FAH President and CEO Chip Kahn released the following statement after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) vote to approve the final Noncompete Rule: “This final rule is a double whammy. The ban makes it more difficult to recruit and retain caregivers to care for patients, while at the same time creating an anti-competitive, unlevel playing field between tax-paying and tax-exempt hospitals – a result the FTC rule precisely intended to prevent.” “In a time of constant health care workforce shortages, the FTC’s vote today threatens access to high-quality care for millions of patients.” Background ..read more

FAH Executive Vice President of Public Affairs Charlene MacDonald released the following statement after reviewing the Medicaid Access and Managed Care Final Rules that included several key coverage provisions: “FAH believes that our nation’s most vulnerable patients must have access to vital hospital care and the Medicaid Managed Care final rule works toward that goal by strengthening network adequacy and oversight, helping ensure enrollees have access to health care providers in their communities. “Despite CMS’ decision to require attestation of provider tax and state-directed payments in th ..read more

FAH President and CEO Chip Kahn released the following statement after reviewing the IPPS Proposed Rule: “Here we go again. Just like last year, with inflation still stubbornly high, CMS fails to meet the moment by once again proposing an inadequate payment update that will leave hospitals struggling to meet the needs of patients.   “We need Congress to examine the inability of current payments to keep up with rising costs outside hospitals’ control, which ultimately jeopardizes patient care at a time when hospitals are being threatened with Medicare cuts. These cuts could lead to closure ..read more

FAH President and CEO Chip Kahn released the following statement about President Biden’s FY 2025 Budget: “The President’s budget lays out important goals for increasing access to affordable health care coverage, essential hospital care, and mental health care, and we look forward to working with the Biden Administration and Congress on helping patients access the care they deserve.  “We think it is particularly important to support efforts to cement and build on this year’s record-breaking success of 21.3 million people signing up for coverage through the Affordable Care Act exchanges by ..read more

ORLANDO – The Federation of American Hospitals (FAH) presented Shaleta Dunn Vick, Vice President for Supplier Diversity and Social Investment Impact at Vizient, Inc., with the 2024 Corris Boyd Diversity in Healthcare Leadership Award on Monday.  Dunn Vick’s accomplishments were recognized during the FAH Annual Conference and Business Exposition in Orlando, FL.  Her nominators said, “She embodies the heart of what this award represents – transformative leadership, commitment to diversity and inclusion, and an unparalleled dedication to excellence. Her achievements have not only enrich ..read more

FAH Executive Vice President of Public Affairs Charlene MacDonald issued the following statement after lawmakers unveiled legislation to fund the government and address several key health care priorities: “We applaud Congressional leaders for agreeing on a package of health provisions that will protect patients’ access to care, especially those in rural and underserved areas. In today’s uncertain operating environment, it is critical that lawmakers act quickly to pass this legislation to avert damaging Medicaid cuts and extend critical rural health funding, measures that will provide much need ..read more

 FAH Executive Vice President of Public Affairs Charlene MacDonald issued the following statement after the House and Senate passed a continuing resolution to extend negotiations into March and avert a partial government shutdown:  “We applaud Congress for working together to take this important step toward funding the government. It is now time to take action to protect patient access to care by extending critical hospital funding programs ahead of the upcoming March 8th deadline. Swift action to avert Medicaid cuts to hospitals and extend payment adjustments for rural hospital care ..read more

A quality measure developed by FAH aimed at providing increased transparency and accountability in the prior authorization process used by Medicare Advantage plans was overwhelmingly approved by an independent, outside expert panel.  The announcement was included in the Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review (PRMR) results released today by the Partnership for Quality Measurement. The Level 1 Upheld Denial Rate Measure developed by FAH will make transparent the extent to which MA plans’ denials of care or services are overturned on appeal, providing additional insights to seniors and regulators on ..read more

FAH President and CEO Chip Kahn released the following statement after HHS published voluntary health care specific Cybersecurity Performance Goals:  “Protecting against cyber-attacks that can disrupt care and put patients’ health care information at risk is a key priority for FAH members. “We are working collaboratively with federal government agencies and others in health care to strengthen our cyber defense systems.  We appreciate initiatives, like the voluntary goals released by HHS today, that advance our shared efforts to defend our patients against these criminal actors ..read more

CMS released the Interoperability and Prior Authorization Final Rule, which includes critical policies supported by the Federation of American Hospitals (FAH) for protecting patients. Key provisions in the rule include establishing required response times for prior authorization requests, publicly reporting metrics on prior authorization denials and appeals, and improving the process by requiring use of electronic transfer of prior authorization requests and communications. Chip Kahn, FAH President and CEO, said the following on the release of the final rule: “Patients need protection from arb ..read more