The White House March 13 withdrew the nomination of former Republican congressman Dave Weldon for director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions advanced the nominations of Jay Bhattacharya for director of the National Institutes of Health and Marty Makary for commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. Both nominees will next be considered by a full Senate vote ..read more

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services March 12 announced that it will end four payment models early, terminating each by the end of 2025. The models are Primary Care First, End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices, Making Care Primary and Maryland Total Cost of Care. CMS also is considering reductions to the Integrated Care for Kids model.In addition, the CMS Innovation Center will no longer implement the Medicare $2 Drug List or Accelerating Clinical Evidence models ..read more

A new Boardroom Brief by AHA Trustee Services identifies questions trustees should ask their C-suite executives on safety culture, quality improvement, board and committee meetings, and patient engagement and satisfaction. READ MORE ..read more

The AHA and Press Ganey March 12 released a new report showing hospital and health system patients reporting improvements in overall care experience and perception of safety alongside gains in key safety outcomes. It also shows that the health care workforce has had a rebound in their reported experience, resilience and perceptions of safety culture.The insights report, “Improvement in Safety Culture Linked to Better Patient and Staff Outcomes,” highlights how hospitals that foster a strong culture of safety also report a better experience for patients and the health care workforce.Key report ..read more

John Riggi, AHA national advisor for cybersecurity and risk, and Justin Spelhaug, corporate vice president and global head of Tech for Social Impact at Microsoft Philanthropies, discuss the urgent need for stronger defenses, the role of technology leaders to combat cyberattacks and Microsoft’s strategies for long-term resilience. LISTEN NOW&nbsp ..read more

The AHA March 10 filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, urging the court to oppose a motion by data analytics firm MultiPlan to dismiss claims that the company conspired with insurers to reduce out-of-network reimbursements for hospitals and health systems.  “[I]t is imperative that courts hold commercial insurers to the same standards as everyone else,” AHA wrote. “If, as Plaintiffs allege, MultiPlan has facilitated collusion among commercial insurers throughout the country, this Court’s intervention will help preserve the ..read more

The AHA March 11 shared ways Congress could better support patient access to post-acute care in comments for a hearing held by the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health. The AHA urged Congress to rein in harmful practices by Medicare Advantage plans, repeal the minimum staffing rule and support investments in workforce development, among other actions.   The association also highlighted the crucial role that each post-acute sector plays across the continuum of care and urged Congress to take steps to address some of the unique regulatory and policy challeng ..read more

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services March 10 released new proposed policies for health insurance marketplaces, including the issuers, agents and brokers who assist marketplace enrollees. If finalized, the rule would shorten the open enrollment period for all marketplaces to Nov. 1-Dec. 15 and address issues with brokers fraudulently enrolling individuals without their consent by ending a special enrollment period for low-income individuals. CMS also proposed a change to the premium adjustment percentage that would increase the maximum annual cost sharing limitation. The propos ..read more

The House of Representatives March 11 voted 217-213 to pass a continuing resolution to fund the federal government through Sept. 30. The bill also extends certain key health care provisions that are set to expire at the end of March. The Senate is expected to consider the legislation this week. Current government funding is set to expire March 14.    Some of the health care provisions included in the bill are:  Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital Relief. The bill would eliminate the Medicaid DSH cuts through Sept. 30, 2025.   Medicare ..read more

I’ve often said that rural health care is about family. We take care of each other and our communities as best as possible. Rural hospitals and health systems are often the largest employers in our cities and towns and care for our neighbors despite the challenges we face.I recently attended the AHA’s Rural Health Care Leadership Conference, and the passion in the room and family connections formed were electrifying. We were from all over the country, red states and blue states, coastal areas and inland, but every single person there was fully committed to helping the communities they serve be ..read more