News

According to data from 25 state and local health departments, adults who were unvaccinated against COVID-19 as the omicron variant emerged in December had nearly three times higher risk of infection than adults fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and five times higher risk than adults who had received a booster, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology seeks comments through March 25 to inform potential future rulemaking on how the ONC Health IT Certification Program could incorporate standards, implementation specifications and certification criteria to reduce the burden of prior authorization.

The AHA voiced support for the Opioid Treatment Access Act (H.R. 6279), bipartisan legislation that would take steps to facilitate patients’ access to methadone treatment for opioid use disorder.

Collaborating on key issues affecting hospitals and the health care system. Creating solutions to some of the biggest health care challenges impacting our country. Connecting with colleagues from across the country to share knowledge, ideas and support as we work to advance health in America. 

AHA today urged Congress to include key priorities to support hospitals and caregivers in must-pass legislation to fund the government beyond Feb. 18.

The AHA today released its latest edition of the COVID-19 Snapshot underscoring the persisting challenges facing hospitals and health systems during the ongoing public health emergency. The COVID-19 Snapshot combines important data points with news articles and testimonials from the field to illustrate the importance of providing hospitals and health systems with additional resources and support so that they can continue to deliver care to patients and families.

The Food and Drug Administration yesterday expanded its medical device shortage list to include all blood specimen collection tubes and recommended health care providers, laboratory directors and others consider certain strategies to conserve their use.

The AHA today announced a five-year partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services to strengthen and reimagine the emergency management system for the nation’s health care and public health preparedness, response and recovery efforts for disasters and other emergencies.

In a tweet yesterday, the Administration said it will make 400 million N95 masks from the Strategic National Stockpile available for free to Americans. “N95 masks will be available for the public to pick up at tens of thousands of local pharmacies and health centers,” the White House tweet said.

Hospital leaders and clinicians will join experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, AHA and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Jan. 26 to discuss how health care professionals can work with their patients and communities to build trust in the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant people.

A video opinion piece published yesterday by the New York Times “takes a one-sided view of thes

The American Hospital Association responds to the New York Times Opinion Video "We Know the Real Cause of Crisis in Our Hospitals. It's Greed." For two long years, the dedicated women and men of America’s hospitals and health systems have experienced firsthand the overwhelming impact of COVID-19. They have worked tirelessly and courageously day in and day out to care for patients in their communities.

AHA and its member hospitals and health systems are acutely aware of the dire challenge presented by the field’s workforce challenges.

The AHA has released “Crucial Conversations on Health Equity: Is Your Board Ready?”, a 20-minute video to help hospital and health system boards advance health equity in their communities.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released updated guidance for states submitting Medicaid managed care contracts for review.

In light of a national blood shortage, the Department of Health and Human Services released a series of resources to encourage the public to donate blood and plasma.

SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy may cause inflammatory immune responses in the fetus, even if the virus does not infect the placenta, according to a small National Institutes of Health study published in the journal Nature Communications.

Rural health clinics, community-based organizations and others may apply through April 19 for a portion of $13 million in Health Resources and Services Administration funding to increase access to substance use disorder and other behavioral health care services in rural communities.

A federal judge in Texas dismissed the state’s challenge of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ interim final rule requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for workers in most health care settings that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs, including hospitals and health systems.

Americans can now order online up to four free at-home tests for COVID-19, which the U.S. Postal Service will start shipping in late January.