Legislation and Legislative Advocacy

The American Hospital Association (AHA) shares resources on health care legislation being considered by the U.S. House and Senate and legislative advocacy opportunities for hospitals and health systems.

At an AHA virtual policy briefing today for congressional staff, hospital and health system leaders urged Congress to prioritize actions to address the rising costs of caring, workforce challenges and diminished Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements, which have made 2022 the most difficult financial…
As Congress begins to focus on its year-end agenda, AHA today urged lawmakers to prioritize certain actions to help hospitals and health systems address rising costs, workforce challenges and diminished Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements.
The House today voted 230-201 to pass a continuing resolution extending current federal funding levels for health care and other programs through Dec. 16. The Senate approved the measure yesterday. Current government funding expires at midnight tonight.
The House today passed legislation that would suspend through 2022 tariffs on certain infant formula base powders used to make infant formula in the United States.
The Senate today voted 72-25 to pass and send to the House a continuing resolution that would extend current federal funding levels for health care and other programs through Dec. 16.
The AHA and Federation of American Hospitals urged Congress to oppose H.R.1330/S.4130 and any other legislation that would repeal or weaken current law limiting self-referral to physician-owned hospitals.
The Senate Finance Committee today released a discussion draft of legislation to expand the mental health workforce.
UnitedHealth Group may proceed with its proposal to acquire Change Healthcare, a federal district judge ruled yesterday. The Department of Justice, joined by Minnesota and New York, this year challenged the proposed merger, alleging that the $13 billion transaction would harm competition in…
The AHA and American Medical Association today moved to dismiss their challenge to the federal government’s September 2021 interim final rule governing the No Surprises Act’s independent dispute resolution process. 
The American Hospital Association today released a new report highlighting the variety of causes that resulted in 136 rural hospital closures from 2010 to 2021, and a record 19 closures in 2020 alone.