AHA asks the President to declare the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a disaster or emergency under the Stafford Act or the National Emergencies Act. This step is necessary to allow the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar the authority to take critical actions, such as providing 1135 waivers, to ensure that health care services and sufficient health care items are available to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.
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 AHA submitted its comments to the Office of Management and Budget regarding the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plans to collect pricing data on Hospital Survey for Specified Covered Outpatient Drugs (SCODs) from all hospitals that participate in the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
AHA expresses concern with the lawsuit brought by the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) and the Attorney General of Pennsylvania to challenge the
The AHA March 5 expressed support for legislation (S. 3399) to extend for five additional years the Frontier Community Health Integration Project (FCHIP) demonstration. Launched in 2016, the FCHIP aims to better integrate and coordinate care, and reduce avoidable hospitalizations, admissions and transfers to distant providers.
The AHA today urged the Department of Health and Human Services to take a number of regulatory actions that would help hospitals and health systems better prepare for and respond to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Among other actions, AHA urged HHS to enable broader use of telehealth and help preserve the supply of N95 respirators.
AHA, health organizations letter to Senate Chairman, Lamar Alexander and Ranking Member Patty Murray, expressing support of S.2723 - The Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages (MEDS) Act.
AHA, health organizations letter to Representatives Peters, Engel, Eshoo, Schrader, Guthrie, Hudson, McCaul, and Bilirakis, supporting the Preventing Drug Shortages Act.
AHA comments on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services's (CMS), Part II of the Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D Advance Notice. In particular, the AHA appreciates the CMS’ ongoing efforts to solicit stakeholder feedback on how to improve the MA Star Ratings Program, and we encourage the agency to develop and incorporate into that program measures related to prior authorization.
AHA comments to CMS on Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2021.
The AHA and American Nurses Association urge Congress to “swiftly provide” $1 billion in initial supplemental emergency funding to support the “urgent preparedness and response needs of hospitals, health systems, physicians and nurses on the front lines” of the novel coronavirus outbreak.