AHA statement on public health emergency extension

Rick Pollack
President and CEO
American Hospital Association

July 24, 2020

America’s hospitals and health systems thank the Administration for extending the public health emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The declaration of a public health emergency has given hospitals and health systems and our caregivers the ability to respond in an innovative, timely and decisive manner to the virus. It has been an invaluable tool in the battle against COVID-19 by providing the necessary resources to care for patients and communities, such as expanded use of telemedicine and the ability to provide care in alternative care sites.

With our nation’s hospitals, physicians, nurses and other front-line health care workers intently focused on fighting this battle against the virus, now is not the time to pull back, especially as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have risen in many parts of the country in recent weeks. This action will allow us to continue our efforts to ensure that hospitals and health systems are using every tool available to respond to COVID-19. 

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Contact:        Colin Milligan, (202) 638-5491, cmilligan@aha.org
                      Marie Johnson, (202) 626-2351, mjohnson@aha.org