News

CMS approved Medicaid demonstrations for Oregon and Massachusetts that will test innovative approaches to help eligible enrollees maintain coverage and access social services, including evidenced-based nutritional assistance and clinically-tailored housing supports. 

In a study of 151 tax-exempt hospitals reported yesterday in JAMA Network Open, 84% updated their charity care policies between 2019 and 2021.

At a White House conference today on hunger, nutrition and health, the Biden Administration announced $8 billion in

AHA today released Suicide Prevention: Evidence-Informed Interventions for the

Commenting on a proposed rule that would reinstate certain regulatory protections against discrimination in health care programs and activities under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act that the prior Administration removed in 2020, AHA said hospitals and health systems remain committed to diversity, inclusion and health equity.  

The United States District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in favor of the AHA, holding that HHS must immediately halt the departments’ unlawful cuts to outpatient reimbursement rates for the remainder of 2022 for certain hospitals that participate in the 340B Drug Pricing Program. 

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.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra yesterday declared a public health emergency for Florida as Hurricane Ian approaches, and waived or modified certain Medicare, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program requirements to ensure sufficient health care items and services are available.

Pfizer has submitted a request for the Food and Drug Administration to authorize a 10-microgram booster dose of its bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster for emergency use in children aged 5-11.

The Medicare Part A deductible for inpatient hospital services will increase by $44 in calendar year 2023, to $1,600, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced today.

AHA today submitted comments to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission as the panel considers potential changes to the Medicare hospital wage index, Part B drug payment policies and the Medicare Advantage program.

The AHA, American Medical Association and Medical Group Management Association today urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services not to include a convening/co-provider framework when implementing the Advanced Explanation of Benefits and insured good faith estimate provisions under the No Surprises Act.

AHA yesterday thanked Reps. Jason Crow, D-Colo., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., for introducing a House companion to the Healthcare Cybersecurity Act, AHA-supported legislation that would improve collaboration and coordination between the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and Department of Health and Human Services.

Health care providers who treat uninsured or underinsured patients with commercially procured bebtelovimab, a COVID-19 monoclonal antibody therapy for outpatients at high risk for hospitalization,

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Friday reopened the comment period for a 2020 interim final rule that set forth certain requirements for states to claim a temporary increase in federal matching funds for their Medicaid programs under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

Moderna Friday submitted its request that the Food and Drug Administration authorize for emergency use its bivalent COVID-19 vaccine for children and adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 years old. The bivalent version of its mRNA vaccine is designed to target both the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 and the BA.4/.5 omicron subvariants.

A coalition of organizations, including the AHA, today urged the Department of Health and Human Services to consider postponing for one year the Oct. 6 deadline for health care providers to begin sharing all electronic protected health information in a designated record set, as defined under HIPAA, to ensure they understand the requirements and have the technology to support them.

AHA Friday urged the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to deny the Department of Health and Human Services’ request to modify a court order requiring it to completely eliminate the remaining 19,802 Medicare appeals backlogged at the Administration Law Judge level. HHS now contends that it cannot fully comply with the order, stating that “it is unlikely that the backlog could be reduced completely to zero by the end of the fiscal year.” In a brief filed with the court, AHA said it would agree to a modest extension, but “the end goal must be the elimination of” the backlog.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Friday updated its COVID-19 infection control guidance for U.S. health care settings based on current information. The guidance updates the circumstances when source control (respirator and face mask use) and universal personal protective equipment are recommended, and no longer uses vaccination status to inform source control, screening testing or post-exposure recommendations.

On this episode, I talk with Peggy Abbott, CEO of Ouachita County Medical Center in Camden, Ark.