The American Hospital Association appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ proposed regulation regarding policy and technical changes to Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug program for Contract Years 2021 and 2022.
Letters
Throughout the year, the AHA comments on a vast number of proposed and interim final rules put forth by the federal regulatory agencies. In addition, AHA communicates with federal legislators to convey the hospital field's position on potential legislative changes that would impact patients and patient care. Below are the most recent letters from the AHA to these bodies.
Latest
The American Hospital Association urges the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to exercise existing authorities to waive interest or substantially reduce the interest rate on any balance owed on accelerated/advanced payments made under section 3719 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the March 28 expansion announcement by CMS.
the American Hospital Association (AHA) asks the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to consider additional actions to temporarily suspend certain requirements in order for health care providers to better respond to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
The American Hospital Association urges the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to use its authority to extend to LTCHs the existing 20% hospital add-on payment for Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with COVID-19.
The American Hospital Association asks the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to consider taking additional actions that would expand the ability of hospitals and health systems to use telehealth in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Responding to a Senate Finance Committee request for solutions to address poor maternal health outcomes, AHA suggested several specific actions that could be taken at the federal level, from expanding Medicaid in non-expansion states and extending postpartum coverage for women enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP to requiring state Medicaid programs to cover telemedicine for maternal care.
the American Hospital Association appreciates the variety of just-enacted statutory and regulatory efforts to assist our country’s health care organizations. Hospitals and health systems are on the frontline of the fight to protect potentially millions of citizens against the ravages of the COVID-19 virus, while continuing to meet the ongoing health needs of their communities.
The financial and operational needs of hospitals and health systems at this time and in the near future are and will remain enormous, and must be addressed if our health care system is to survive and continue its central role in supporting the health and wellbeing of our nation.
AHA asked SBA to waive regulations that would prevent hospitals and health systems with a prior loss to the government (including bankruptcy) from being eligible for these loans.
The AHA urged leaders from the nation’s five largest private health insurance companies – Aetna, Anthem, Humana, Cigna and UnitedHealthCare – and organizations that represent insurers (America’s Health Insurance Plans and Blue Cross Blue Shield Association) to join hospitals and health systems to “meet the historic challenge” caused by COVID-19.
A letter to the Drug Enforcement Agency from the AHA, American Medical Association, American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and Association for Clinical Oncology asking the agency to allow drug manufacturers and 503B outsourcing facilities to receive increased annual production quota controlled-substance allocations during the COVID-19 crisis.