Legislation and Legislative Advocacy

The American Hospital Association (AHA) shares resources on health care legislation being considered by the U.S. House and Senate and legislative advocacy opportunities for hospitals and health systems.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last week issued a memo to state survey agency directors providing a frequently asked questions document to address common inquiries from psychiatric hospitals regarding compliance with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act.
Women in rural areas face unique maternal health care challenges, including hospital closures or lack of obstetric services. In this AHA Stat Blog, Jay Bhatt, D.O., senior vice president and chief medical officer of the AHA, and Melissa Mannon, AHA associate director of policy development, discuss…
The Senate Judiciary Committee today passed four bills aimed at lowering prescription drug costs and increasing competition.
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions today voted 20-3 to pass the Lower Health Care Costs Act (S.1895) – bipartisan legislation focused on reducing health care costs.
The House Ways and Means Committee today passed the Opioid Workforce Act (H.R. 3414), AHA-supported legislation that would add 1,000 Medicare-funded training positions in hospitals with approved residency programs in addiction medicine, addiction psychiatry or pain management.
In a letter today to leaders of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, the AHA and five other national hospital groups said they agree with the need to protect American families from the problem of “surprise medical bills,” but have “serious concerns” with a provision of the…
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee leaders today released a manager’s amendment to the Lower Health Care Costs Act of 2019 (S.1895) – bipartisan legislation focused on reducing health care costs – making several updates to the bill.
The AHA today submitted comments on the revised version of the Lower Health Care Costs Act (S. 1895), legislation to prevent surprise medical bills, reduce prescription drug prices, improve transparency in health care, invest in public health and improve health information exchange.
The House Ways and Means Committee today passed the Economic Mobility Act (H.R. 3300), tax legislation that includes an AHA-supported provision to repeal a costly tax code change in how non-profit employers such as hospitals must account for transportation and parking fringe benefits for employees…
The House of Representatives yesterday voted 226-203 to approve a package of four appropriations bills for fiscal year 2020, which includes legislation that would provide $189.9 billion in base discretionary funding for the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education and related…