News

To encourage drug companies to seek approval for over-the-counter versions of naloxone, an emergency treatment for opioid overdose, the Food and Drug Administration today released model consumer-friendly labels for prospective OTC versions of the drug.

Patients in the most rural counties had an 87 percent greater chance of receiving an opioid prescription from their primary care provider between January 2014 and March 2017 than patients in large metropolitan areas.

An estimated 23 percent of outpatient antibiotic prescriptions filled by privately insured children and non-elderly adults in the United States in 2016 were inappropriate.

Commenting today on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s draft recommendations for 2020, AHA said it supports the recommendation to provide current law market-basket updates for the hospital inpatient and outpatient prospective payment systems.

The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday heard oral arguments in an appeal of a D.C. Circuit Court decision that the Department of Health and Human Services violated the Medicare Act when it changed Medicare’s reimbursement adjustment formula for disproportionate share hospitals without providing notice and opportunity to comment.

The U.S. health care system continues to make progress automating business transactions, but could save an additional $9.8 billion annually if providers and health plans fully adopted certain electronic transactions.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently finished mailing new Medicare cards to beneficiaries, which replace the Social Security-based number on their previous cards with a new Medicare beneficiary identifier.

Hospitals and health systems may apply through Feb. 19 for the 2019 AHA Equity of Care Award, which recognizes organizations participating in the AHA's #123forEquity campaign for extraordinary success in advancing diversity and equity through data collection, leadership, cultural awareness and partnerships.

The Government Accountability Office today released a congressionally-mandated report examining approaches and challenges to matching patients to their electronic health records, and efforts to improve patient record matching.

Derrick Jones, CEO of Lovelace Rehabilitation Hospital in Albuquerque, N.M., will serve as 2019 chair of the AHA's Section for Long-Term Care and Rehabilitation.

The AHA's Center for Health Innovation Jan. 16 at 1 p.m. ET will host a webinar for hospital and health system leaders to make sense of the various types of disruption occurring within the health care ecosystem and the forces driving this disruption.

Continued rising drug prices, as well as shortages for many critical medications, are disrupting patient care and forcing hospitals to delay infrastructure and staffing investments and identify alternative therapies.

AHA said it generally supports CMS’ efforts to grant greater state-level flexibility and reduce regulatory burden, but urged the agency to ensure Medicaid enrollees have timely access to quality care services.

The American Board of Medical Specialties has released an updated guide to the specialty and subspecialty certifications offered by its 24 member boards.

Virginia hospitals and health systems provided nearly $3.3 billion in community benefit and other support in 2017, according to the latest annual report by the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association.

New Jersey hospitals contributed $23.6 billion and more than 150,000 jobs to the state economy in 2017, according to the latest report by the New Jersey Hospital Association.

When our paths cross in the year ahead, I ask you to share what is on your mind, what keeps you up at night, and how we can work together to ensure that all individuals reach their highest potential for health.  

The AHA today submitted to the Food and Drug Administration legislative, regulatory and best practice recommendations to address new and chronic prescription drug shortages that threaten the quality of patient care and increase hospital and health system costs.

The AHA and the Federation of American Hospitals today urged Congress to oppose any legislation that would repeal current law limiting self-referral to physician-owned hospitals.

A coalition of 40 health care and public health organizations, including the AHA, today urged the Senate to quickly pass the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act.