News

As part of the Black American Week of Action April 25 to May 1, the Department of Health and Human Services has partnered with the AHA and other national organizations to inform Black Americans through social media about the special enrollment period available through Aug. 15 at the federally-facilitated health insurance marketplace. 

In this episode, I was delighted to talk with Stacey Stewart, president and CEO of March of Dimes, and present her with AHA’s 2020 Award of Honor for her organization’s work during eight decades to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies.

April 24 is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, an opportunity for the public to safely dispose of unwanted or expired tablets, capsules, patches and other solid forms of prescription drugs at sites throughout the country.

The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) continues to exploit five publicly known cyber vulnerabilities, the National Security Agency, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and FBI said in a joint advisory. 

Tampa Bay Thrives brings health care providers together with behavioral health providers, law enforcement, government agencies, schools and leading corporations to improve outcomes for depression, anxiety and substance use disorders in the region with a focus on early intervention, access and awareness.

Join the AHA April 27 at 2:30 p.m. ET for an Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative webinar featuring the 2020 Circle of Life Award honorees and AHA Trustee Mary Beth Kingston, chief nursing officer, Advocate Aurora Health. Panelists will discuss the link between palliative and age-friendly care and share resources on meeting the needs of older adults and palliative care patients.

The AHA presented its 2020 Award of Honor to the March of Dimes for its commitment to advancing the health and well-being of mothers and babies. The annual award recognizes individuals or organizations for exemplary contributions to U.S. health and well-being through leadership on major health policies or social initiatives.

The Health Resources and Services Administration released fact sheets in English and Spanish on patient rights and provider responsibilities regarding access to COVID-19 vaccines.

An independent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee recommended immediate resumption of the administration of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S.

The government’s announcement last week that more than half of all adults in the U.S. have received at least one COVID-19 shot is a remarkable feat that outperforms earlier predictions about the pace of vaccinations across the country.  

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone Jr., D-NJ, re-introduced the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3) with other Democratic committee leaders.

The AHA urged leaders of the House Appropriations Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies to consider the potential effect their health care funding decisions for fiscal year 2022 will have on hospitals’ ability to care for their patients and communities and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and other ongoing challenges.

The AHA has released a new video showing examples of what the hospital and health system field has been able to accomplish during the past year, including recent legislative efforts that have provided critical support and resources.

In this AHA Advancing Health podcast, Sara Jumping Eagle, M.D., and Jonathan Merrell, R.N., both of the Indian Health Service, discuss plans to reduce the disproportionate COVID-19 infection rates in Indigenous communities through vaccine distribution and an administration strategy with national and local partners.

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred a number of innovations in health care delivery that have the potential to positively alter how care is provided, and hospital-at-home is one of those promising models, writes Julia Resnick, senior program manager, strategic initiatives, at the AHA.

Health leaders from across the U.S.

The Department of Health and Human Services has renewed the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration for another 90 days effective April 21. The extension will help hospitals and health systems combat COVID-19 in their communities. 

President Biden announced that the nation has administered its 200 millionth COVID-19 vaccine dose, a milestone reached earlier than projected when vaccines were first authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration.

The AHA shared with Senate and House leaders the association’s recommendations for infrastructure investments that should be included in an upcoming legislative package to ensure hospitals and health systems are fully equipped to care for their communities now and into the future, as well as respond to any future public health emergency.

A study published this month in Health Affairs on the charity care provided by tax-exempt hospitals fails to recognize that charity care is only one part of a hospital’s total community benefit, writes AHA General Counsel Melinda Hatton.