News

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response began distributing two COVID-19 antiviral pills directly to certain pharmacy-based clinics, federal health centers and long-term care facilities so their clinicians can prescribe them to eligible patients or residents who test positive for the virus.

Hospitals and health systems added 2,700 jobs in February, while U.S. jobs overall increased by 678,000, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

A shortage of BioFlex blood bags made by Fresenius Kabi is impacting an estimated 10%-15% of whole blood collections, America’s Blood Centers and Blood Centers of America reported.

B. Braun Medical Inc. has recalled five lots of 0.9% sodium chloride for injection due to fluid leakage or low fill volume, which could pose an infection risk to patients, the Food and Drug Administration announced.

AHA encouraged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to work with Congress to require Medicare Advantage plans to waive prior authorization and other utilization management policies during public health emergencies, especially for hospitals transferring patients to post-acute care. 

Responding to a request for information on digital health, the AHA Friday urged Congress to permanently eliminate all restrictions on telehealth originating and geographic sites; continue to allow rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers to serve as distant sites for all telehealth services beyond mental health; make certain additional practitioners are eligible to deliver telehealth services; allow hospital outpatient departments and critical access hospitals to bill for telehealth services; and allow hospitals to bill the originating site fee when hospital-based clinicians provide telehealth services to hospital outpatients at home. 

The AHA Friday the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to evaluate and adjust the burden estimates associated with the uninsured and self-pay good faith estimates and patient-provider dispute resolution established under the No Surprises Act. 

This week health care leaders and front-line professionals are convening in Chicago to discuss best practices that enhance the patient and caregiver experience, improve quality and increase value. AHA’s Advancing Care Conference is designed to equip participants with customized strategies and an actionable plan to tackle challenges.

In this special podcast, John Riggi, AHA’s national advisor for cybersecurity and risk, speaks with FBI Cyber Engagement and Intelligence Section Chief David Ring on the cybersecurity implications of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

The Coalition to Protect America’s Health Care yesterday launched a national television ad urging action to prevent Medicare cuts to hospitals and health systems.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention yesterday said more than 90% of the U.S. population now lives in a county with a low or medium COVID-19 Community Level, a new CDC measure for communities considering whether to require face coverings in public indoor settings.

Project Firstline will host a virtual event March 16 at 1 p.m. ET to celebrate health care workers and unveil new resources to help them prevent and control infections.

For the past week, we have seen heartbreaking images from Ukraine, including newborn babies being moved from the neonatal intensive care unit of a hospital to a makeshift bomb shelter in the basement, depicting the devastation of war. 

A new congressionally mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends actions to help prevent medical product shortages and ensure access to essential drugs and devices.

The Senate last night voted 49-44 to approve a resolution calling for congressional disapproval of a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services rule that required workers in most health care settings that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Feb. 28.

The AHA today released the latest edition of its COVID-19 Snapshot underscoring the persisting challenges facing hospitals and health systems during the ongoing public health emergency.

The Department of Health and Human Services yesterday postponed until Sept. 22, pending judicial review, the effective date for a Trump Administration rule that would require the agency to assess periodically each regulation to determine whether it has a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities and, if so, determine whether to retain, modify or eliminate the regulation.

The Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights yesterday issued guidance on federal civil rights protections and health privacy laws that apply to gender affirming care.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services today released additional guidance and resources to help states maintain Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program coverage for individuals after the COVID-19 public health emergency ends, or transition them to other affordable coverage options. 

The AHA is making a donation to the U.S. Ukraine Foundation to support its critical humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, which includes covering the costs of sending medical supplies and supporting refugees through the Kyiv Rotary Refugee Initiative.