News

Congress should address any statutory constraints that prevent the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Department of Health and Human Services from adequately helping hospitals and other health care providers impacted by the Change Healthcare cyberattack, AHA said a letter submitted to the House Ways and Means Committee for a hearing March 20 with HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra.

AHA again urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services March 20 to permanently allow telehealth providers to administer services from their homes without listing their home address on Medicare enrollment and claims forms, which would pose privacy and safety risks, add unnecessary operational and administrative burden, and could lead to confusion regarding practice location.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services expects to launch a voluntary primary care model in January 2025 for low-revenue accountable care organizations that participate in the Medicare Shared Savings Program.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights March 18 released updated guidance for HIPAA-covered entities and business associates on using online tracking technologies.

The AHA’s Association for Health Care Resource & Materials Management (AHRMM) has named as its new executive director Mike Schiller, who has served as interim executive director since late 2023 and has 35 years of leadership in the health care supply chain and association field.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation March 18 released an evidence-informed guide to help hospital leaders implement a systems approach to accelerate professional well-being.

The Coalition to Protect America’s Health Care is now the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare: Protecting 24/7 Care, a rebrand intended to reflect its renewed focus to protect and strengthen patients’ access to 24/7 care.

AHA March 18 shared with the House Ways and Means Committee its proposals to strengthen access to timely emergency medical care, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

The AHA’s Hospitals Against Violence (HAV) initiative shares resources and strategies to promote a culture of safety across the field. To guide health care leaders in efforts to prevent and mitigate violence, the HAV initiative developed the Building a Safe Workplace and Community framework.

A specialist in geriatrics at Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, Calif., shares how the Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative and geriatric accreditation for its emergency department helped it improve care for older patients.

The National Resident Matching Program March 15 matched 38,941 medical school seniors and graduates to U.S. residency positions, 3.3% more than last year.

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission March 15 released its March report to Congress, which includes its recent recommendations for hospital and other Medicare payment systems for fiscal year 2025.

Responding March 15 to a House Committee on Education and the Workforce request for comments on ways to strengthen the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, AHA called for greater oversight of ERISA-regulated insurers to prevent inappropriate care denials, payment delays and self-dealing by vertically integrated insurers.

A March 14 editorial in the Washington Post calling for Congress to enact so-called site-neutral policies is “deeply flawed and incredibly out of touch with the realities hospitals and health systems are experiencing right now,” AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack wrote March 15 in a blog post.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services March 15 announced flexibilities to help states initiate interim Medicaid payments to health care providers impacted by the Change Healthcare cyberattack.

Ninety-four percent of hospitals are experiencing a financial impact from the Change Healthcare cyberattack with more than half reporting “significant or serious” impact, according to results from an AHA survey released today.

In 30 days hospital and health system leaders from throughout the nation will gather in Washington, D.C. for the 2024 AHA Annual Membership Meeting.

President Biden March 13 announced the White House Challenge to Save Lives from Overdose, a national call to action for the public and private sectors to increase training on and access to life-saving opioid overdose reversal medications for communities, employees and customers.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services March 13 released additional information on the Medicare accelerated and advance payments that hospitals, physicians and others impacted by the Change Healthcare cyberattack may apply for through their Medicare Administrative Contractors.

The Environmental Protection Agency March 14 issued a final rule that will require significantly reduced emissions from commercial facilities that sterilize medical devices and other equipment using ethylene oxide gas.