patients.

Starting this spring, Medicare will allow beneficiaries to receive up to eight free over-the-counter COVID-19 tests monthly at eligible pharmacies and other entities, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced today.

The AHA today released its latest edition of the COVID-19 Snapshot underscoring the persisting challenges facing hospitals and health systems dur

The Federal Emergency Management Agency today published a plan of action to develop a national strategy that would coordinate transportation systems needed to supply, produce and distribute critical COVID-19 health care resources, the latest addition to a 2020 voluntary agreement under the Defense Production Act that permits private sector organizations to coordinate with other organizations to produce and distribute critical health care resources during the pandemic. 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services yesterday released for comment its advance notice of methodological changes to Medicare Advantage capitation rates and Part C and Part D payment policies for calendar year 2023.

Registration is now open for the 2022 Accelerating Health Equity Conference, an in-person event in Cleveland.

In a statement submitted to House and Senate subcommittee hearings on fraud, price gouging and corporate profiteering during the COVID-19 pandemic, the AHA urged Congress to examine reports of anticompetitive conduct by travel staffing agencies and coordinate with the Federal Trade Commission and other agencies to investigate where appropriate. 

While intentional drug overdoses have declined overall in the United States, they have increased among young people, the elderly and Black women, according to study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse published today in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

The Department of Health and Human Services has extended to Feb. 18 the deadline for health care organizations to register for the first phase of its Racial Equity in Postpartum Care Challenge, which will recognize effective programs to address equity in postpartum care for Black and Native women enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

The AHA has released a guide to help health care governing boards work with their organization’s leadership team to set cybersecurity priorities and reduce cyber risks.

As part of AHA’s Joining Hands for Greater Impact series, Priya Bathija, AHA vice president of strategic initiatives, speaks with Rita Carreon, vice president for health at UnidosUS, about how to overcome barriers to vaccine confidence and access in the Latino community.

The Food and Drug Administration announced a Class 1 recall of two COVID-19 tests the agency had not authorized or approved.