News

The Federal Communications Commission’s Rural Health Care Program will carry forward up to $379.97 million in unused funds from prior years to increase available funding for funding year 2021 and beyond if needed, the agency announced.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on several AHA-supported bills to advance public health by focusing on social determinants of health and data collection.

EmPATH — or Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment and Healing — is designed to guide patients safely through a current crisis while building coping skills that will guide them through future challenges. Though it just opened in March, this unit is moving emergency mental health care in a new and exciting direction.

An estimated 16.8 million U.S. adults had undiagnosed COVID-19 by July 2020, representing 4.6% of U.S. adults and 4.8 undiagnosed infections for every diagnosed case, according to a National Institutes of Health study published by the journal Science Translational Medicine. NIH’s SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence Project used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to identify SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in dried blood samples collected from a representative sample of U.S. adults.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Columbus-based OhioHealth applied its expansive resources to analyze over 500,000 PCR tests, create a dedicated supply chain team for personal protective equipment procurement, and redeploy administrative workers to the front lines, avoiding layoffs and even providing bonuses.

Columbus, Ohio-based Mount Carmel Health System goes beyond the walls of its hospital to serve its community and patients through programs such as Street Medicine, which provides free urgent medical care to underinsured or uninsured individuals.

The AHA joined the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other national health care and public health organizations in encouraging COVID-19 vaccination for everyone age 12 and older who is eligible.

AHA urged the Department of Health and Human Services to allow all health care providers to use their COVID-19 Provider Relief Fund payments until June 30, 2022, or the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, whichever is later.

The General Accountability Office released a report that found that in 2018, 70% of U.S. teaching hospitals were self-funding residency slots above the statutory limits set in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.

The AHA’s American Society for Health Care Risk Management invites hospitals and others to show their appreciation for health care risk management professionals during HRM Week, June 21-25

Over 80 million Americans were enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program at the end of January, a 13.9% increase since February 2020.

State-based health insurance marketplaces can apply through July 20 at 3 p.m. ET for a portion of $20 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding.

As the AHA reflects on Juneteenth, the June 19 federal holiday recognizing the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans, it also considers how we must strive for equity in health care and beyond, writes Joy Lewis, AHA’s senior vice president for health equity strategies.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released additional FAQs on its May 2020 final rule on interoperability and patient access.

The Health Resources and Services Administration has reimbursed more than 5 million claims to administer COVID-19 vaccine to uninsured individuals, the agency announced.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded states and other jurisdictions $200 million in supplemental funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to hire and train disease intervention specialists to prevent and respond to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

Nearly 100 bipartisan House members led by Reps. Thomas Suozzi, D-N.Y., and Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, urged the departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury to ensure their rulemaking for the No Surprises Act reflects congressional intent for a balanced process to settle payment disputes between health plans and providers.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration published its emergency temporary standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19 in health care, meaning covered health care employers must comply with most provisions by July 6 and the rest by July 21.

What qualities make an outstanding leader, whether in health care or another field? Your list may include being collaborative, courageous, empathetic, innovative, inspiring, and intelligent. Based on my experiences and observations during the COVID-19 pandemic, I’d add a couple more: being humble and resilient. 

The Department of Health and Human Services announced a $3 billion investment in antiviral treatments for COVID-19, particularly those administered orally. The money will go toward advancing the next stages of COVID-19 treatments, including their discovery, development and manufacturing.