News

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General reported findings from a random survey of hospital leaders last month on their most difficult current challenges responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, greatest concerns going forward and how the government could best help. 

Given the sustained increase in variants resistant to bamlanivimab alone, and availability of alternative authorized monoclonal antibodies, the U.S. government, in coordination with Eli Lilly, will stop the distribution of bamlanivimab alone starting today, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response announced.

A new toolkit from AHA’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity focuses on leveraging patient data to advance health equity. The first in a new series of health equity resources, the toolkit was released last week in concert with the Accelerating Health Equity Conference.

The AHA voiced support for the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021 (S. 834), legislation that would add 14,000 Medicare-funded residency positions to alleviate physician shortages that threaten patients’ access to care. 

Join the AHA March 30 at 12 p.m. ET to hear how Atrium Health and American Airlines came together to “get shots in arms” through mass vaccination events in Charlotte, N.C. Webinar speakers will discuss the planning, partnerships and support required to hold these events. 

A new analysis prepared by Kaufman, Hall & Associates LLC and released by the AHA shows that even under the most optimistic scenario, including a smooth vaccine roll-out and reduced COVID-19 hospitalizations, 39% of hospitals would operate in the red in 2021, a marked increase over pre-pandemic baselines.

The National Resident Matching Program matched a record 36,179 medical school seniors and graduates to U.S. residency positions, 2.6% more than last year. Applicants include students and graduates of U.S. and international medical schools.

The AHA Center for Health Innovation invites hospitals and health systems to participate in its second Hospital Community Collaborative, which will focus on COVID-19-related community needs. 

The Food and Drug Administration authorized for emergency use an armband device that screens people without COVID-19 symptoms for certain potential SARS-CoV-2 biomarkers, such as excessive blood clotting. 

AstraZeneca said its AZD1222 COVID-19 vaccine candidate is safe and effective, based on data culled from a phase 3 clinical trial of 32,449 U.S. patients. 

Health care is about human connection: people taking care of people. The people of America’s hospitals and health systems do this each and every day, and the COVID-19 pandemic has shone a spotlight on the vital role they play in our nation’s health and safety. 

The House of Representatives voted 246-175 to approve H.R. 1868, a bill that, among other health care provisions, would eliminate the 2% across-the-board cut to all Medicare payments, known as sequestration, until the end of 2021.

The Food and Drug Administration yesterday updated the health care provider fact sheets for all three monoclonal antibody therapies authorized for emergency use to include information on whether SARS-CoV-2 variants may show resistance to that therapy.

AHA urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to extend the five-year window for building medical residency programs to account for the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The Department of Health and Human Services postponed for one year, pending judicial review, a final rule that would require the agency to assess periodically each regulation to determine whether it has a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities and, if so, determine whether to retain, modify or eliminate the regulation.

The incredible job that hospitals and caregivers have done over the past year saving lives, treating very sick patients and protecting their communities has been acknowledged and enabled by Congress through relief aid several times since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

For the first time, the Food and Drug Administration authorized marketing a SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test beyond the public health emergency based on additional data. FDA previously authorized the BioFire Respiratory Panel 2.1 test for emergency use to detect SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory pathogens in individuals with suspected COVID-19.

AHA urged the Department of Justice to investigate thoroughly UnitedHealth Group’s proposed acquisition of Change Healthcare because it threatens to reduce competition for the sale of health care information technology services to hospitals and other health care providers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has created a federal classification scheme for SARS-CoV-2 variants and posted information on their prevalence in the United States.

The Senate voted 50-49 to confirm President Biden’s nomination of Xavier Becerra to be the next Secretary of Health and Human Services.