News

In a federally funded study that enrolled more than 500 patients from U.S. hospital emergency departments, administering COVID-19 convalescent plasma to high-risk COVID-19 outpatients with early symptoms did not prevent disease progression, according to final results reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Hospitals and other eligible entities can apply through Sept. 20 for $3 million in fiscal year 2021 funding from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response to establish a Regional Disaster Health Response System demonstration site.

The AHA released its latest edition of the COVID-19 Snapshot, underscoring the persisting challenges facing hospitals and health systems during the ongoing public health emergency.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will use American Rescue Plan Act funds to create a Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics to anticipate public health threats, the agency announced.

The Health Resources and Services Administration awarded $19 million in grants through five programs to expand access to telehealth services in rural and underserved communities. 

In evaluating whether to temporarily suspend survey activities if a hospital experiences a COVID-19 surge, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in June told AHA it will consider whether the hospital has notified the appropriate state public health agency and activated its emergency preparedness plan, and the proportion of hospital staff and resources dedicated to managing COVID-19 patients.

President Biden extended through Dec. 31, 2021, 100% federal reimbursement through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance Program for eligible costs to safely reopen and operate certain private nonprofits in response to the COVID-19 emergency, including private nonprofit medical facilities.

COVID-19 vaccine booster shots will be widely available to the American public, starting next month, according to a joint statement from Biden administration health officials.

AHA shared with the National Economic Council, Federal Trade Commission, and departments of Health and Human Services and Justice an updated study by Charles River Associates on the benefits of mergers within the hospital field.

BlackBerry announced a set of cyber vulnerabilities in its QNX Real Time Operating System for medical devices and other products, which a remote attacker could exploit to cause a denial-of-service condition or execute arbitrary code on affected devices.

The AHA has released its next People Matter, Words Matter poster, which can be downloaded, shared and hung in clinical, office or other care settings.

The American Medical Association published a Current Procedural Terminology code for providers administering a potential third dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

Scientists at the National Institutes of Health have developed a sample preparation method to detect SARS-CoV-2 that could reduce the time and cost of COVID-19 diagnostic testing, the agency announced.

Hospital admissions remained below expected levels through early April, while spending for hospital and ambulatory care remained below expected levels through at least June, according to an updated analysis released by Epic Health Research Network and Kaiser Family Foundation.

Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., introduced the Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act (H.R. 5035), AHA-supported legislation that would support training programs to help health care workers identify patients at high risk for suicide or self-harm.”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration distributed about $850,000 each to health departments in 12 states and Puerto Rico to train first responders and community groups to prevent prescription drug and opioid overdose deaths.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit reversed a 2018 district court decision in favor of UnitedHealth Group, rejecting the insurer’s claims that a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ rule requiring Medicare Advantage plans to report and return identified overpayments within 60 days results in underpayments.

Last week, a series of emails that became public revealed communication between executives at UnitedHealth Group and researchers studying the frequency of surprise medical billing.

Based on lessons learned over the past decade, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure and other incoming CMS leaders described in a Health Affairs blog post their vision for the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation for the coming decade, which calls for “a health system that achieves equitable outcomes through high-quality, affordable, person-centered care.”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky, M.D., authorized a third, additional dose of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems. This includes people who have: