News

Andrea Preisler, AHA senior associate director of administrative simplification policy, Jennifer Cameron, executive director of patient access at Children's National Health System, and David Jacobson, M.D., division chief of blood and marrow transplantation at Children's National Hospital, discuss what the new prior authorization rule means for ensuring clinicians can do what they do best: take care of their patients.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is accepting applications until Aug. 1 for the Accountable Care Organizations Primary Care Flex Model, a voluntary model that will focus on primary care delivery in the Medicare Shared Savings Program.

The Food and Drug Administration last week granted enforcement discretion for the use of conjunctival swabs by laboratories as part of human testing for H5N1 bird flu, as two human cases only showed symptoms of conjunctivitis before confirmation.

The Department of Health and Human Services May 31 announced that hospitals and health systems can require UnitedHealth Group to notify patients if their data was stolen during the Change Healthcare cyberattack Feb. 22.

For nearly a quarter of a century, the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare, of which AHA is a founding member, has shared our agenda of fortifying patients’ access to high-quality health care — 24/7/365.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services May 30 announced Augusta Health as a recipient of its 2024 CMS Health Equity Award for its efforts to reduce disparities in health care access, quality and outcomes.

Applications are open through July 24 for AHA’s 2025 Circle of Life Award, which recognizes hospitals and health systems that advance end-of-life and hospice care that is safe, timely, efficient, effective and equitable

In a Q&A, David Lee, M.D., chair of the Institute for Diversity and Health Equity's Leadership Council, president of OhioHealthy Medical Plan, and vice president at OhioHealth Employer Solutions, and Gregory Lam, M.D., vice president of the Ohio Asian American Health Coalition and co-chair of the Ohio Institute of Communities of Color, discuss health challenges that Asian Americans face and what hospitals can do to reduce disparities.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention May 29 published a blog co-authored by AHA, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, highlighting efforts by federal agencies and the hospital field to address the mental health and well-being of health care workers following incidents of workplace violence.

A report released May 29 by the Government Accountability Office found a lack of state oversight on Medicaid managed care plans’ use of prio

Diane Mariani, program manager at Rush University Medical Center, discusses their Caring for Caregivers program, which shares resources and guidance to family and friends who care for older adults.

The award-winning Beyond Birth podcast series helps bring hospital programs to life by telling personal stories of how they positively impact mothers and their families, writes Julia Resnick, AHA’s director of strategic initiatives.

The AHA May 29 submitted a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services responding to a request for information regarding Medicare Advantage data, urging CMS to increase oversight of the program.

A coalition of 230 national associations, including the AHA, submitted a letter the week of May 20 to the Federal Trade Commission requesting a stay on the Sept. 4 effective date of the Non-Compete Clause Final Rule to allow for judicial review.

The AHA commented May 28 on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility prospective payment system for fiscal year 2025, which would update the IPF payment rate by a net 2.6% compared to FY 2024.

AHA commented May 24 on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' proposed rules for the skilled nursing and inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment systems for fiscal year 2025, expressing concerns about CMS' approach to market basket updates for both.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is seeking public comments until July 22 on the information requirements associated with attestation requirements included in the Medicaid managed care access rule.

Adair County Health System in Greenfield, Iowa, an affiliate of MercyOne health system, sustained damage following a tornado May 21. The Iowa Hospital Education and Research Foundation has established a disaster relief fund to assist ACHS employees and other hospital workers who were impacted by the storm.

Medline Industries initiates recall of Chinese-made plastic syringes in the U.S.

Long before America observed what we now call Memorial Day, original and inventive practitioners such as Clara Barton and Dorothea Dix provided critical medical care to wounded soldiers on the battlefield and in makeshift hospitals.