News

The House of Representatives voted 218-212 to pass a budget resolution for fiscal year 2021 that gives Congress the option to use fast-track procedures to pass President Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package with a simple majority in the Senate.

The AHA urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to use its oversight authority for Medicare Advantage, Medicaid managed care, Children’s Health Insurance Program and Health Insurance Marketplace health plans to prevent UnitedHealthcare from implementing certain diagnostic and specialty pharmacy coverage restrictions for enrollees.

AHA is partnering with the American Medical Association and the American Nurses Association to urge the public to get vaccinated against COVID-19 when their opportunity arises.

The AHA voiced support for the Ensuring Coverage in Public Health Emergencies Act (H.R. 526), legislation that would automatically trigger a special enrollment period so consumers can apply for Marketplace or employer-sponsored coverage during a public health emergency.

Four health care leaders in rural Montana discuss how their organizations are adjusting their internal operations to accommodate COVID-19 patients; rallying their communities together and building new relationships; and rebuilding on the path forward.

With help from a health equity grant collaboration between the AHA’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, UnityPoint launched its CenteringPregnancy Care to Mitigate Racial Disparities Program.

Thomas Yackel, M.D., president of MCV Physicians at VCU Health System, Richmond, Va., will chair AHA’s Committee on Clinical Leadership in 2021. Daniel Handel, M.D., vice president and chief medical officer for the south central region of Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, will serve as chair-elect.

Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released guidance on communication strategies to combat mistrust and build confidence in COVID-19 vaccines based on research on decision making, changing beliefs/attitudes, and reaching and engaging diverse audiences.

The AHA released its 2021 Advocacy Agenda, a forward-looking document designed to positively influence the public policy environment for patients, communities and the health care field.

Learn how hospital and health system leaders such as Heather Farley, M.D., chief wellness officer for ChristianaCare in Delaware, are supporting their clinicians to prevent burnout during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Biden announced an executive order directing federal agencies to review the Trump administration’s public charge rule, among other recent immigration policies.

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing to examine the distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines. Testifying at the hearing were public health officials from Illinois, Michigan, West Virginia, Louisiana and Colorado.

President Biden announced details on several initiatives designed to combat COVID-19. The administration is expanding the supply of vaccines, upping the number of weekly allocated doses to 10.5 million.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced they have filed a joint budget resolution for fiscal year 2021 giving Congress an additional legislative tool to potentially pass COVID-19 relief legislation that enacts President Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan.

Not-for-profit organization the Ad Council is providing a trove of market research designed to understand and effectively message to Black, Hispanic, young adults and others who have expressed hesitancy with getting vaccinated against COVID-19. 

The Department of Defense awarded Ellume USA $231.8 million to ramp up domestic production of its COVID-19 diagnostic test, the first test users can perform fully at home without a prescription.

The AHA voiced support for the Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act (H.R. 315), legislation that would eliminate Medicare sequester cuts during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

About 12. 9 million people received at least one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines between Dec. 14 and Jan. 14, the first month of the U.S. COVID-19 vaccination program, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

Ten Republican senators released highlights from their $618 billion COVID-19 relief proposal, outlined Sunday in a letter to President Biden. The proposal includes $35 billion for the Provider Relief Fund, with 20% set aside for rural hospitals; $20 billion for vaccine efforts; and $50 billion for testing, among other provisions.

Mentorship has been incredibly important in the career development of most health care leaders, including me. Learning from mentors and colleagues has helped me grow personally and professionally.