News

UnitedHealthcare has suspended through the end of this month certain prior authorization requirements for in-network hospitals and skilled nursing facilities in its Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, individual and group health plans.

The AHA provided comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ proposed changes to the hospital and hospital health care complex cost report.

The COVID-19 pandemic has confirmed the strategic rationale underlying many hospital and health system mergers and acquisitions and may be acting as a catalyst for innovative strategic partnerships and tactical transactions, according to a new report by management consultancy KaufmanHall.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a compilation of perspectives on the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on various sectors and the outlook for 2021.

I have no doubt that Americans and people all over the world are looking forward to turning the page to a new year. The challenges the health care field encountered in 2020 due to the global pandemic have been intense both personally and professionally. But hope is growing for 2021 with the initial rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and much more to come. At a time when the country needs us most, hospitals and health care professionals continue to respond with excellence and compassion as we care for patients, families and communities.

Making everyone part of the solution and collaborations between clinical and hospital leadership is key to navigating the pandemic. In this first in a four-part series on lessons learned on the front lines, read about how teamwork at both Henry Ford Health System and Medisys Health Network accomplished greatness.

The AHA, through its Hospitals Against Violence initiative, encourages hospitals and health systems to educate and engage to #EndTrafficking.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved Tennessee’s request to have the state receive Medicaid funding through a block grant, which would give the state more authority to make changes to the Medicaid program.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued guidance to help state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs use existing authorities and flexibilities to design programs, benefits and services to address social determinants of health.

Under a final rule, the Department of Health and Human Services must periodically assess each regulation to determine whether it has a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, and if so review the regulation to determine whether to retain, modify or eliminate it.

The Food and Drug Administration alerted clinical laboratories and health care providers of its ongoing effort to monitor the potential molecular test impact resulting from SARS-CoV-2 mutations, including the B.1.1.7 variant that has emerged from the United Kingdom.

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar today discussed public health issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination efforts, during a virtual forum moderated by AHA Executive Vice President Tom Nickels.

The Department of Health and Human Services formally renewed the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration effective Jan. 21. The 90-day extension will help hospitals and health systems combat COVID-19 in their communities. 

Hospitals and health systems added 31,500 jobs in December, even as U.S. jobs overall declined by 140,000, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention allocated $22 billion in funding to states, localities and territories for COVID-19 testing and vaccination activities authorized in December by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act.

Carolyn Scanlan, a trustee at Penn Medicine Lancaster (Pa.) General Health will chair the AHA's Committee on Governance in 2021. William Menner, chair, UnityPoint Health – Grinnell (Iowa) Regional Medical Center, will serve as vice chair.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has recalculated the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule payment rates and conversion factor for calendar year 2021 to reflect changes effective Dec. 27 under the Consolidated Appropriations Act.

The AHA urged the Department of Health and Human Services to exercise enforcement discretion with the hospital price transparency rule that took effect Jan. 1. 

The AHA released the latest edition of the COVID-19 Snapshot, which highlights the critical needs of hospitals and health systems during the deepening public health emergency.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released updated guidance in response to questions on maintaining Medicaid enrollment during the Public Health Emergency under its interim final rule implementing Section 6008 of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.