The American Hospital Association (AHA) has provided its comments to CMS on the calendar year 2027 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule. The AHA: “expressed support for proposals regarding the Medicare Shared Savings Program that would expand participation in accountable care, such as establishing guardrails for the Accountable Care Prospective Trend,…
The American Hospital Association (AHA) “shared concerns” with CMS regarding the calendar year 2027 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System proposed rule. AHA wrote that the proposed net payment update of 2.4% is “not adequate given the financial challenges hospitals and health systems face.” In…
In an opinion piece called “Keeping Our Defenses Up Against Cyberattacks,” American Hospital Association (AHA) President and CEO Rick Pollack links cybersecurity to patient safety. Mr. Pollack notes that there has been a “troubling increase in cyber threats perpetrated by international cyber gangs and state-sponsored hackers this summer” who are…
The American Hospital Association (AHA) has published a new issue brief on “how hospitals and health systems can incorporate care navigation and coordination into their patient care processes.” The brief covers “key aspects, use cases and implementation considerations as well as other AHA resources within the Care Delivery Transformation Framework.”…
The American Hospital Association (AHA) has sent a letter to the Office of the United States Trade Representative to ask that medications, medical devices and other healthcare equipment and supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE) be exempted from proposed duties on goods from other nations. In the letter, signed by…
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on Wednesday released guidance that, according to the American Hospital Association (AHA), describes limits to Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funding for “certain noncitizens.” AHA stated the guidance involves the implementation of a provision within last July’s federal reconciliation bill…
Editor's Note Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are increasingly recruiting international healthcare workers to offset ongoing physician and nursing shortages, yet rising visa costs and regulatory hurdles are making the process more challenging, Ambulatory Surgery Center News October 30 reports. Ann-Rose Johnson-Lewis, director of legal services at WorldWide HealthStaff Solutions, told…
Editor's Note More than 200,000 older Americans underwent back surgeries they likely did need, costing Medicare and Medicare Advantage a combined $1.9 billion, Axios October 9 reports. The findings, based on an analysis by the Lown Institute, raise new concerns about overuse of high-cost procedures with limited benefit, as federal…
Editor's Note Hospitalized surgical patients in 2024 were nearly 20% more likely to survive than expected compared to 2019, according to an August 5 analysis from the American Hospital Association (AHA) and Vizient. The report credits safety improvements such as reductions in infections, falls, and major complications, even as surgical…
Editor's Note Medicare patients treated in hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) present with greater socioeconomic and clinical complexity than peers seen in independent physician offices, including higher prior emergency department (ED) visits and inpatient use. According to an American Hospital Association (AHA) study conducted by KNG Health Consulting and published on…
