Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources and Special Communications

The COVID-19 pandemic is placing unprecedented demands on the entire health care system. As the number of patients needing acute hospital care rapidly increases, hospitals may be challenged with significant shortages of staff and medical supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE), hospital beds, medicines and medical devices such as ventilators.

April 1, 2020: The agency adopts an inclusive definition of “health care providers” for purposes of possible exemption from the paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave provisions in FFCRA

Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, the American Hospital Association has worked closely with the CDC, and other federal, state and local partners to respond to this challenge and to make sure hospitals and health systems have the most up-to-date information. As the COVID-19 outbreak evolves AHA continues to share tools, resources and information with the field daily.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed into law on March 27, provides resources and flexibility for rural hospitals.

Emergency declaration waivers related to flexibility on treatment location and telehealth, the physician self-referral law, workforce and administrative activities.

The AHA asked the Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to directly and expediently distribute to rural and urban hospitals and health systems funds from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund that were designated for providers in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The American Hospital Association and our partners continue to work to make sure that every health care provider can have access to much-need personal protective equipment especially during this health care crisis. Information, policies, procedures and best practices around PPEs are evolving quickly as the overall situation evolves. Here is a quick review of what we’re seeing in the field today with links, as available, for more information.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) asks the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to directly and expediently distribute to rural and urban hospitals and health systems funds from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund that were designated for providers in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.   

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) yesterday released a substantial number of new waivers related to COVID-19. The waivers apply nationwide and are retroactive to March 1, 2020.

AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack provides a statement on CMS's announcement of emergency declaration waivers for health providers.

The latest COVID-19 updates from the American Hospital Association for its members are included on this page.

In a letter to Secretary Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Rettig, the AHA, AAMC and Catholic Health Association request that the IRS provide a six-month automatic extension for filing Forms 990, 990-T, and 4720 to any Section 501(c)(3) organization that is required to file Form 990, Schedule H. In addition, the organizations recommended that the IRS not impose any penalties if any hospital facilities operated by the section 501(c)(3) organization required to file Schedule H are delayed up to one year in completing a community health needs assessment or implementation plan.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act authorized $2.2 trillion in new spending to help individuals and businesses weather the economic downturn caused by COVID-19, as well as to provide critical resources to the health care system.

Here are some of the latest developments in how hospitals and health systems are leveraging digital tools and technology to handle the rapid influx of novel coronavirus patients. Please note that we are suspending publication of Market Scan to focus on bringing you important tools, resources and news to help you during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Vice President, on behalf of President Trump and the White House Coronavirus Task Force, yesterday sent a letter to the nation's hospitals requesting that all hospitals report certain data on COVID-19 testing results, bed and ventilator capacity. In the letter, hospitals were asked to report the following two streams of data on a daily basis:

A 9-year-old reporter interviews two physicians at Children’s Hospital Colorado about COVID-19.

Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Illinois, is letting their health care teams know how much they are appreciated by placing signs of gratitude at outside entrances.

In a letter to CMS Administrator Seema Verma regarding the expansion of Medicare’s accelerated payment program and creation of an add-on payment for Medicare patients with COVID-19, the AHA urges the agency to provide as much flexibility as possible with implementation in order to maximize the program’s effectiveness in supporting providers during the crisis related to COVID-19

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act authorized $2.2 trillion in new spending to help individuals and businesses weather the economic downturn caused by COVID-19, as well as to provide critical resources to the health care system.