News

In a 26-0 vote, the Senate Finance Committee Nov. 8 reported the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act, bipartisan legislation that includes AHA-supported provisions to improve access to behavioral health care and delay Medicaid disproportionate share hospital reductions.

The latest poster in AHA’s People Matter, Words Matter series focuses on using compassionate language when discussing maternal mental health.

The FBI Nov. 7 recommended organizations take certain steps to prevent ransomware actors from exploiting vulnerabilities in third-party and system management tools, an emerging trend.

Over 3,700 babies were born with syphilis in 2022, 32% more than in 2021 and 10 times more than in 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Nov. 7.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Nov. 6 proposed changes to the Medicare Advantage and prescription drug programs for contract year 2025 intended to improve access to behavioral health care; ensure that agents and brokers enroll individuals in the best plan for their needs and that MA plans offer appropriate supplemental benefits; streamline enrollment for individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid; and annually review MA utilization management policies for health equity considerations.

AHA Nov. 7 reiterated its support for the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, bipartisan legislation reintroduced last week in the House and Senate that would recapture up to 40,000 unused employment visas — 25,000 for nurses and 15,000 for physicians.

AHA Nov. 6 released Expanding the Reach, strategies to help hospitals and health systems recruit, hire and support veterans, the latest section in AHA’s popular Strengthening the Health Care Workforce series. 

The more than 11,000 patients who received care during the first 16 months of the Acute Hospital Care at Home initiative had a low mortality rate and minimal complications related to escalations back to the brick-and-mortar hospital, according to a study reported Friday in JAMA Health Forum.

Children under age 12 should receive a 0.25 milliliter dose of the 2023-24 Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, not the full vial for that age group, the Food and Drug Administration reminded health care providers recently.

Over 30 members of the House of Representatives Nov. 3 urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to monitor and evaluate how Medicare Advantage plans use artificial intelligence and algorithms to guide their coverage decisions, and ensure these tools comply with Medicare rules and do not create barriers to care.

Nearly 15 years ago, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine estimated that only 1.5% of acute care general medical and surgical hospitals had a comprehensive electronic health records system.

Leaders from Northwestern Medical Center in Vermont share how their CEO transition plan helped accelerate their organization’s success and ensure a smooth changeover.

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology has updated its Common Agreement for Nationwide Health Information Interoperability for health information networks that qualify to exchange electronic health information through the voluntary Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement.

The Department of Health and Human Services recently released an advisory to help health care organizations protect their systems and networks from 8Base, a ransomware and data extortion gang targeting small- and medium-sized organizations in health care and other sectors.

The Healthcare Workforce Coalition, whose founding members include the AHA, Nov. 3 applauded Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and Reps. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., and Don Bacon, R-Neb., for reintroducing the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, legislation that would recapture up to 40,000 unused employment visas — 25,000 for nurses and 15,000 for physicians.

Coverage is the gateway to access health services that can ensure healthier individuals, healthier families and healthier communities.

The AHA, joined by the Texas Hospital Association, Texas Health Resources, and United Regional Health Care System, Nov. 2 sued the federal government to bar enforcement of an unlawful, harmful and counterproductive rule that has upended hospitals’ and health systems’ ability to share health care information with the communities they serve, analyze their own websites to enhance accessibility, and improve public health. 

CMS releases CY 2024 physician fee schedule final rule with a conversion factor cut of 3.4%. Read on to understand the impact on healthcare providers.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Nov. 2 issued a final rule that increases Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system rates by a net 3.1% in calendar year 2024 compared to 2023. This includes a 3.3% market basket update, offset by a 0.2% cut for productivity.

Following last year’s unanimous Supreme Court decision in favor of the AHA and others, the Department of Health and Human Services Nov. 2 issued a final rule outlining the agency’s remedy for the unlawful payment cuts to certain hospitals that participate in the 340B Drug Pricing Program.