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.

AHA Feb. 5 voiced support for many provisions in a proposed rule to improve how the No Surprises Act independent dispute resolution process functions, but said the departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury still need to address several issues critical to the functionality of…
The House Ways and Means Committee Jan. 19 voted 40-3 to advance the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024.
In an interview Jan. 17 in the Washington Post’s Health 202 newsletter, AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack explains why ‘site-neutral’ Medicare proposals jeopardize access to hospital care for vulnerable populations, the need to delay impending cuts to Medicaid disproportionate share hospitals and…
As the first of two deadlines to fund the federal government approaches Jan. 19, the Coalition to Protect America’s Health Care yesterday launched a television ad on network and cable news shows urging Congress to reject Medicare cuts to hospitals and health systems already pushed to the brink by…
The departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury Dec. 15 reopened the federal independent dispute resolution portal to process all dispute types.
The departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury Dec. 15 reopened the federal independent dispute resolution portal to process all dispute types, including previously initiated batched disputes, new batched disputes and new single disputes involving air ambulance services.
A bipartisan group of senators  Dec. 13 introduced AHA-supported legislation that would extend the 5% Medicare payment incentives for advanced Alternative Payment Models under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, which are set to expire this year.
The House Dec. 12 voted 386-37 to pass AHA-supported legislation (H.R. 4531) that would reauthorize key SUPPORT Act programs for patients with substance use disorder and permanently extend required Medicaid coverage for medication-assisted treatments.
The House Dec. 11 voted 320-71 to pass legislation (H.R. 5378) that would delay a Jan. 19 payment reduction to Medicaid disproportionate share hospitals for two years, but permanently reduce Medicare payments for drug administration services in off-campus hospital outpatient departments.
AHA Nov. 27 applauded the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals Act (H.R. 6430), legislation that would extend for five additional years the Medicare-dependent Hospital program and enhanced low-volume Medicare adjustment.