Hospital News

The Federal Emergency Management Agency this week released recommendations to help organizations receiving FEMA COVID-19 public assistance document and account for disaster costs, comply with federal procurement standards and safeguard personally identifiable information. Under the federal emergency declarations for COVID-19, government entities and certain private non-profit organizations, such as hospitals and health systems, may apply for

President Biden today submitted to Congress his discretionary budget request for fiscal year 2022. The budget request, which is not binding, proposes $1.5 trillion for appropriated spending in FY 2022, including $769 billion for domestic programs, a 16% increase over last year’s level. The full budget request is expected to be released later this spring.  

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Rochelle Walensky M.D., yesterday declared racism “a serious public health threat,” and said the agency would accelerate its work to address racism as a fundamental driver of racial and ethnic health inequities in the United States. A new CDC website on racism and health will serve as a hub for the

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has selected 61 applicants for the Value in Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Demonstration, a four-year Medicare payment model beginning this month for selected health care providers who agree to participate. Participants will test whether a new care management fee and performance-based incentive payment for OUD treatment services reduces hospitalizations and improves

Noncommercial use of original content on www.aha.org is granted to AHA Institutional Members, their employees and State, Regional and Metro Hospital Associations unless otherwise indicated. AHA does not claim ownership of any content, including content incorporated by permission into AHA produced materials, created by any third party and cannot grant permission to use, distribute or

Pfizer today said it is seeking an amended emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine, requesting that the Food and Drug Administration allow its use for individuals between 12 and 15 years old. The request follows last week’s release of late-trial data affirming the vaccine’s safety for that age group, along with 100% effectiveness in preventing

When Congress returns to Washington, D.C., on Monday, lawmakers’ attention will turn to one of the largest infrastructure spending packages in our nation’s history.  The legislation that President Biden outlined last week would focus on the repair and replacement of roads, bridges and transit systems. We believe that any comprehensive infrastructure plan must also include

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services late today issued a proposed rule to update skilled nursing facility payment rates for fiscal year 2022. The rule would update payments by a net 1.3% relative to FY 2021 ($444 million), which includes a 2.3% market basket, a 0.2 percentage point productivity reduction and a forecast error

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services late today issued a proposed rule to update hospice payment rates for fiscal year 2022. CMS proposes a 2.3% ($530 million) net increase to payments, compared to FY 2021. This includes a 2.5% market basket update and a 0.2 percentage point cut for productivity. The agency also proposed a

Fifty-three organizations began participating April 1 in the first performance year of the Global and Professional Direct Contracting Model, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation announced today. Organizations that applied and deferred their start date will start the model on Jan. 1, 2022, if they continue to meet the model’s requirements, but the agency

The availability of swift, accurate and reliable diagnostic testing during the public health emergency has been extremely important. Lab testing is essential to proper treatment, enabling clinicians to diagnose and treat a vast spectrum of issues. And, curtailing the ability of providers to offer onsite diagnostics can severely limit patient access to care, as the

Learn how hospital and health system leaders such as Neil Gomes, system senior vice president of digital and human experiences at CommonSpirit Health, are looking beyond the pandemic to address long-standing vulnerabilities in the health care supply chain during crisis situations. Watch the 10-minute video, part of AHA’s Transformation Talks series on strategies for reimagining health

Noncommercial use of original content on www.aha.org is granted to AHA Institutional Members, their employees and State, Regional and Metro Hospital Associations unless otherwise indicated. AHA does not claim ownership of any content, including content incorporated by permission into AHA produced materials, created by any third party and cannot grant permission to use, distribute or

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit yesterday affirmed a district court decision rejecting an Albuquerque physician practice’s claims that Presbyterian Healthcare Services engaged in exclusionary or anticompetitive conduct under the Sherman Act. The AHA in September filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of that decision.  “Vertically integrated health care delivery systems offer the