News

The Trump administration is poised to ask governors to consider sending in the National Guard to hospitals to help improve data collection about novel coronavirus patients, supplies and capacity, according to draft letters, internal emails and hospital sector officials familiar with the plans, the Washington Post reported.

Following the announcement of changes to its process for collecting daily COVID-19-reated data from hospitals, the Department of Health and Human Services today asked hospitals to prioritize the reporting of seven data fields starting tomorrow, July 15:

The House Appropriations Committee is marking up legislation that would provide $196.5 billion in funding for the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education in fiscal year 2021. The bill also appropriates $24.4 billion in emergency spending.  

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration released a final rule amending federal regulations regarding disclosure of patient information for individuals seeking treatment for substance use disorders.

The Food and Drug Administration authorized the University of California San Francisco’s Clinical Labs at China Basin to use a new molecular-based diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-2.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidance for emergency medical planners and health care facilities on identifying relief health care facilities, and establishing or using medical operation coordination cells to improve surge capacity and resource allocation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The sight of families re-emerging to gather at community playgrounds and pools brings mixed emotions. While it’s gratifying to see people enjoying themselves again, it’s also clear that COVID-19 is not in the rearview mirror, as spiking infection rates in many states demonstrate.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it is taking steps to prepare for the possible spread of H1N1 swine influenza viruses.

The Human Rights Campaign released two news resources that hospitals and health systems can use to provide better care for LGBTQ children and youth.

The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury today issued a proposed rule that would allow grandfathered health plans to increase enrollees’ premiums and cost-sharing amounts beyond what is currently allowed.

A new AHA podcast explores how rural hospitals have found new ways to deliver care to patients with COVID-19.

Certain groups of workers showed significantly more absenteeism in March and April 2020, suggesting a link to COVID-19 exposure, according to a new study released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The AHA submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on the agency’s long-term care hospital prospective payment system proposed policy changes and fiscal year 2021 rates.

The AHA submitted comments on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ hospital inpatient prospective payment system proposed rule for fiscal year 2021.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced that it will distribute over $4 billion in additional funds from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to rural hospitals and hospitals that serve a high number of Medicaid patients and provide large amounts of uncompensated care.

Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Keep your distance. These are three simple actions we know that will stop the spread of COVID-19. The AHA, American Medical Association and the American Nurses Association shared those messages in an open letter to the American public.

The Mount Sinai Health System will partner with Emergent BioSolutions and ImmunoTek Bio Centers on the development and evaluation of a COVID-19 hyperimmune globulin product, it was announced.

Gilead Sciences said it is starting phase one clinical study of inhaled remdesivir for potential outpatient treatment of COVID-19. In a statement, Gilead said the inhaled version could better target respiratory infections and limit systemic exposure to remdesivir and be accessible to non-hospitalized patients.

UR Medicine Thompson Health, a nonprofit health care system which provides care for 165,000 residents of Upstate New York’s greater Finger Lakes area and is the largest employer in Ontario County, shared how the COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant financial challenges for the organization and why Congress needs to provide additional support to hospitals and health systems.

The AHA, along with the American Medical Association, urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to delay by at least one year the Jan. 1, 2021, implementation of the appropriate use criteria for advanced diagnostic imaging services.