News

CMS is accepting applications to participate in the Primary Care Initiative’s professional and global direct contracting options in calendar year 2020.

Critical access hospitals that did not achieve meaningful use of certified electronic health record technology in the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program for the 2018 reporting period can apply through Dec. 2 for a hardship exception to avoid a 2018 payment adjustment.

More than 900,000 veterans used the Department of Veterans Affairs’ telehealth services in fiscal year 2019.

The Food and Drug Administration today announced a voluntary pilot program to expedite approvals of certain changes to ethylene oxide sterilization processes and facilities.

In a three-year study of Medicare data from hospitals in Texas, patients receiving care from hospitalists whose schedules permitted continuity of care had lower mortality, readmissions and costs 30 days after discharge and were more likely to be discharged directly home.

The National Health Law Program and other groups Friday filed a class action lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services for approving a Section 1115 waiver for New Hampshire that requires certain adults to work to maintain Medicaid coverage, among other changes.

Over the past two decades, hospital and health system leaders have “heeded the call” of the 1999 Institute of Medicine report “To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System,” AHA leaders write today in FierceHealthcare.

Lawrence “Lorry” J. Massa, who had a 40-year career in health care, including leading the Minnesota Hospital Association as president and CEO for nearly 11 years until his retirement in September, died Nov. 22. He was 65.

Tomorrow’s health care leaders can get a big boost from a new AHA program designed to develop and accelerate their ability to successfully lead America’s hospitals and health systems into the next decade and beyond.

Non-profit hospitals are experiencing more bad debt (unpaid bills) after an initial decline following Medicaid expansion in 2014.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services seeks input through Dec. 20 from hospitals and others on what questions to include in surveys to assess and strengthen outreach, monitoring and enforcement for the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies Competitive Bidding Program.

Thomas Engels was promoted this month to administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration after serving as acting administrator since August.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host a Dec. 3 call on its final rule requiring hospitals to disclose payer-specific negotiated rates effective Jan. 1, 2021.

Dennis Barry, an influential health care leader and former chairman of the AHA Board of Trustees, died Nov. 21. He was 80.

Thank you for everything you do — throughout the entire year — to advance health in America.

President Trump yesterday signed a continuing resolution funding the federal government through Dec. 20 and delaying impending Medicaid cuts, among other provisions.

The Senate today voted 74-20 to approve and send to the president a continuing resolution funding the federal government through Dec. 20 and delaying impending Medicaid cuts, among other provisions.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee this week approved two AHA-supported bills to strengthen maternal care and access to care, including in rural areas.

A coalition of 14 health care organizations, including the AHA, today voiced support for the Accountable Care in Rural America Act, the companion to Senate legislation that would revise the benchmarking formula for the Medicare Shared Savings Program to ensure participating ACOs have an equal opportunity to share in savings regardless of their geographic location.

The House of Representatives today voted 251-158 to pass legislation (H.R. 1309) that would require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue a workplace violence prevention standard, and health care and social service employers to comply with the standard to participate in Medicare.