AHA urges the HHS Secretary, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator, the Acting IG and the Attorney General to temporarily suspend enforcement of both the Stark Law and the Anti-Kickback Statute to enable hospitals to efficiently meet the demands of the public health crisis and compensate referring physicians and their family members.
Letters
Throughout the year, the AHA comments on a vast number of proposed and interim final rules put forth by the federal regulatory agencies. In addition, AHA communicates with federal legislators to convey the hospital field's position on potential legislative changes that would impact patients and patient care. Below are the most recent letters from the AHA to these bodies.
Latest
Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McConnell, Leader McCarthy and Leader Schumer:
AHA, health care associations letter to Vice President Pence, Speaker Pelosi, Leader McConnell, Leader McCarthy, and Leader Schumer regarding the unprecedented challenge with COVID-19. From expanding public health capacity and access to and the availability of testing, to taking action to mitigate the economic and societal impact, we know these are serious and significant times. But we also know that immediate, collective action – by the private sector and all levels of government – to address the critical needs of capacity and supply can help resolve this challenge.
AHA and other groups urged House and Senate leaders to “preclude the financial impact or shared loss repayment for all accountable care organizations and other value-based program participants based o
AHA joined physician and other groups urging CMS to take steps to ensure COVID-19 does not derail the Alternative Payment Model and value movement. Specifically, the groups urged CMS to “allow flexibility with existing deadlines and requirements and take steps to ensure clinicians are not inappropriately penalized for the extreme costs of handling the pandemic so that they can continue to focus their energy on patient care.
AHA urges Congress to quickly pass “critically needed” direct financial assistance for hospitals and health systems to combat the pandemic, including assistance for hospitals investing in infrastructure, equipment and supplies, and a full payroll tax credit or other mechanism to offset uncompensated care, bad debt and charity care costs for treating coronavirus patients.
AHA asks the Secretary of Health and Human Services to consider additional actions to temporarily suspend certain requirements in order for health care providers to better respond to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
As Congress considers developing an economic stimulus package, the AHA, American Medical Association and American Nurses Association urge congressional leaders to include at least $1 billion to ensure that hospitals, health systems, physicians and nurses are viable and “directly supported” for preparedness and response. The organizations also urge that supplemental funding not be offset by cutting other health programs,
America’s hospitals deeply appreciate Congress’s swift and effective efforts to combat the COVID-19 crisis. Your recent bipartisan action provides much needed assistance for patients and hospitals, especially our workforce on the front lines of this pandemic, and reassures all Americans of Congress’s unwavering commitment to take the actions needed to ensure their health and safety.
AHA, AAMC, CHA and FAH letter to assure the Surgeon General and the nation’s leadership that hospitals across the country are actively preparing, planning, and executing our emergency plans to stop the threat of COVID-19, and to provide the medical care that the American people will expect and need during this national emergency.