News

In a statement and blog post Friday, AHA took issue with a recent Washington Post editorial calling for payment cuts to hospitals and health systems as part of efforts to stabilize the Medicare program.

Medicare patients who receive care in a hospital outpatient department are more likely to come from medically underserved populations and be sicker and more complex to treat than Medicare patients treated in independent physician offices and ambulatory surgical centers, according to a study by KNG Health Consulting released today by the AHA, underscoring why proposals to compensate hospitals and health systems the same as IPOs and ASCs under Medicare would threaten patient access to care.

On this episode, I talk with Bob Garrett, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health, based in New Jersey. Bob and I discuss the important role of hospitals and health systems in leading medical research and innovation to transform health care and make patient care better, accessible and more efficient.

Hospitals and health systems are invited to showcase their innovations, models and examples of leadership on a global stage by submitting abstracts for oral or poster presentations at the 46th World Hospital Congress, Oct. 25-27 in Lisbon, Portugal.

AHA’s United Against the Flu campaign today released a new social media toolkit to help hospitals and health systems encourage their communities to get vaccinated.

The Food and Drug Administration today released final guidance for transitioning medical device enforcement policies and emergency use authorizations established during the COVID-19 public health emergency to normal operations.

Nonprofit behavioral health organizations may apply through May 22 for up to $1 million each to establish a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic and existing certified clinics may apply for up to $1 million each to expand or improve their services, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced today.

The Department of Health and Human Services yesterday released a mobile device security checklist for the health care sector, and an update on the Black Basta ransomware group targeting the sector since last year.

Some of the most impactful laws passed in our country have needed to be revisited and fine-tuned to remain relevant to peoples’ lives.

Some recent media articles have used the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s March report to Congress to suggest a one-sided, inaccurate and misleading view of hospitals’ financial situations, writes Ashley Thompson, AHA’s senior vice president for public policy analysis and development.

A new webpage showcases a timeline of significant milestones as the AHA and its members worked to advance health in America over the years. 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services today approved a state plan amendment allowing Oklahoma to extend postpartum coverage from 60 days to 12 months after pregnancy for Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program enrollees under the American Rescue Plan Act.

Clinicians licensed in primary care, dental or mental/behavioral health care disciplines can apply through April 25 for loan repayment assistance through the National Health Service Corps.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services plans to extend the Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design Model for an additional five years, from 2025 through 2030, introducing changes to support health-related social needs and health equity.

In a letter submitted to the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee for a hearing this afternoon on “Why Health Care is Unaffordable: The Fallout of Democrats’ Inflation on Patients and Small Businesses,” AHA shared how rising labor and other costs for hospitals and health systems are exacerbating workforce shortages and delaying patient access to care. 

As states prepare for Medicaid’s continuous enrollment requirement to end March 31, AHA today joined the Connecting to Coverage Coalition, a diverse group of organizations working to provide trusted information about the Medicaid redetermination process and minimize disruptions in coverage.

The Health Resources and Services Administration today released 2017-2022 Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network data on the number of organ donors, organ transplant recipients and waitlist candidates, which it plans to update regularly.

Health delivery organizations are invited to apply through May 17 for the 2024 Foster G. McGaw Prize, which honors organizations that demonstrate a strategic approach to community health and health equity, improve access to care for historically marginalized communities and address societal factors that influence health. One winner and three finalists will receive cash awards.

In this AHA podcast, hear the inside story on the FBI’s successful infiltration and shutdown of a cybercriminal gang that specialized in hospital and health system extortion.

The Federal Communications Commission today released a final rule adopting changes proposed last year to the Rural Health Care Program to improve the accuracy of urban and rural rates, funding cap rules and invoicing for the program, among other changes.