Regulatory Relief
The regulatory burden faced by hospitals is substantial and unsustainable.
Every day, hospitals, health systems and post-acute care providers confront the daunting task of complying with a growing number of federal regulations. They are constantly challenged to understand and implement new or revised regulations, while maintaining their core mission of providing high-quality patient care.
Providers appreciate that federal regulation is intended to ensure that health care patients receive safe, high-quality care, and prioritize it as a critical part of their day-to-day work.
But the scope and pace of the changes being made is out-stripping many providers’ ability to absorb them. At the same time, many of these regulations do not improve the quality of patient care or access to services.
Providers need relief now. Read on for more information and resources on the AHA's regulatory relief agenda.
Following his introduction as the AHA’s next president and CEO, AHA Executive Vice President Rick Pollack today called on hospital leaders at the AHA Annual Membership Meeting to deliver a message of regulatory relief, reform and resources in their meetings this week with legislators and…
A new AHA TrendWatch report highlights the many challenges to realizing the promise of telehealth for hospitals, health systems and their communities.
The AHA yesterday urged the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to consider certain changes to its draft recommendations for the Recovery Audit Contractor program.
The CMS FY2015 Budget Justification included language simply stating that CMS must coordinate with the HRSA Office of Rural Health Policy and receive recommendation from the White House Rural Council. Despite this assertion, several policies remain problematic for rural providers and facilities,…
Mounting Pressure for America's Hospitals
On Feb. 7, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule to revise and clarify certain existing Medicare regulations.
Today's proposed rule is an important step forward in further reducing burdensome requirements to hospitals. Many of these changes will be particularly welcomed by small and rural hospitals.
Today's announcement provides some much-needed regulatory relief for an overburdened health care system. But CMS misses some important opportunities to further modernize the rules to better reflect how care is organized and delivered today.
Medicare policy changes and payment adjustments often have significant and problematic consequences for rural providers. AHA is sensitive to the administrative burden and cost created by rules that fail to consider the unique circumstances of small or rural community hospitals.