News

As the COVID-19 surge wanes in different parts of the country, the AHA, American College of Surgeons, American Society of Anesthesiologists, and Association of periOperative Registered Nurses today released a roadmap for safely resuming elective surgery.

This week, the women and men of America’s hospitals and health systems are continuing their heroic efforts caring for tens of thousands of COVID-19 patients.

President Trump directed the Secretary of Defense to authorize 100% federal cost-sharing for the governors of Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Vermont to deploy the National Guard to support their respective COVID-19 emergency assistance efforts for up to 31 days.

The Department of Health and Human Services awarded $90 million for Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program recipients as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

The Department of Health and Human Services reached an agreement with General Electric to produce 50,000 ventilators by July 13.

The Food and Drug Administration issued a pair of emergency use authorizations for serology tests to detect for the presence of coronavirus antibodies.

During the COVID-19 emergency, the Food and Drug Administration will not take action in certain circumstances against a registered outsourcing facility for compounding certain drugs to treat hospitalized patients with COVID-19; using a bulk drug substance not on the 503B bulk list; or not meeting current good manufacturing process requirements.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released new guidance implementing several provisions included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

The AHA, American Medical Association, and American Nurses Association urged the Department of Health and Human Services to identify and address disparities in the federal response to COVID-19.

Health care providers who receive funds from the $100 billion Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund must within 30 days of receipt attest to receiving the funds and agree to the terms and conditions of payment.

The AHA urged the Department of Health and Human Services to release “substantial additional emergency funds to all hospitals in an expedited manner” as part of the second wave of funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported a tripling of hepatitis C cases over the past decade, with the highest rate of infections occurring in younger adults between 20-39 years old.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently granted Section 1135 Medicaid waivers for the COVID-19 emergency to Puerto Rico and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands.

Collaborating with non-governmental organizations, the Department of Health and Human Services is working to develop convalescent plasma and hyperimmune globulin immunotherapies for COVID-19 patients.

The Food and Drug Administration released an FAQ on hospitals' utilization of home-use blood glucose meters during the COVID-19 health crisis.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services clarified that the agency is waiving the Medicare coverage requirement for a three-day prior hospitalization requirement for both skilled nursing facilities and swing-bed services.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced seven new ventilator production contracts to boost national availability. Five of the contracts are rated under the Defense Production Act, meaning they must be accepted and prioritized by the contractors.

Medicare will increase payment for certain "high-throughput" COVID-19 diagnostic tests to $100 to expand testing capacity and speed results during the public health emergency, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported an estimated 9,282 confirmed COVID-19 cases in U.S. health care workers between Feb. 12 and April 9, representing 19% of U.S. cases for which occupational status was available.

AHA joined hospital and health system leaders at a White House event to announce the Dynamic Ventilator Reserve, a public-private online initiative to track and help distribute available ventilators and associated supplies to high-need areas of the country.