News

The AHA Friday filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting hospitals’ efforts to remove from a municipal ballot in November a union-backed measure that would impose pricing caps on hospitals and other health care providers, calling the measure not just misguided health care policy but also legally flawed.

The Food and Drug Administration Friday approved the first drug intended to treat smallpox, which was eradicated in 1980 but could be used as a bioweapon.

The Members in Action series, part of AHA’s The Value Initiative, highlights how hospitals and health systems are implementing new value-based strategies to improve health care affordability, quality and outcomes.

Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria caused a combined $265 billion in damage and each ranked among the top five costliest hurricanes on record.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week alerted health care providers and others to a continued increase in opioid overdose deaths involving fentanyl and its analogs.

Robyn Begley, vice president of nursing and chief nursing officer for AtlantiCare, a member of Geisinger, will join the AHA in September as senior vice president and chief nursing officer and CEO of its American Organization of Nurse Executives subsidiary.

Bending the cost curve to make care more affordable is a complex challenge. But it is a challenge that hospitals and health systems are tackling head on.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services today proposed to update physician fee schedule rates by 0.25% in calendar year 2019.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee today advanced legislation to reauthorize the Children’s Hospitals Graduate Medical Education Program and federal workforce development programs for nurses and health professionals.

The House Ways and Means Committee has approved a number of bills intended to expand access to consumer-directed health plans and other health coverage.

The House Appropriations Committee late yesterday voted 30-22 to approve legislation that would provide $177.1 billion in discretionary funding for the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education in fiscal year 2019.

The AHA appreciates the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s concerns about rising pharmaceutical costs and urged the Commission to continue to take action to achieve sustainable drug pricing.

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., today announced the formation of a drug shortages task force.

The AHA today hosted a forum in Philadelphia in which hospital and health systems leaders shared various strategies their organizations are undertaking to make health care more affordable for their patients and community.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma today discussed the administration’s three primary goals for strengthening Medicare – empowering patients, innovating and aligning incentives – during an Alliance for Health Policy event for reporters and other stakeholders.

The AHA will present its 2018 Board of Trustees Award to author and futurist Ian Morrison July 26 at the AHA Leadership Summit in San Diego.

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health today hosted a hearing focused on the 340B drug savings program, including examining more than a dozen legislative proposals that would make changes to the program.

The Federal Communications Commission will seek to establish a new $100 million Connected Care Pilot Program to support telehealth for low-income Americans, especially those living in rural areas and veterans.

Eligible individuals and entities, including hospitals, can apply through Aug. 9 for funding to operate as “navigators” in states with a federally-facilitated health insurance exchange in plan year 2019.

The departments of Health and Human Services and Housing and Urban Development should work with state and local governments and other concerned entities to increase the supply of permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals.