News

The Federal Trade Commission Sept. 4 released a request for information on noncompete agreements. The agency said it seeks to “better understand the scope, prevalence, and effects of employer noncompete agreements, as well as to gather information to inform possible future enforcement actions.

The AHA and other national hospital organizations Sept. 5 urged Senate and House leadership to act on preventing Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital reductions from taking effect Oct. 1.

Congress returns to Washington, D.C., this week facing a long list of things to do,

The Department of Health and Human Services Sept. 4 announced new hardship exemption guidance that would allow consumers ineligible for premium tax credits or cost-sharing reductions to enroll in catastrophic health coverage.

The AHA Sept. 4 expressed support for the Hospitals As Naloxone Distribution Sites Act (H.R. 5120), legislation that would require Medicare and Medicaid to cover costs when hospitals provide naloxone to patients at risk of an overdose at no cost to patients.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, National Security Agency and international agencies Sept. 3 released joint guidance outlining a “software bill of materials” for organizations to strengthen cybersecurity, reduce risk and decrease costs.

The Food and Drug Administration has identified Class I recalls for the following products due to the potential for serious injury or death:

The Department of Health and Human Services Sept. 3 announced (https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/hhs-crackdown-health-data-blocking.html) it will increase resources to curb information blocking and take action against health care entities violating information blocking rules.

The AHA Sept. 3 released a study conducted by KNG Health Consulting that found Medicare patients who receive care in a hospital outpatient department are more likely to come from geographically isolated and medically underserved communities and be sicker and more complex to treat than Medicare patients treated in independent physician offices.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Innovation Center Sept. 2 announced changes to the Achieving Healthcare Efficiency through Accountable Design Model, including a new end date of Dec. 31, 2035.

Chinese state-sponsored cyber actors are maliciously targeting networks globally, including telecommunications, government and others, according to a joint advisory released Aug. 27 by the National Security Agency, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, FBI, Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center and international agencies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is predicting a similar combined number of peak hospitalizations from COVID-19, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus this upcoming respiratory virus season compared to last year’s, according to its 2025-26 outlook released Aug. 25.

Randy Fagin, M.D., chief quality officer at HCA Healthcare, shares insights into the organization’s bold approach to improving safety outcomes.

The House Appropriations Committee today released the fiscal year 2026 appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and related agencies.

The Department of Health and Human Services today announced prescription drug reforms

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released

The AHA Aug. 28 expressed concerns to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on the calendar year 2026 home health prospective payment system proposed rule. The AHA said that proposed budget neutrality reductions to the HH base payment rate would compound access challenges for beneficiaries needing HH care and disrupt operations for acute care and other hospitals.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced Aug. 27 in a post on X that Susan Monarez was no longer director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The AHA Aug. 28 published a blog responding to a series of reports from the Paragon Health Institute alleging large-scale “fraud” in health care, this time focusing on enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace.

The AHA Aug. 28 expressed support for the Preserving Patient Access to Accountable Care Act in comments to House and Senate sponsors of the bill.