Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources and Special Communications

As the coronavirus continues to unfold, hospitals and health systems are scrambling to develop, execute and adjust their communications plans. AHA offers tools and resources to help the field communicate efficiently and effectively during this pandemic.

Last week, Congress and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services made important legislative and regulatory changes to expand the Medicare accelerated/advanced payment programs, which are intended to provide necessary funds to providers/suppliers when there is a disruption in claims submission and/or claims processing.

The AHA today urged the Department of Treasury and Federal Reserve to implement a Mid-Sized Business Loan Program quickly and in a manner that ensures such access will be attainable for hospitals.<

the American Hospital Association appreciates the variety of just-enacted statutory and regulatory efforts to assist our country’s health care organizations. Hospitals and health systems are on the frontline of the fight to protect potentially millions of citizens against the ravages of the COVID-19 virus, while continuing to meet the ongoing health needs of their communities. The financial and operational needs of hospitals and health systems at this time and in the near future are and will remain enormous, and must be addressed if our health care system is to survive and continue its central role in supporting the health and wellbeing of our nation.

We encourage all of our hospitals and health systems to partner and coordinate with businesses in your communities that may have the equipment and ability to help produce much needed personal protective equipment. We have provided all of our design specs to be shared widely.

Providence St. Joseph Health, headquartered in Washington State, launched the 100 Million Mask Challenge and has seen a tremendous outpouring of support from individuals, community organizations and local manufacturers. The American Hospital Association will now bring the initiative to scale across the country, facilitating new relationships between providers in need of surgical masks and manufacturers with the capacity to produce them.

AHRMM is collaborating with a valued third-party company utilizing their solution, expertise and processes to vet non-traditional suppliers offering personal protective equipment (PPE) and other critical supplies. The vendor list is updated daily.

Tanner Health System in Carrollton, Georgia, is using social media—outside and inside its hospitals—to encourage and inspire health care workers. Cookies help too.

The AHA has asked the Department of Health and Human Services to consider taking a series of actions to temporarily suspend certain requirements in order for health care providers to better respond to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Last updated: April 3, 2020

In anticipation of a surge in the number of COVID-19 patients, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced sweeping regulatory changes this week to give health systems greater flexibility to respond to the pandemic.

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AHA asked SBA to waive regulations that would prevent hospitals and health systems with a prior loss to the government (including bankruptcy) from being eligible for these loans.