News

The AHA urged the Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to exercise existing authorities to waive interest or substantially reduce the interest rate on any balance owed on accelerated/advanced payments made under section 3719 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the March 28 expansion announcement by CMS.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General issued a new report highlighting numerous challenges facing hospitals amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Even as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise, we’re seeing so many examples of exceptional kindness, courage and compassion with which our care providers are meeting the health challenge of a lifetime.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the AHA has been sounding the alarm for policymakers and government leaders to make sure our field gets the tools and resources we need to win this war.

The AHA’s American Society for Health Care Engineering has named Deanna Martin as its new executive director. A certified association executive, Martin has worked with ASHE for nine years, most recently as deputy executive director for operations.

Hospital emergency departments treated 4.3% more nonfatal overdoses in 2017 than in 2016, with the visit rate increasing for all drugs except benzodiazepines, including an increase of 32.9% for cocaine, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

President Trump today directed the Health and Human Services Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, to use Defense Production Act authorities to facilitate the supply of materials to produce ventilators.

The Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services announced they will distribute personal protective equipment seized from hoarders to those on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response in New York and New Jersey.

In an effort to encourage more blood donations, the Food and Drug Administration said it is revisiting and updating several existing policies to help ensure an adequate-but-safe national blood supply.

To support federal public health authorities and agencies in need of COVID-19-related data, the Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights will not penalize health care providers or their business associates for violations of certain HIPAA provisions.

The Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use of two new diagnostic tests for COVID-19, including the first reported test to measure SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in blood collected from individuals with suspected COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its infection prevention and control guidance for health care facilities, and posted a form for reporting patients under investigation for COVID-19 infection

The Department of Labor issued a temporary rule to enable new paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave requirements established under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

The AHA urged the Small Business Administration to ensure that small- and mid-size hospitals are allowed to apply for and receive loans under the SBA Paycheck Protection Program that was established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The AHA urged leaders from the nation's five largest private health insurance companies to "meet the historic challenge" caused by COVID-19 to "ensure that the health care system is there for anyone who needs care."

Some COVID-ID patients in Singapore likely transmitted the virus to others on the island before they were symptomatic, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The official guidelines for the new ICD-10-CM code go into effect April 1 through Sept. 30 and have been posted by the Centers for Disease Control.

Hospitals and health systems are encouraged to direct COVID-19 questions to a new Department of Health and Human Services email.

Responding to requests from hospitals and health systems, the AHA has compiled resources, tools and sample policies that hospital and clinical leaders may find helpful in developing their own organization’s approach to caring for patients with limited resources or under crisis circumstances.

The Department of Labor March 28 released a set of frequently asked questions, which included information on how it defines “health care provider” and “emergency responder” under policies established by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.