News

House Republicans late last night introduced a stop-gap spending measure that would extend government funding until March 23, eliminate $5 billion in scheduled Medicaid disproportionate share hospital cuts for fiscal years 2018 and 2019, and extend several Medicare payment adjustments that support access in rural communities.

More than 40 organizations, including the AHA, today urged House and Senate leaders to swiftly pass the Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act (S. 974/H.R. 2212).

Hospitals are experiencing the busiest flu season since the H1N1 flu pandemic in 2009-2010.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host a second question-and-answer session Feb. 15 on applying for and participating in the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced model.

The latest newsletter from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response highlights evacuation stories from last year’s hurricanes and wildfires.

About seven in 10 Americans with employer-sponsored coverage are satisfied with their health plans but concerned about rising costs, according to a survey released today by America’s Health Insurance Plans.

More than 850 rural health care leaders are in Phoenix this week for the 31st Annual AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference.

A bipartisan group of 30 senators and 64 representatives Friday asked Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., to take all available action to address current intravenous saline shortages affecting hospitals across the country.

The AHA today said that a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine “fails to draw meaningful, valid conclusions” about the 340B Drug Pricing Program “due to constraints and flaws” in the methodology.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Friday approved a Section 1115 demonstration waiver for Indiana that will require some adult beneficiaries to work or participate in other “community engagement” activities.

Nicholas Tejeda, CEO of The Hospitals of Providence Transmountain Campus in El Paso, TX, is 2018 chair of the Institute for Diversity and Health Equity, an AHA affiliate.

The AHA's Hospitals Against Violence campaign will host a Feb. 22 webinar on a Dignity Health family medicine residency program and clinic that trains future physicians to recognize and appropriately treat human trafficking victims and survivors.

Like many of you, Carilion serves a diverse population, including many in rural communities.

The flu hospitalization rate rose last week to 51.4 per 100,000 people, the highest rate for this point in the year since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began enhanced surveillance of laboratory-confirmed flu hospitalizations during the H1N1 flu pandemic in 2009-2010.

The Federal Communications Commission should increase the funding cap for the Rural Health Care Program to at least account for inflation since the program began, and at the rate of inflation moving forward, AHA told the agency in comments submitted today.

Employment at the nation's hospitals rose by 0.25% in January to a seasonally adjusted 5,138,800 people, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.

The American Organization of Nurse Executives on April 13 will present its 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award to Linda Quinn Everett, RN.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services yesterday announced additional proposed changes to Medicare Advantage and Part D payment policies for calendar year 2019.

Legislators need to be reminded that our patients and communities are depending on us more than ever before.

Hospitals are experiencing shortages of sterile water used to reconstitute certain medications for injection.