Reported covered position: Senior Analyst,Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), 8/2/2020 - 1/21/2022
How to read the money
Income and expense are whole-filing amounts associated with this lobbyist, not personal compensation or an allocated share.
No topic inference: each bill number appears in source LDA issue text assigned to this lobbyist.
Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting".
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Specific issues are shown only where the LDA source assigned them to this lobbyist. Targets apply to the associated filing.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2024 · fourth_quarter · Q4
H.R. 2584/ S. 2768, the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions, S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions, Draft Bill , 340B SUSTAIN Act, all provisions, H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, all provisions; DRAFT Senate / H.R. 5804, Mental Health Infrastructure Improvement Act, all provisions; S. 5368, End Drug Shortages Act, all provisions, H.R. 10362 / S. 5493, To prohibit pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacies from being under common ownership, and for other purposes, all provisions, H.R. 7379, Patient Matching And Transparency in Certified Health IT Act of 2024, all provisions; Health & Human Services (HHS), Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability (HTI-2), Interoperability, improve transparency and electronic access and exchange of electronic health records; Health & Human Services (HHS) & Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Telemedicine Waivers for Controlled Substances, Waiver flexibilities for prescribing controlled substances through telemedicine ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), IV Fluid Shortage Impact on Sepsis and Infection Care IV Fluid Shortage Impact on Sepsis and Infection Care; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP) and impact of recent payment rules; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay; Workforce, nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Health Professions Diversity, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, physician practice acquisition; Physician Owned Hospitals Physician-owned hospitals; Supply Chain Issues, Baxter Plant / Hurricane Recovery, Issues pertaining to supply chain issues, IV Fluid Shortages, Baxter Plant, Hurricane Recovery, defense production act, national emergency declaration, Advanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Advanced Premium Tax Credits, Cyber Security & Resiliency, Issues pertaining to ongoing cyber risks to the health care field.
Source: Senate LDA
Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting".
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
PBM Act of 2024
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 2584/ S. 2768, the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions, S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions, Draft Bill , 340B SUSTAIN Act, all provisions, H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, all provisions; DRAFT Senate / H.R. 5804, Mental Health Infrastructure Improvement Act, all provisions; S. 5368, End Drug Shortages Act, all provisions, H.R. 10362 / S. 5493, To prohibit pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacies from being under common ownership, and for other purposes, all provisions, H.R. 7379, Patient Matching And Transparency in Certified Health IT Act of 2024, all provisions; Health & Human Services (HHS), Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability (HTI-2), Interoperability, improve transparency and electronic access and exchange of electronic health records; Health & Human Services (HHS) & Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Telemedicine Waivers for Controlled Substances, Waiver flexibilities for prescribing controlled substances through telemedicine ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), IV Fluid Shortage Impact on Sepsis and Infection Care IV Fluid Shortage Impact on Sepsis and Infection Care; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP) and impact of recent payment rules; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay; Workforce, nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Health Professions Diversity, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, physician practice acquisition; Physician Owned Hospitals Physician-owned hospitals; Supply Chain Issues, Baxter Plant / Hurricane Recovery, Issues pertaining to supply chain issues, IV Fluid Shortages, Baxter Plant, Hurricane Recovery, defense production act, national emergency declaration, Advanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Advanced Premium Tax Credits, Cyber Security & Resiliency, Issues pertaining to ongoing cyber risks to the health care field.
KEEP Telehealth Options Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
KEEP Telehealth Options Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91 A, joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions ; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 4946, Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033,Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023all provisions; H.R. 1406, Sustainable Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act, all provisions; DRAFT, DRAFT Clarifying that Rural Emergency Hospitals are eligible for Medicaid hospital reimbursement; DRAFT, DRAFT, Expanding services Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) are paid at the enhanced outpatient prospective payment system rate, allow eligibility for Small Rural Hospital improvement Grants; DRAFT, DRAFT, Issues pertaining to freestanding emergency departments; H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, All provisions; H. R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, Issues pertaining to expansion of physician-owned Rural Emergency Hospitals; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS), Feedback on Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2026, Navigators and non-navigator assistance personnel working within hospitals and health systems to assist consumers; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Part C Utilization Management Annual Data Submission and Audit Protocol Data Request, Proposed Medicare Part C Utilization Management and data submission and audit protocol; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Physician fee schedule payments, advanced alternative payment model (A-APM) incentives and Medicare Advantage (MA) network adequacy; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Affordable drugs, Medicare $2 Drug List Model request for information; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Changes to the Fiscal Year 2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Rates Due to Court Decision, Low Wage Index Policy changes due to recent court change; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Transaction Facilitator and the Medicare drug negotiation program, Information collection request (ICR) regarding the Medicare Transaction Facilitator (MTF) and the Medicare drug negotiation program; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, scheduled physician reimbursement cuts for 2025, extension of Medicare's Advanced Alternative Payment Model (AAPM) incentive payments; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Organ Transplant Final Rule, Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Final Rule, IOTA Model impact on hospitals.
KEEP Telehealth Options Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
KEEP Telehealth Options Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; S.4338, the Pay PCPs Act , Feedback to improve physician reimbursement and value-based primary care; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act,all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust long-term care hospital payment rates under the Medicare program, Issues related to LTCH payment policy reforms; S. 5236, A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to enhance financial support for rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services to vulnerable populations, and for other purposes, Reimbursements to rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Obstetric care in Critical Access Hospitals (CAH); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Draft Guidance, Issues pertaining to the implementation of the Medicare drug price negotiation program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program; Alternative Payment Model Updates and the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care and feedback on proposed IOTA model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY 2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals; Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments, Issues pertaining to the FY2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems Rule and Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments Changes in FY25 IPPS Rule; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), 2025 Priorities, Issues pertaining to 340B Drug Pricing Program, inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) payments, the physician fee schedule (PFS) and telehealth in the new cycle; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Home Health Prospective; Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update, Issues pertaining to the CY25 Home Health Proposed Rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Physician fee schedule (PFS) proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2025, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) Proposed rule for Calendar Year (CY2025), Issues pertaining to outpatient and ambulatory surgery center prospective payment system, conditions of participation for maternal health; Health & Human Services (HHS), Letter to HHS, Medicare Advantage Organizations' Use of Prior Authorization for Post-Acute Care; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Significant, Anomalous and Highly Suspect (SAHS) billing in Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in Calendar Year 2023, Issues pertaining to proposed rule to mitigate the impact of significant, anomalous and highly suspect (SAHS) billing activity within the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in calendar year (CY) 2023; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, SFC / W&M Meeting / CMS Meeting , Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Included in E&C markup statement in September , Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Access to inpatient rehabilitation care, Letter to CMS / Supported Hill Led Effort, Access to inpatient rehabilitation care for MA enrollees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage.
KEEP Telehealth Options Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services.
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services.
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Sustainable Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91 A, joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions ; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 4946, Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033,Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023all provisions; H.R. 1406, Sustainable Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act, all provisions; DRAFT, DRAFT Clarifying that Rural Emergency Hospitals are eligible for Medicaid hospital reimbursement; DRAFT, DRAFT, Expanding services Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) are paid at the enhanced outpatient prospective payment system rate, allow eligibility for Small Rural Hospital improvement Grants; DRAFT, DRAFT, Issues pertaining to freestanding emergency departments; H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, All provisions; H. R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, Issues pertaining to expansion of physician-owned Rural Emergency Hospitals; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS), Feedback on Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2026, Navigators and non-navigator assistance personnel working within hospitals and health systems to assist consumers; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Part C Utilization Management Annual Data Submission and Audit Protocol Data Request, Proposed Medicare Part C Utilization Management and data submission and audit protocol; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Physician fee schedule payments, advanced alternative payment model (A-APM) incentives and Medicare Advantage (MA) network adequacy; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Affordable drugs, Medicare $2 Drug List Model request for information; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Changes to the Fiscal Year 2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Rates Due to Court Decision, Low Wage Index Policy changes due to recent court change; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Transaction Facilitator and the Medicare drug negotiation program, Information collection request (ICR) regarding the Medicare Transaction Facilitator (MTF) and the Medicare drug negotiation program; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, scheduled physician reimbursement cuts for 2025, extension of Medicare's Advanced Alternative Payment Model (AAPM) incentive payments; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Organ Transplant Final Rule, Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Final Rule, IOTA Model impact on hospitals.
Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91 A, joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions ; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 4946, Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033,Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023all provisions; H.R. 1406, Sustainable Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act, all provisions; DRAFT, DRAFT Clarifying that Rural Emergency Hospitals are eligible for Medicaid hospital reimbursement; DRAFT, DRAFT, Expanding services Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) are paid at the enhanced outpatient prospective payment system rate, allow eligibility for Small Rural Hospital improvement Grants; DRAFT, DRAFT, Issues pertaining to freestanding emergency departments; H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, All provisions; H. R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, Issues pertaining to expansion of physician-owned Rural Emergency Hospitals; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS), Feedback on Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2026, Navigators and non-navigator assistance personnel working within hospitals and health systems to assist consumers; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Part C Utilization Management Annual Data Submission and Audit Protocol Data Request, Proposed Medicare Part C Utilization Management and data submission and audit protocol; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Physician fee schedule payments, advanced alternative payment model (A-APM) incentives and Medicare Advantage (MA) network adequacy; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Affordable drugs, Medicare $2 Drug List Model request for information; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Changes to the Fiscal Year 2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Rates Due to Court Decision, Low Wage Index Policy changes due to recent court change; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Transaction Facilitator and the Medicare drug negotiation program, Information collection request (ICR) regarding the Medicare Transaction Facilitator (MTF) and the Medicare drug negotiation program; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, scheduled physician reimbursement cuts for 2025, extension of Medicare's Advanced Alternative Payment Model (AAPM) incentive payments; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Organ Transplant Final Rule, Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Final Rule, IOTA Model impact on hospitals.
Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Rural America Health Corps Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 3565, Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Sustain 340B Program Discussion Draft, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 1302/H.R. 2389, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 3679/H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S.2415, Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7931, Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) , all provisions; H.R. 8245, Rural Hospital Stabilization Act , all provisions; H.R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; S.940/ H.R. 1711, Rural America Health Corps Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3765 / H.R. 6960, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 2364, Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act, all provisions; S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 2510, RAPID Reserve Act, all provisions; S. 2362, Drug Shortage Prevention Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, the Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Act, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to address generic drug shortages; S. 862, Restoring America's Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act, all provisions; HR 2584/ S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S.4079/H.R. 8383, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act , all provisions; H.R. 8186, Healthy Affordable Housing Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act, all provisions; S. 4054, Health Care Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Family Health Affordability Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, HEALTH for MOM Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Labor, Health Plan Accountability, health plan accountability; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 Tariffs, Issues related to tariffs on health care products manufactured in China; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Public Assistance for COVID expenses, Issues related to distribution of public assistance funds to hospitals; Administration for Strategic Preparation & Response (ASPR / HHS), Pediatric Emergencies, Issues related to Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence; U.S. Department of State Immigration, Issues related to visas for foreign-trained health care workers; Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS - HHS), Medical Debt, Issues related to how hospitals address medical debt; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to Change Health Care cyber attack, breach notifications and ongoing cyber risks to the health care field; Lab Developed Tests (LDTs), Issues related to proposed regulatory oversight of Lab Developed Tests (LDTs); Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), ERISA improvements; Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI use in health care; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Prescription drug shortages, Issues pertaining to Drug shortages, supply chains; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, community benefit, physician practice acquisition; Workforce nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages; Behavioral Health, Related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Physician-owned hospitals; Tax-exempt status, not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Health Professions Diversity, Increasing health professionals of color, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs.
Rural America Health Corps Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 3565, Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Sustain 340B Program Discussion Draft, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 1302/H.R. 2389, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 3679/H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S.2415, Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7931, Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) , all provisions; H.R. 8245, Rural Hospital Stabilization Act , all provisions; H.R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; S.940/ H.R. 1711, Rural America Health Corps Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3765 / H.R. 6960, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 2364, Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act, all provisions; S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 2510, RAPID Reserve Act, all provisions; S. 2362, Drug Shortage Prevention Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, the Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Act, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to address generic drug shortages; S. 862, Restoring America's Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act, all provisions; HR 2584/ S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S.4079/H.R. 8383, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act , all provisions; H.R. 8186, Healthy Affordable Housing Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act, all provisions; S. 4054, Health Care Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Family Health Affordability Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, HEALTH for MOM Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Labor, Health Plan Accountability, health plan accountability; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 Tariffs, Issues related to tariffs on health care products manufactured in China; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Public Assistance for COVID expenses, Issues related to distribution of public assistance funds to hospitals; Administration for Strategic Preparation & Response (ASPR / HHS), Pediatric Emergencies, Issues related to Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence; U.S. Department of State Immigration, Issues related to visas for foreign-trained health care workers; Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS - HHS), Medical Debt, Issues related to how hospitals address medical debt; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to Change Health Care cyber attack, breach notifications and ongoing cyber risks to the health care field; Lab Developed Tests (LDTs), Issues related to proposed regulatory oversight of Lab Developed Tests (LDTs); Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), ERISA improvements; Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI use in health care; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Prescription drug shortages, Issues pertaining to Drug shortages, supply chains; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, community benefit, physician practice acquisition; Workforce nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages; Behavioral Health, Related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Physician-owned hospitals; Tax-exempt status, not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Health Professions Diversity, Increasing health professionals of color, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs.
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 3565, Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Sustain 340B Program Discussion Draft, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 1302/H.R. 2389, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 3679/H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S.2415, Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7931, Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) , all provisions; H.R. 8245, Rural Hospital Stabilization Act , all provisions; H.R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; S.940/ H.R. 1711, Rural America Health Corps Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3765 / H.R. 6960, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 2364, Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act, all provisions; S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 2510, RAPID Reserve Act, all provisions; S. 2362, Drug Shortage Prevention Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, the Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Act, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to address generic drug shortages; S. 862, Restoring America's Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act, all provisions; HR 2584/ S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S.4079/H.R. 8383, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act , all provisions; H.R. 8186, Healthy Affordable Housing Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act, all provisions; S. 4054, Health Care Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Family Health Affordability Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, HEALTH for MOM Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Labor, Health Plan Accountability, health plan accountability; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 Tariffs, Issues related to tariffs on health care products manufactured in China; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Public Assistance for COVID expenses, Issues related to distribution of public assistance funds to hospitals; Administration for Strategic Preparation & Response (ASPR / HHS), Pediatric Emergencies, Issues related to Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence; U.S. Department of State Immigration, Issues related to visas for foreign-trained health care workers; Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS - HHS), Medical Debt, Issues related to how hospitals address medical debt; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to Change Health Care cyber attack, breach notifications and ongoing cyber risks to the health care field; Lab Developed Tests (LDTs), Issues related to proposed regulatory oversight of Lab Developed Tests (LDTs); Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), ERISA improvements; Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI use in health care; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Prescription drug shortages, Issues pertaining to Drug shortages, supply chains; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, community benefit, physician practice acquisition; Workforce nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages; Behavioral Health, Related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Physician-owned hospitals; Tax-exempt status, not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Health Professions Diversity, Increasing health professionals of color, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs.
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 3565, Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Sustain 340B Program Discussion Draft, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 1302/H.R. 2389, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 3679/H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S.2415, Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7931, Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) , all provisions; H.R. 8245, Rural Hospital Stabilization Act , all provisions; H.R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; S.940/ H.R. 1711, Rural America Health Corps Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3765 / H.R. 6960, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 2364, Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act, all provisions; S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 2510, RAPID Reserve Act, all provisions; S. 2362, Drug Shortage Prevention Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, the Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Act, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to address generic drug shortages; S. 862, Restoring America's Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act, all provisions; HR 2584/ S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S.4079/H.R. 8383, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act , all provisions; H.R. 8186, Healthy Affordable Housing Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act, all provisions; S. 4054, Health Care Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Family Health Affordability Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, HEALTH for MOM Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Labor, Health Plan Accountability, health plan accountability; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 Tariffs, Issues related to tariffs on health care products manufactured in China; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Public Assistance for COVID expenses, Issues related to distribution of public assistance funds to hospitals; Administration for Strategic Preparation & Response (ASPR / HHS), Pediatric Emergencies, Issues related to Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence; U.S. Department of State Immigration, Issues related to visas for foreign-trained health care workers; Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS - HHS), Medical Debt, Issues related to how hospitals address medical debt; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to Change Health Care cyber attack, breach notifications and ongoing cyber risks to the health care field; Lab Developed Tests (LDTs), Issues related to proposed regulatory oversight of Lab Developed Tests (LDTs); Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), ERISA improvements; Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI use in health care; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Prescription drug shortages, Issues pertaining to Drug shortages, supply chains; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, community benefit, physician practice acquisition; Workforce nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages; Behavioral Health, Related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Physician-owned hospitals; Tax-exempt status, not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Health Professions Diversity, Increasing health professionals of color, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs.
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; S.4338, the Pay PCPs Act , Feedback to improve physician reimbursement and value-based primary care; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act,all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust long-term care hospital payment rates under the Medicare program, Issues related to LTCH payment policy reforms; S. 5236, A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to enhance financial support for rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services to vulnerable populations, and for other purposes, Reimbursements to rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Obstetric care in Critical Access Hospitals (CAH); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Draft Guidance, Issues pertaining to the implementation of the Medicare drug price negotiation program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program; Alternative Payment Model Updates and the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care and feedback on proposed IOTA model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY 2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals; Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments, Issues pertaining to the FY2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems Rule and Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments Changes in FY25 IPPS Rule; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), 2025 Priorities, Issues pertaining to 340B Drug Pricing Program, inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) payments, the physician fee schedule (PFS) and telehealth in the new cycle; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Home Health Prospective; Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update, Issues pertaining to the CY25 Home Health Proposed Rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Physician fee schedule (PFS) proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2025, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) Proposed rule for Calendar Year (CY2025), Issues pertaining to outpatient and ambulatory surgery center prospective payment system, conditions of participation for maternal health; Health & Human Services (HHS), Letter to HHS, Medicare Advantage Organizations' Use of Prior Authorization for Post-Acute Care; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Significant, Anomalous and Highly Suspect (SAHS) billing in Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in Calendar Year 2023, Issues pertaining to proposed rule to mitigate the impact of significant, anomalous and highly suspect (SAHS) billing activity within the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in calendar year (CY) 2023; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, SFC / W&M Meeting / CMS Meeting , Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Included in E&C markup statement in September , Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Access to inpatient rehabilitation care, Letter to CMS / Supported Hill Led Effort, Access to inpatient rehabilitation care for MA enrollees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage.
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91 A, joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions ; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 4946, Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033,Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023all provisions; H.R. 1406, Sustainable Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act, all provisions; DRAFT, DRAFT Clarifying that Rural Emergency Hospitals are eligible for Medicaid hospital reimbursement; DRAFT, DRAFT, Expanding services Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) are paid at the enhanced outpatient prospective payment system rate, allow eligibility for Small Rural Hospital improvement Grants; DRAFT, DRAFT, Issues pertaining to freestanding emergency departments; H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, All provisions; H. R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, Issues pertaining to expansion of physician-owned Rural Emergency Hospitals; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS), Feedback on Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2026, Navigators and non-navigator assistance personnel working within hospitals and health systems to assist consumers; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Part C Utilization Management Annual Data Submission and Audit Protocol Data Request, Proposed Medicare Part C Utilization Management and data submission and audit protocol; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Physician fee schedule payments, advanced alternative payment model (A-APM) incentives and Medicare Advantage (MA) network adequacy; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Affordable drugs, Medicare $2 Drug List Model request for information; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Changes to the Fiscal Year 2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Rates Due to Court Decision, Low Wage Index Policy changes due to recent court change; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Transaction Facilitator and the Medicare drug negotiation program, Information collection request (ICR) regarding the Medicare Transaction Facilitator (MTF) and the Medicare drug negotiation program; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, scheduled physician reimbursement cuts for 2025, extension of Medicare's Advanced Alternative Payment Model (AAPM) incentive payments; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Organ Transplant Final Rule, Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Final Rule, IOTA Model impact on hospitals.
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
Helping Kids Cope Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
PROTECT 340B Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
Draft Bill , 340B SUSTAIN Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; H.R.9412 , Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2024, Issues pertaining to cyber security for health care field; Draft Bill , Strengthening Pathways to Healthcare Professions Act of 2024, Strengthening HRSA health workforce programs; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; H.R. 2584/ S. 2768, the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act , all provisions; H.R. 3120, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 9457, Transparent Telehealth Bills Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act), all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663 , Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; S. 5025 , the SEPSIS Act , all provisions; Draft Bill , Rural 340B Access Act, Issues pertaining 340B Program access; Draft Bill , Draft Bill , Freestanding Emergency Departments; Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) - Dept. Homeland Sec., Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA) Reporting Requirements, Feedback on reporting requirements for cybersecurity incidents under CIRCIA; Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) proposed emergency response standard, Feedback to strengthen OSHA's emergency response standard for hospitals and health systems and their workforce; Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), J&J Rebate Model for 340B Program, Feedback on Johnson & Johnson rebate model for 340B Program; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Price Transparency, STMT to Committee on Aging, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to ongoing cyber risks to the health care field. Change Health Care cyber-attack, breach notifications CrowdStrike, OneBlood, health records; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP) and impact of recent payment rules; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay; Drug Prices, Included in Cost of Healthcare Hearing , Issues related to prescription drug prices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Hill meetings, Physician-owned hospitals; 340B Program, Hill Letter, Johnson and Johnson 340B Proposal; DEA Telehealth Waivers, Telemedicine prescribing of controlled substances; Workforce, nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Health Professions Diversity, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisitions, physician practice acquisition; Supply Chain Issues, HHS Calls, Issues pertaining to supply chain issues for medical devices and blood shortages; Rural 340B Access Act , Hill visit, Hill discussion about the Rural 340B Access Act (House and Senate); Outstanding COVID reimbursement for hospitals, Check in with FEMA, FEMA outreach about outstanding COVID reimbursement for hospitals.
H.R. 2584/ S. 2768, the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions, S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions, Draft Bill , 340B SUSTAIN Act, all provisions, H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, all provisions; DRAFT Senate / H.R. 5804, Mental Health Infrastructure Improvement Act, all provisions; S. 5368, End Drug Shortages Act, all provisions, H.R. 10362 / S. 5493, To prohibit pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacies from being under common ownership, and for other purposes, all provisions, H.R. 7379, Patient Matching And Transparency in Certified Health IT Act of 2024, all provisions; Health & Human Services (HHS), Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability (HTI-2), Interoperability, improve transparency and electronic access and exchange of electronic health records; Health & Human Services (HHS) & Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Telemedicine Waivers for Controlled Substances, Waiver flexibilities for prescribing controlled substances through telemedicine ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), IV Fluid Shortage Impact on Sepsis and Infection Care IV Fluid Shortage Impact on Sepsis and Infection Care; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP) and impact of recent payment rules; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay; Workforce, nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Health Professions Diversity, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, physician practice acquisition; Physician Owned Hospitals Physician-owned hospitals; Supply Chain Issues, Baxter Plant / Hurricane Recovery, Issues pertaining to supply chain issues, IV Fluid Shortages, Baxter Plant, Hurricane Recovery, defense production act, national emergency declaration, Advanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Advanced Premium Tax Credits, Cyber Security & Resiliency, Issues pertaining to ongoing cyber risks to the health care field.
S. 3565, Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Sustain 340B Program Discussion Draft, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 1302/H.R. 2389, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 3679/H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S.2415, Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7931, Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) , all provisions; H.R. 8245, Rural Hospital Stabilization Act , all provisions; H.R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; S.940/ H.R. 1711, Rural America Health Corps Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3765 / H.R. 6960, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 2364, Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act, all provisions; S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 2510, RAPID Reserve Act, all provisions; S. 2362, Drug Shortage Prevention Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, the Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Act, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to address generic drug shortages; S. 862, Restoring America's Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act, all provisions; HR 2584/ S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S.4079/H.R. 8383, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act , all provisions; H.R. 8186, Healthy Affordable Housing Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act, all provisions; S. 4054, Health Care Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Family Health Affordability Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, HEALTH for MOM Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Labor, Health Plan Accountability, health plan accountability; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 Tariffs, Issues related to tariffs on health care products manufactured in China; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Public Assistance for COVID expenses, Issues related to distribution of public assistance funds to hospitals; Administration for Strategic Preparation & Response (ASPR / HHS), Pediatric Emergencies, Issues related to Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence; U.S. Department of State Immigration, Issues related to visas for foreign-trained health care workers; Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS - HHS), Medical Debt, Issues related to how hospitals address medical debt; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to Change Health Care cyber attack, breach notifications and ongoing cyber risks to the health care field; Lab Developed Tests (LDTs), Issues related to proposed regulatory oversight of Lab Developed Tests (LDTs); Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), ERISA improvements; Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI use in health care; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Prescription drug shortages, Issues pertaining to Drug shortages, supply chains; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, community benefit, physician practice acquisition; Workforce nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages; Behavioral Health, Related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Physician-owned hospitals; Tax-exempt status, not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Health Professions Diversity, Increasing health professionals of color, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs.
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
S. 3565, Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Sustain 340B Program Discussion Draft, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 1302/H.R. 2389, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 3679/H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S.2415, Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7931, Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) , all provisions; H.R. 8245, Rural Hospital Stabilization Act , all provisions; H.R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; S.940/ H.R. 1711, Rural America Health Corps Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3765 / H.R. 6960, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 2364, Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act, all provisions; S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 2510, RAPID Reserve Act, all provisions; S. 2362, Drug Shortage Prevention Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, the Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Act, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to address generic drug shortages; S. 862, Restoring America's Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act, all provisions; HR 2584/ S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S.4079/H.R. 8383, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act , all provisions; H.R. 8186, Healthy Affordable Housing Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act, all provisions; S. 4054, Health Care Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Family Health Affordability Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, HEALTH for MOM Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Labor, Health Plan Accountability, health plan accountability; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 Tariffs, Issues related to tariffs on health care products manufactured in China; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Public Assistance for COVID expenses, Issues related to distribution of public assistance funds to hospitals; Administration for Strategic Preparation & Response (ASPR / HHS), Pediatric Emergencies, Issues related to Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence; U.S. Department of State Immigration, Issues related to visas for foreign-trained health care workers; Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS - HHS), Medical Debt, Issues related to how hospitals address medical debt; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to Change Health Care cyber attack, breach notifications and ongoing cyber risks to the health care field; Lab Developed Tests (LDTs), Issues related to proposed regulatory oversight of Lab Developed Tests (LDTs); Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), ERISA improvements; Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI use in health care; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Prescription drug shortages, Issues pertaining to Drug shortages, supply chains; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, community benefit, physician practice acquisition; Workforce nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages; Behavioral Health, Related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Physician-owned hospitals; Tax-exempt status, not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Health Professions Diversity, Increasing health professionals of color, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs.
Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 2584/ S. 2768, the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions, S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions, Draft Bill , 340B SUSTAIN Act, all provisions, H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, all provisions; DRAFT Senate / H.R. 5804, Mental Health Infrastructure Improvement Act, all provisions; S. 5368, End Drug Shortages Act, all provisions, H.R. 10362 / S. 5493, To prohibit pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacies from being under common ownership, and for other purposes, all provisions, H.R. 7379, Patient Matching And Transparency in Certified Health IT Act of 2024, all provisions; Health & Human Services (HHS), Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability (HTI-2), Interoperability, improve transparency and electronic access and exchange of electronic health records; Health & Human Services (HHS) & Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Telemedicine Waivers for Controlled Substances, Waiver flexibilities for prescribing controlled substances through telemedicine ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), IV Fluid Shortage Impact on Sepsis and Infection Care IV Fluid Shortage Impact on Sepsis and Infection Care; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP) and impact of recent payment rules; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay; Workforce, nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Health Professions Diversity, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, physician practice acquisition; Physician Owned Hospitals Physician-owned hospitals; Supply Chain Issues, Baxter Plant / Hurricane Recovery, Issues pertaining to supply chain issues, IV Fluid Shortages, Baxter Plant, Hurricane Recovery, defense production act, national emergency declaration, Advanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Advanced Premium Tax Credits, Cyber Security & Resiliency, Issues pertaining to ongoing cyber risks to the health care field.
Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 3565, Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Sustain 340B Program Discussion Draft, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 1302/H.R. 2389, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 3679/H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S.2415, Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7931, Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) , all provisions; H.R. 8245, Rural Hospital Stabilization Act , all provisions; H.R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; S.940/ H.R. 1711, Rural America Health Corps Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3765 / H.R. 6960, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 2364, Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act, all provisions; S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 2510, RAPID Reserve Act, all provisions; S. 2362, Drug Shortage Prevention Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, the Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Act, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to address generic drug shortages; S. 862, Restoring America's Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act, all provisions; HR 2584/ S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S.4079/H.R. 8383, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act , all provisions; H.R. 8186, Healthy Affordable Housing Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act, all provisions; S. 4054, Health Care Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Family Health Affordability Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, HEALTH for MOM Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Labor, Health Plan Accountability, health plan accountability; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 Tariffs, Issues related to tariffs on health care products manufactured in China; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Public Assistance for COVID expenses, Issues related to distribution of public assistance funds to hospitals; Administration for Strategic Preparation & Response (ASPR / HHS), Pediatric Emergencies, Issues related to Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence; U.S. Department of State Immigration, Issues related to visas for foreign-trained health care workers; Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS - HHS), Medical Debt, Issues related to how hospitals address medical debt; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to Change Health Care cyber attack, breach notifications and ongoing cyber risks to the health care field; Lab Developed Tests (LDTs), Issues related to proposed regulatory oversight of Lab Developed Tests (LDTs); Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), ERISA improvements; Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI use in health care; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Prescription drug shortages, Issues pertaining to Drug shortages, supply chains; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, community benefit, physician practice acquisition; Workforce nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages; Behavioral Health, Related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Physician-owned hospitals; Tax-exempt status, not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Health Professions Diversity, Increasing health professionals of color, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs.
Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 3565, Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Sustain 340B Program Discussion Draft, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 1302/H.R. 2389, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 3679/H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S.2415, Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7931, Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) , all provisions; H.R. 8245, Rural Hospital Stabilization Act , all provisions; H.R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; S.940/ H.R. 1711, Rural America Health Corps Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3765 / H.R. 6960, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 2364, Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act, all provisions; S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 2510, RAPID Reserve Act, all provisions; S. 2362, Drug Shortage Prevention Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, the Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Act, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to address generic drug shortages; S. 862, Restoring America's Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act, all provisions; HR 2584/ S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S.4079/H.R. 8383, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act , all provisions; H.R. 8186, Healthy Affordable Housing Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act, all provisions; S. 4054, Health Care Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Family Health Affordability Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, HEALTH for MOM Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Labor, Health Plan Accountability, health plan accountability; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 Tariffs, Issues related to tariffs on health care products manufactured in China; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Public Assistance for COVID expenses, Issues related to distribution of public assistance funds to hospitals; Administration for Strategic Preparation & Response (ASPR / HHS), Pediatric Emergencies, Issues related to Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence; U.S. Department of State Immigration, Issues related to visas for foreign-trained health care workers; Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS - HHS), Medical Debt, Issues related to how hospitals address medical debt; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to Change Health Care cyber attack, breach notifications and ongoing cyber risks to the health care field; Lab Developed Tests (LDTs), Issues related to proposed regulatory oversight of Lab Developed Tests (LDTs); Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), ERISA improvements; Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI use in health care; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Prescription drug shortages, Issues pertaining to Drug shortages, supply chains; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, community benefit, physician practice acquisition; Workforce nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages; Behavioral Health, Related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Physician-owned hospitals; Tax-exempt status, not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Health Professions Diversity, Increasing health professionals of color, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs.
Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Draft Bill , 340B SUSTAIN Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; H.R.9412 , Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2024, Issues pertaining to cyber security for health care field; Draft Bill , Strengthening Pathways to Healthcare Professions Act of 2024, Strengthening HRSA health workforce programs; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; H.R. 2584/ S. 2768, the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act , all provisions; H.R. 3120, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 9457, Transparent Telehealth Bills Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act), all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663 , Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; S. 5025 , the SEPSIS Act , all provisions; Draft Bill , Rural 340B Access Act, Issues pertaining 340B Program access; Draft Bill , Draft Bill , Freestanding Emergency Departments; Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) - Dept. Homeland Sec., Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA) Reporting Requirements, Feedback on reporting requirements for cybersecurity incidents under CIRCIA; Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) proposed emergency response standard, Feedback to strengthen OSHA's emergency response standard for hospitals and health systems and their workforce; Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), J&J Rebate Model for 340B Program, Feedback on Johnson & Johnson rebate model for 340B Program; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Price Transparency, STMT to Committee on Aging, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to ongoing cyber risks to the health care field. Change Health Care cyber-attack, breach notifications CrowdStrike, OneBlood, health records; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP) and impact of recent payment rules; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay; Drug Prices, Included in Cost of Healthcare Hearing , Issues related to prescription drug prices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Hill meetings, Physician-owned hospitals; 340B Program, Hill Letter, Johnson and Johnson 340B Proposal; DEA Telehealth Waivers, Telemedicine prescribing of controlled substances; Workforce, nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Health Professions Diversity, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisitions, physician practice acquisition; Supply Chain Issues, HHS Calls, Issues pertaining to supply chain issues for medical devices and blood shortages; Rural 340B Access Act , Hill visit, Hill discussion about the Rural 340B Access Act (House and Senate); Outstanding COVID reimbursement for hospitals, Check in with FEMA, FEMA outreach about outstanding COVID reimbursement for hospitals.
Supporting Safety Net Hospitals Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Hill outreach to oppose site-neutral payment cuts; Hill outreach in support of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program; Hill outreach about streamlining prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans; AHA Letter Comments on Medicare Payment Advisory Commission 2024 Payment Proposals; Support S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act of 2023, a bill to amend the title XVIII of the Social Security Act to preserve access to rural health care by ensuring fairness in Medicare hospital payments; Letter comments on three topics that were discussed during the December 2023 Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) public meeting: Hospital payment update recommendation to Congress, Post acute care facilities update recommendation to Congress, Physician reimbursement update recommendation to Congress; Support HR 2665, Supporting Safety Net Hospitals Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to delay certain disproportionate share hospital payment reductions under the Medicaid program; Comment letter to CMS opposes the proposal to limit the inclusion of patient days for patients who are regarded as eligible for Medicaid benefits under a Section 1115 demonstration project for purposes of the Medicare DSH calculation; Comment letter to CMS regarding a proposed rule to improve access, quality and health outcomes for Medicaid programs and the proposed policies related to access, finance and quality in Medicaid and CHIP managed care programs; Support H.R. 4968 GOLD Card Act of 2023A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to exempt qualifying physicians from prior authorization requirements under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Monitor H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promote price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purpose; A comment letter on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2024, The letter urges CMS to examine ways to account for these increased costs to ensure that beneficiaries continue to have access to quality outpatient care. It also urges the agency to reduce the productivity cut for CY 2024 as such a cut does not align with hospital and health systems public health emergency (PHE) experiences related to actual losses in productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic; Hill outreach to oppose the elimination of facility fees; Hill outreach to oppose changes that would prevent providers from negotiating contracting restrictions with commercial health insurance plans; A request letter on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to permanently remove the regulatory waivers which ensure hospitals and health systems could leverage telehealth services to respond to a wave of unprecedented need efficiently and effectively; Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act, A letter to comment on the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act; A letter to express concerns regarding CMS proposed restrictions on states use of provider-based funding sources, such as provider taxes, to finance Medicaid payments; A letter to CMS requesting that the agency correct an error in its CY 2024 final rule reimbursement rate for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) (HCPCS code G0277)
Transparent PRICE Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
Healthy Competition for Better Care Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Draft Bill , 340B SUSTAIN Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; H.R.9412 , Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2024, Issues pertaining to cyber security for health care field; Draft Bill , Strengthening Pathways to Healthcare Professions Act of 2024, Strengthening HRSA health workforce programs; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; H.R. 2584/ S. 2768, the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act , all provisions; H.R. 3120, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 9457, Transparent Telehealth Bills Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act), all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663 , Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; S. 5025 , the SEPSIS Act , all provisions; Draft Bill , Rural 340B Access Act, Issues pertaining 340B Program access; Draft Bill , Draft Bill , Freestanding Emergency Departments; Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) - Dept. Homeland Sec., Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA) Reporting Requirements, Feedback on reporting requirements for cybersecurity incidents under CIRCIA; Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) proposed emergency response standard, Feedback to strengthen OSHA's emergency response standard for hospitals and health systems and their workforce; Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), J&J Rebate Model for 340B Program, Feedback on Johnson & Johnson rebate model for 340B Program; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Price Transparency, STMT to Committee on Aging, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to ongoing cyber risks to the health care field. Change Health Care cyber-attack, breach notifications CrowdStrike, OneBlood, health records; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP) and impact of recent payment rules; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay; Drug Prices, Included in Cost of Healthcare Hearing , Issues related to prescription drug prices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Hill meetings, Physician-owned hospitals; 340B Program, Hill Letter, Johnson and Johnson 340B Proposal; DEA Telehealth Waivers, Telemedicine prescribing of controlled substances; Workforce, nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Health Professions Diversity, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisitions, physician practice acquisition; Supply Chain Issues, HHS Calls, Issues pertaining to supply chain issues for medical devices and blood shortages; Rural 340B Access Act , Hill visit, Hill discussion about the Rural 340B Access Act (House and Senate); Outstanding COVID reimbursement for hospitals, Check in with FEMA, FEMA outreach about outstanding COVID reimbursement for hospitals.
Telemental Health Care Access Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Telemental Health Care Access Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; S.4338, the Pay PCPs Act , Feedback to improve physician reimbursement and value-based primary care; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act,all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust long-term care hospital payment rates under the Medicare program, Issues related to LTCH payment policy reforms; S. 5236, A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to enhance financial support for rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services to vulnerable populations, and for other purposes, Reimbursements to rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Obstetric care in Critical Access Hospitals (CAH); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Draft Guidance, Issues pertaining to the implementation of the Medicare drug price negotiation program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program; Alternative Payment Model Updates and the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care and feedback on proposed IOTA model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY 2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals; Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments, Issues pertaining to the FY2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems Rule and Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments Changes in FY25 IPPS Rule; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), 2025 Priorities, Issues pertaining to 340B Drug Pricing Program, inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) payments, the physician fee schedule (PFS) and telehealth in the new cycle; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Home Health Prospective; Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update, Issues pertaining to the CY25 Home Health Proposed Rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Physician fee schedule (PFS) proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2025, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) Proposed rule for Calendar Year (CY2025), Issues pertaining to outpatient and ambulatory surgery center prospective payment system, conditions of participation for maternal health; Health & Human Services (HHS), Letter to HHS, Medicare Advantage Organizations' Use of Prior Authorization for Post-Acute Care; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Significant, Anomalous and Highly Suspect (SAHS) billing in Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in Calendar Year 2023, Issues pertaining to proposed rule to mitigate the impact of significant, anomalous and highly suspect (SAHS) billing activity within the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in calendar year (CY) 2023; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, SFC / W&M Meeting / CMS Meeting , Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Included in E&C markup statement in September , Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Access to inpatient rehabilitation care, Letter to CMS / Supported Hill Led Effort, Access to inpatient rehabilitation care for MA enrollees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage.
Telemental Health Care Access Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
Expanded Telehealth Access Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Expanded Telehealth Access Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; S.4338, the Pay PCPs Act , Feedback to improve physician reimbursement and value-based primary care; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act,all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust long-term care hospital payment rates under the Medicare program, Issues related to LTCH payment policy reforms; S. 5236, A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to enhance financial support for rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services to vulnerable populations, and for other purposes, Reimbursements to rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Obstetric care in Critical Access Hospitals (CAH); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Draft Guidance, Issues pertaining to the implementation of the Medicare drug price negotiation program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program; Alternative Payment Model Updates and the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care and feedback on proposed IOTA model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY 2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals; Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments, Issues pertaining to the FY2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems Rule and Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments Changes in FY25 IPPS Rule; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), 2025 Priorities, Issues pertaining to 340B Drug Pricing Program, inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) payments, the physician fee schedule (PFS) and telehealth in the new cycle; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Home Health Prospective; Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update, Issues pertaining to the CY25 Home Health Proposed Rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Physician fee schedule (PFS) proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2025, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) Proposed rule for Calendar Year (CY2025), Issues pertaining to outpatient and ambulatory surgery center prospective payment system, conditions of participation for maternal health; Health & Human Services (HHS), Letter to HHS, Medicare Advantage Organizations' Use of Prior Authorization for Post-Acute Care; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Significant, Anomalous and Highly Suspect (SAHS) billing in Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in Calendar Year 2023, Issues pertaining to proposed rule to mitigate the impact of significant, anomalous and highly suspect (SAHS) billing activity within the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in calendar year (CY) 2023; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, SFC / W&M Meeting / CMS Meeting , Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Included in E&C markup statement in September , Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Access to inpatient rehabilitation care, Letter to CMS / Supported Hill Led Effort, Access to inpatient rehabilitation care for MA enrollees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage.
Expanded Telehealth Access Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
CONNECT for Health Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
CONNECT for Health Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
CONNECT for Health Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
CONNECT for Health Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91 A, joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions ; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 4946, Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033,Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023all provisions; H.R. 1406, Sustainable Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act, all provisions; DRAFT, DRAFT Clarifying that Rural Emergency Hospitals are eligible for Medicaid hospital reimbursement; DRAFT, DRAFT, Expanding services Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) are paid at the enhanced outpatient prospective payment system rate, allow eligibility for Small Rural Hospital improvement Grants; DRAFT, DRAFT, Issues pertaining to freestanding emergency departments; H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, All provisions; H. R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, Issues pertaining to expansion of physician-owned Rural Emergency Hospitals; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS), Feedback on Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2026, Navigators and non-navigator assistance personnel working within hospitals and health systems to assist consumers; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Part C Utilization Management Annual Data Submission and Audit Protocol Data Request, Proposed Medicare Part C Utilization Management and data submission and audit protocol; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Physician fee schedule payments, advanced alternative payment model (A-APM) incentives and Medicare Advantage (MA) network adequacy; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Affordable drugs, Medicare $2 Drug List Model request for information; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Changes to the Fiscal Year 2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Rates Due to Court Decision, Low Wage Index Policy changes due to recent court change; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Transaction Facilitator and the Medicare drug negotiation program, Information collection request (ICR) regarding the Medicare Transaction Facilitator (MTF) and the Medicare drug negotiation program; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, scheduled physician reimbursement cuts for 2025, extension of Medicare's Advanced Alternative Payment Model (AAPM) incentive payments; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Organ Transplant Final Rule, Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Final Rule, IOTA Model impact on hospitals.
CONNECT for Health Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; S.4338, the Pay PCPs Act , Feedback to improve physician reimbursement and value-based primary care; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act,all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust long-term care hospital payment rates under the Medicare program, Issues related to LTCH payment policy reforms; S. 5236, A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to enhance financial support for rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services to vulnerable populations, and for other purposes, Reimbursements to rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Obstetric care in Critical Access Hospitals (CAH); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Draft Guidance, Issues pertaining to the implementation of the Medicare drug price negotiation program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program; Alternative Payment Model Updates and the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care and feedback on proposed IOTA model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY 2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals; Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments, Issues pertaining to the FY2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems Rule and Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments Changes in FY25 IPPS Rule; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), 2025 Priorities, Issues pertaining to 340B Drug Pricing Program, inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) payments, the physician fee schedule (PFS) and telehealth in the new cycle; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Home Health Prospective; Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update, Issues pertaining to the CY25 Home Health Proposed Rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Physician fee schedule (PFS) proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2025, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) Proposed rule for Calendar Year (CY2025), Issues pertaining to outpatient and ambulatory surgery center prospective payment system, conditions of participation for maternal health; Health & Human Services (HHS), Letter to HHS, Medicare Advantage Organizations' Use of Prior Authorization for Post-Acute Care; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Significant, Anomalous and Highly Suspect (SAHS) billing in Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in Calendar Year 2023, Issues pertaining to proposed rule to mitigate the impact of significant, anomalous and highly suspect (SAHS) billing activity within the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in calendar year (CY) 2023; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, SFC / W&M Meeting / CMS Meeting , Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Included in E&C markup statement in September , Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Access to inpatient rehabilitation care, Letter to CMS / Supported Hill Led Effort, Access to inpatient rehabilitation care for MA enrollees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage.
Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
Building America’s Health Care Workforce Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Building America’s Health Care Workforce Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 2584/ S. 2768, the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions, S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions, Draft Bill , 340B SUSTAIN Act, all provisions, H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, all provisions; DRAFT Senate / H.R. 5804, Mental Health Infrastructure Improvement Act, all provisions; S. 5368, End Drug Shortages Act, all provisions, H.R. 10362 / S. 5493, To prohibit pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacies from being under common ownership, and for other purposes, all provisions, H.R. 7379, Patient Matching And Transparency in Certified Health IT Act of 2024, all provisions; Health & Human Services (HHS), Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability (HTI-2), Interoperability, improve transparency and electronic access and exchange of electronic health records; Health & Human Services (HHS) & Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Telemedicine Waivers for Controlled Substances, Waiver flexibilities for prescribing controlled substances through telemedicine ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), IV Fluid Shortage Impact on Sepsis and Infection Care IV Fluid Shortage Impact on Sepsis and Infection Care; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP) and impact of recent payment rules; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay; Workforce, nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Health Professions Diversity, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, physician practice acquisition; Physician Owned Hospitals Physician-owned hospitals; Supply Chain Issues, Baxter Plant / Hurricane Recovery, Issues pertaining to supply chain issues, IV Fluid Shortages, Baxter Plant, Hurricane Recovery, defense production act, national emergency declaration, Advanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Advanced Premium Tax Credits, Cyber Security & Resiliency, Issues pertaining to ongoing cyber risks to the health care field.
Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 3565, Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Sustain 340B Program Discussion Draft, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 1302/H.R. 2389, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 3679/H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S.2415, Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7931, Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) , all provisions; H.R. 8245, Rural Hospital Stabilization Act , all provisions; H.R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; S.940/ H.R. 1711, Rural America Health Corps Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3765 / H.R. 6960, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 2364, Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act, all provisions; S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 2510, RAPID Reserve Act, all provisions; S. 2362, Drug Shortage Prevention Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, the Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Act, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to address generic drug shortages; S. 862, Restoring America's Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act, all provisions; HR 2584/ S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S.4079/H.R. 8383, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act , all provisions; H.R. 8186, Healthy Affordable Housing Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act, all provisions; S. 4054, Health Care Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Family Health Affordability Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, HEALTH for MOM Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Labor, Health Plan Accountability, health plan accountability; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 Tariffs, Issues related to tariffs on health care products manufactured in China; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Public Assistance for COVID expenses, Issues related to distribution of public assistance funds to hospitals; Administration for Strategic Preparation & Response (ASPR / HHS), Pediatric Emergencies, Issues related to Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence; U.S. Department of State Immigration, Issues related to visas for foreign-trained health care workers; Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS - HHS), Medical Debt, Issues related to how hospitals address medical debt; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to Change Health Care cyber attack, breach notifications and ongoing cyber risks to the health care field; Lab Developed Tests (LDTs), Issues related to proposed regulatory oversight of Lab Developed Tests (LDTs); Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), ERISA improvements; Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI use in health care; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Prescription drug shortages, Issues pertaining to Drug shortages, supply chains; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, community benefit, physician practice acquisition; Workforce nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages; Behavioral Health, Related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Physician-owned hospitals; Tax-exempt status, not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Health Professions Diversity, Increasing health professionals of color, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs.
Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Draft Bill , 340B SUSTAIN Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; H.R.9412 , Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2024, Issues pertaining to cyber security for health care field; Draft Bill , Strengthening Pathways to Healthcare Professions Act of 2024, Strengthening HRSA health workforce programs; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; H.R. 2584/ S. 2768, the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act , all provisions; H.R. 3120, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 9457, Transparent Telehealth Bills Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act), all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663 , Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; S. 5025 , the SEPSIS Act , all provisions; Draft Bill , Rural 340B Access Act, Issues pertaining 340B Program access; Draft Bill , Draft Bill , Freestanding Emergency Departments; Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) - Dept. Homeland Sec., Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA) Reporting Requirements, Feedback on reporting requirements for cybersecurity incidents under CIRCIA; Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) proposed emergency response standard, Feedback to strengthen OSHA's emergency response standard for hospitals and health systems and their workforce; Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), J&J Rebate Model for 340B Program, Feedback on Johnson & Johnson rebate model for 340B Program; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Price Transparency, STMT to Committee on Aging, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to ongoing cyber risks to the health care field. Change Health Care cyber-attack, breach notifications CrowdStrike, OneBlood, health records; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP) and impact of recent payment rules; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay; Drug Prices, Included in Cost of Healthcare Hearing , Issues related to prescription drug prices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Hill meetings, Physician-owned hospitals; 340B Program, Hill Letter, Johnson and Johnson 340B Proposal; DEA Telehealth Waivers, Telemedicine prescribing of controlled substances; Workforce, nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Health Professions Diversity, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisitions, physician practice acquisition; Supply Chain Issues, HHS Calls, Issues pertaining to supply chain issues for medical devices and blood shortages; Rural 340B Access Act , Hill visit, Hill discussion about the Rural 340B Access Act (House and Senate); Outstanding COVID reimbursement for hospitals, Check in with FEMA, FEMA outreach about outstanding COVID reimbursement for hospitals.
Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 3565, Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Sustain 340B Program Discussion Draft, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 1302/H.R. 2389, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 3679/H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S.2415, Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7931, Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) , all provisions; H.R. 8245, Rural Hospital Stabilization Act , all provisions; H.R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; S.940/ H.R. 1711, Rural America Health Corps Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3765 / H.R. 6960, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 2364, Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act, all provisions; S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 2510, RAPID Reserve Act, all provisions; S. 2362, Drug Shortage Prevention Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, the Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Act, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to address generic drug shortages; S. 862, Restoring America's Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act, all provisions; HR 2584/ S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S.4079/H.R. 8383, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act , all provisions; H.R. 8186, Healthy Affordable Housing Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act, all provisions; S. 4054, Health Care Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Family Health Affordability Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, HEALTH for MOM Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Labor, Health Plan Accountability, health plan accountability; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 Tariffs, Issues related to tariffs on health care products manufactured in China; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Public Assistance for COVID expenses, Issues related to distribution of public assistance funds to hospitals; Administration for Strategic Preparation & Response (ASPR / HHS), Pediatric Emergencies, Issues related to Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence; U.S. Department of State Immigration, Issues related to visas for foreign-trained health care workers; Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS - HHS), Medical Debt, Issues related to how hospitals address medical debt; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to Change Health Care cyber attack, breach notifications and ongoing cyber risks to the health care field; Lab Developed Tests (LDTs), Issues related to proposed regulatory oversight of Lab Developed Tests (LDTs); Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), ERISA improvements; Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI use in health care; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Prescription drug shortages, Issues pertaining to Drug shortages, supply chains; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, community benefit, physician practice acquisition; Workforce nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages; Behavioral Health, Related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Physician-owned hospitals; Tax-exempt status, not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Health Professions Diversity, Increasing health professionals of color, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs.
Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91 A, joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions ; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 4946, Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033,Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023all provisions; H.R. 1406, Sustainable Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act, all provisions; DRAFT, DRAFT Clarifying that Rural Emergency Hospitals are eligible for Medicaid hospital reimbursement; DRAFT, DRAFT, Expanding services Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) are paid at the enhanced outpatient prospective payment system rate, allow eligibility for Small Rural Hospital improvement Grants; DRAFT, DRAFT, Issues pertaining to freestanding emergency departments; H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, All provisions; H. R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, Issues pertaining to expansion of physician-owned Rural Emergency Hospitals; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS), Feedback on Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2026, Navigators and non-navigator assistance personnel working within hospitals and health systems to assist consumers; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Part C Utilization Management Annual Data Submission and Audit Protocol Data Request, Proposed Medicare Part C Utilization Management and data submission and audit protocol; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Physician fee schedule payments, advanced alternative payment model (A-APM) incentives and Medicare Advantage (MA) network adequacy; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Affordable drugs, Medicare $2 Drug List Model request for information; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Changes to the Fiscal Year 2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Rates Due to Court Decision, Low Wage Index Policy changes due to recent court change; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Transaction Facilitator and the Medicare drug negotiation program, Information collection request (ICR) regarding the Medicare Transaction Facilitator (MTF) and the Medicare drug negotiation program; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, scheduled physician reimbursement cuts for 2025, extension of Medicare's Advanced Alternative Payment Model (AAPM) incentive payments; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Organ Transplant Final Rule, Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Final Rule, IOTA Model impact on hospitals.
GOLD CARD Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Hill outreach to oppose site-neutral payment cuts; Hill outreach in support of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program; Hill outreach about streamlining prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans; AHA Letter Comments on Medicare Payment Advisory Commission 2024 Payment Proposals; Support S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act of 2023, a bill to amend the title XVIII of the Social Security Act to preserve access to rural health care by ensuring fairness in Medicare hospital payments; Letter comments on three topics that were discussed during the December 2023 Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) public meeting: Hospital payment update recommendation to Congress, Post acute care facilities update recommendation to Congress, Physician reimbursement update recommendation to Congress; Support HR 2665, Supporting Safety Net Hospitals Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to delay certain disproportionate share hospital payment reductions under the Medicaid program; Comment letter to CMS opposes the proposal to limit the inclusion of patient days for patients who are regarded as eligible for Medicaid benefits under a Section 1115 demonstration project for purposes of the Medicare DSH calculation; Comment letter to CMS regarding a proposed rule to improve access, quality and health outcomes for Medicaid programs and the proposed policies related to access, finance and quality in Medicaid and CHIP managed care programs; Support H.R. 4968 GOLD Card Act of 2023A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to exempt qualifying physicians from prior authorization requirements under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Monitor H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promote price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purpose; A comment letter on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2024, The letter urges CMS to examine ways to account for these increased costs to ensure that beneficiaries continue to have access to quality outpatient care. It also urges the agency to reduce the productivity cut for CY 2024 as such a cut does not align with hospital and health systems public health emergency (PHE) experiences related to actual losses in productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic; Hill outreach to oppose the elimination of facility fees; Hill outreach to oppose changes that would prevent providers from negotiating contracting restrictions with commercial health insurance plans; A request letter on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to permanently remove the regulatory waivers which ensure hospitals and health systems could leverage telehealth services to respond to a wave of unprecedented need efficiently and effectively; Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act, A letter to comment on the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act; A letter to express concerns regarding CMS proposed restrictions on states use of provider-based funding sources, such as provider taxes, to finance Medicaid payments; A letter to CMS requesting that the agency correct an error in its CY 2024 final rule reimbursement rate for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) (HCPCS code G0277)
GOLD CARD Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
GOLD CARD Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Value in Health Care Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Value in Health Care Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Lower Costs, More Transparency Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Hill outreach to oppose site-neutral payment cuts; Hill outreach in support of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program; Hill outreach about streamlining prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans; AHA Letter Comments on Medicare Payment Advisory Commission 2024 Payment Proposals; Support S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act of 2023, a bill to amend the title XVIII of the Social Security Act to preserve access to rural health care by ensuring fairness in Medicare hospital payments; Letter comments on three topics that were discussed during the December 2023 Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) public meeting: Hospital payment update recommendation to Congress, Post acute care facilities update recommendation to Congress, Physician reimbursement update recommendation to Congress; Support HR 2665, Supporting Safety Net Hospitals Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to delay certain disproportionate share hospital payment reductions under the Medicaid program; Comment letter to CMS opposes the proposal to limit the inclusion of patient days for patients who are regarded as eligible for Medicaid benefits under a Section 1115 demonstration project for purposes of the Medicare DSH calculation; Comment letter to CMS regarding a proposed rule to improve access, quality and health outcomes for Medicaid programs and the proposed policies related to access, finance and quality in Medicaid and CHIP managed care programs; Support H.R. 4968 GOLD Card Act of 2023A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to exempt qualifying physicians from prior authorization requirements under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Monitor H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promote price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purpose; A comment letter on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2024, The letter urges CMS to examine ways to account for these increased costs to ensure that beneficiaries continue to have access to quality outpatient care. It also urges the agency to reduce the productivity cut for CY 2024 as such a cut does not align with hospital and health systems public health emergency (PHE) experiences related to actual losses in productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic; Hill outreach to oppose the elimination of facility fees; Hill outreach to oppose changes that would prevent providers from negotiating contracting restrictions with commercial health insurance plans; A request letter on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to permanently remove the regulatory waivers which ensure hospitals and health systems could leverage telehealth services to respond to a wave of unprecedented need efficiently and effectively; Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act, A letter to comment on the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act; A letter to express concerns regarding CMS proposed restrictions on states use of provider-based funding sources, such as provider taxes, to finance Medicaid payments; A letter to CMS requesting that the agency correct an error in its CY 2024 final rule reimbursement rate for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) (HCPCS code G0277)
Lower Costs, More Transparency Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
Lower Costs, More Transparency Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Lower Costs, More Transparency Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; S.4338, the Pay PCPs Act , Feedback to improve physician reimbursement and value-based primary care; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act,all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust long-term care hospital payment rates under the Medicare program, Issues related to LTCH payment policy reforms; S. 5236, A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to enhance financial support for rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services to vulnerable populations, and for other purposes, Reimbursements to rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Obstetric care in Critical Access Hospitals (CAH); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Draft Guidance, Issues pertaining to the implementation of the Medicare drug price negotiation program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program; Alternative Payment Model Updates and the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care and feedback on proposed IOTA model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY 2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals; Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments, Issues pertaining to the FY2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems Rule and Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments Changes in FY25 IPPS Rule; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), 2025 Priorities, Issues pertaining to 340B Drug Pricing Program, inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) payments, the physician fee schedule (PFS) and telehealth in the new cycle; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Home Health Prospective; Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update, Issues pertaining to the CY25 Home Health Proposed Rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Physician fee schedule (PFS) proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2025, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) Proposed rule for Calendar Year (CY2025), Issues pertaining to outpatient and ambulatory surgery center prospective payment system, conditions of participation for maternal health; Health & Human Services (HHS), Letter to HHS, Medicare Advantage Organizations' Use of Prior Authorization for Post-Acute Care; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Significant, Anomalous and Highly Suspect (SAHS) billing in Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in Calendar Year 2023, Issues pertaining to proposed rule to mitigate the impact of significant, anomalous and highly suspect (SAHS) billing activity within the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in calendar year (CY) 2023; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, SFC / W&M Meeting / CMS Meeting , Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Included in E&C markup statement in September , Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Access to inpatient rehabilitation care, Letter to CMS / Supported Hill Led Effort, Access to inpatient rehabilitation care for MA enrollees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage.
Lower Costs, More Transparency Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91 A, joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions ; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 4946, Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033,Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023all provisions; H.R. 1406, Sustainable Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act, all provisions; DRAFT, DRAFT Clarifying that Rural Emergency Hospitals are eligible for Medicaid hospital reimbursement; DRAFT, DRAFT, Expanding services Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) are paid at the enhanced outpatient prospective payment system rate, allow eligibility for Small Rural Hospital improvement Grants; DRAFT, DRAFT, Issues pertaining to freestanding emergency departments; H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, All provisions; H. R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, Issues pertaining to expansion of physician-owned Rural Emergency Hospitals; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS), Feedback on Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2026, Navigators and non-navigator assistance personnel working within hospitals and health systems to assist consumers; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Part C Utilization Management Annual Data Submission and Audit Protocol Data Request, Proposed Medicare Part C Utilization Management and data submission and audit protocol; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Physician fee schedule payments, advanced alternative payment model (A-APM) incentives and Medicare Advantage (MA) network adequacy; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Affordable drugs, Medicare $2 Drug List Model request for information; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Changes to the Fiscal Year 2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Rates Due to Court Decision, Low Wage Index Policy changes due to recent court change; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Transaction Facilitator and the Medicare drug negotiation program, Information collection request (ICR) regarding the Medicare Transaction Facilitator (MTF) and the Medicare drug negotiation program; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, scheduled physician reimbursement cuts for 2025, extension of Medicare's Advanced Alternative Payment Model (AAPM) incentive payments; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Organ Transplant Final Rule, Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Final Rule, IOTA Model impact on hospitals.
Lower Costs, More Transparency Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; S.4338, the Pay PCPs Act , Feedback to improve physician reimbursement and value-based primary care; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act,all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust long-term care hospital payment rates under the Medicare program, Issues related to LTCH payment policy reforms; S. 5236, A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to enhance financial support for rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services to vulnerable populations, and for other purposes, Reimbursements to rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Obstetric care in Critical Access Hospitals (CAH); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Draft Guidance, Issues pertaining to the implementation of the Medicare drug price negotiation program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program; Alternative Payment Model Updates and the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care and feedback on proposed IOTA model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY 2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals; Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments, Issues pertaining to the FY2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems Rule and Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments Changes in FY25 IPPS Rule; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), 2025 Priorities, Issues pertaining to 340B Drug Pricing Program, inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) payments, the physician fee schedule (PFS) and telehealth in the new cycle; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Home Health Prospective; Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update, Issues pertaining to the CY25 Home Health Proposed Rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Physician fee schedule (PFS) proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2025, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) Proposed rule for Calendar Year (CY2025), Issues pertaining to outpatient and ambulatory surgery center prospective payment system, conditions of participation for maternal health; Health & Human Services (HHS), Letter to HHS, Medicare Advantage Organizations' Use of Prior Authorization for Post-Acute Care; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Significant, Anomalous and Highly Suspect (SAHS) billing in Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in Calendar Year 2023, Issues pertaining to proposed rule to mitigate the impact of significant, anomalous and highly suspect (SAHS) billing activity within the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in calendar year (CY) 2023; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, SFC / W&M Meeting / CMS Meeting , Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Included in E&C markup statement in September , Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Access to inpatient rehabilitation care, Letter to CMS / Supported Hill Led Effort, Access to inpatient rehabilitation care for MA enrollees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage.
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91 A, joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions ; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 4946, Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033,Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023all provisions; H.R. 1406, Sustainable Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act, all provisions; DRAFT, DRAFT Clarifying that Rural Emergency Hospitals are eligible for Medicaid hospital reimbursement; DRAFT, DRAFT, Expanding services Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) are paid at the enhanced outpatient prospective payment system rate, allow eligibility for Small Rural Hospital improvement Grants; DRAFT, DRAFT, Issues pertaining to freestanding emergency departments; H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, All provisions; H. R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, Issues pertaining to expansion of physician-owned Rural Emergency Hospitals; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS), Feedback on Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2026, Navigators and non-navigator assistance personnel working within hospitals and health systems to assist consumers; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Part C Utilization Management Annual Data Submission and Audit Protocol Data Request, Proposed Medicare Part C Utilization Management and data submission and audit protocol; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Physician fee schedule payments, advanced alternative payment model (A-APM) incentives and Medicare Advantage (MA) network adequacy; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Affordable drugs, Medicare $2 Drug List Model request for information; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Changes to the Fiscal Year 2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Rates Due to Court Decision, Low Wage Index Policy changes due to recent court change; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Transaction Facilitator and the Medicare drug negotiation program, Information collection request (ICR) regarding the Medicare Transaction Facilitator (MTF) and the Medicare drug negotiation program; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, scheduled physician reimbursement cuts for 2025, extension of Medicare's Advanced Alternative Payment Model (AAPM) incentive payments; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Organ Transplant Final Rule, Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Final Rule, IOTA Model impact on hospitals.
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
HEALTH Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; S.4338, the Pay PCPs Act , Feedback to improve physician reimbursement and value-based primary care; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act,all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust long-term care hospital payment rates under the Medicare program, Issues related to LTCH payment policy reforms; S. 5236, A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to enhance financial support for rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services to vulnerable populations, and for other purposes, Reimbursements to rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Obstetric care in Critical Access Hospitals (CAH); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Draft Guidance, Issues pertaining to the implementation of the Medicare drug price negotiation program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program; Alternative Payment Model Updates and the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care and feedback on proposed IOTA model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY 2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals; Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments, Issues pertaining to the FY2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems Rule and Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments Changes in FY25 IPPS Rule; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), 2025 Priorities, Issues pertaining to 340B Drug Pricing Program, inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) payments, the physician fee schedule (PFS) and telehealth in the new cycle; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Home Health Prospective; Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update, Issues pertaining to the CY25 Home Health Proposed Rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Physician fee schedule (PFS) proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2025, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) Proposed rule for Calendar Year (CY2025), Issues pertaining to outpatient and ambulatory surgery center prospective payment system, conditions of participation for maternal health; Health & Human Services (HHS), Letter to HHS, Medicare Advantage Organizations' Use of Prior Authorization for Post-Acute Care; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Significant, Anomalous and Highly Suspect (SAHS) billing in Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in Calendar Year 2023, Issues pertaining to proposed rule to mitigate the impact of significant, anomalous and highly suspect (SAHS) billing activity within the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in calendar year (CY) 2023; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, SFC / W&M Meeting / CMS Meeting , Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Included in E&C markup statement in September , Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Access to inpatient rehabilitation care, Letter to CMS / Supported Hill Led Effort, Access to inpatient rehabilitation care for MA enrollees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage.
HEALTH Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
HEALTH Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Mental Health Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2023
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 2584/ S. 2768, the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions, S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions, Draft Bill , 340B SUSTAIN Act, all provisions, H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, all provisions; DRAFT Senate / H.R. 5804, Mental Health Infrastructure Improvement Act, all provisions; S. 5368, End Drug Shortages Act, all provisions, H.R. 10362 / S. 5493, To prohibit pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacies from being under common ownership, and for other purposes, all provisions, H.R. 7379, Patient Matching And Transparency in Certified Health IT Act of 2024, all provisions; Health & Human Services (HHS), Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability (HTI-2), Interoperability, improve transparency and electronic access and exchange of electronic health records; Health & Human Services (HHS) & Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Telemedicine Waivers for Controlled Substances, Waiver flexibilities for prescribing controlled substances through telemedicine ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), IV Fluid Shortage Impact on Sepsis and Infection Care IV Fluid Shortage Impact on Sepsis and Infection Care; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP) and impact of recent payment rules; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay; Workforce, nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Health Professions Diversity, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, physician practice acquisition; Physician Owned Hospitals Physician-owned hospitals; Supply Chain Issues, Baxter Plant / Hurricane Recovery, Issues pertaining to supply chain issues, IV Fluid Shortages, Baxter Plant, Hurricane Recovery, defense production act, national emergency declaration, Advanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Advanced Premium Tax Credits, Cyber Security & Resiliency, Issues pertaining to ongoing cyber risks to the health care field.
SPEAK Act of 2024
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
SPEAK Act of 2024
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91 A, joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions ; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 4946, Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033,Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023all provisions; H.R. 1406, Sustainable Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act, all provisions; DRAFT, DRAFT Clarifying that Rural Emergency Hospitals are eligible for Medicaid hospital reimbursement; DRAFT, DRAFT, Expanding services Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) are paid at the enhanced outpatient prospective payment system rate, allow eligibility for Small Rural Hospital improvement Grants; DRAFT, DRAFT, Issues pertaining to freestanding emergency departments; H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, All provisions; H. R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, Issues pertaining to expansion of physician-owned Rural Emergency Hospitals; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS), Feedback on Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2026, Navigators and non-navigator assistance personnel working within hospitals and health systems to assist consumers; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Part C Utilization Management Annual Data Submission and Audit Protocol Data Request, Proposed Medicare Part C Utilization Management and data submission and audit protocol; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Physician fee schedule payments, advanced alternative payment model (A-APM) incentives and Medicare Advantage (MA) network adequacy; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Affordable drugs, Medicare $2 Drug List Model request for information; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Changes to the Fiscal Year 2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Rates Due to Court Decision, Low Wage Index Policy changes due to recent court change; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Transaction Facilitator and the Medicare drug negotiation program, Information collection request (ICR) regarding the Medicare Transaction Facilitator (MTF) and the Medicare drug negotiation program; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, scheduled physician reimbursement cuts for 2025, extension of Medicare's Advanced Alternative Payment Model (AAPM) incentive payments; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Organ Transplant Final Rule, Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Final Rule, IOTA Model impact on hospitals.
SPEAK Act of 2024
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; S.4338, the Pay PCPs Act , Feedback to improve physician reimbursement and value-based primary care; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act,all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust long-term care hospital payment rates under the Medicare program, Issues related to LTCH payment policy reforms; S. 5236, A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to enhance financial support for rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services to vulnerable populations, and for other purposes, Reimbursements to rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Obstetric care in Critical Access Hospitals (CAH); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Draft Guidance, Issues pertaining to the implementation of the Medicare drug price negotiation program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program; Alternative Payment Model Updates and the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care and feedback on proposed IOTA model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY 2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals; Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments, Issues pertaining to the FY2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems Rule and Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments Changes in FY25 IPPS Rule; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), 2025 Priorities, Issues pertaining to 340B Drug Pricing Program, inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) payments, the physician fee schedule (PFS) and telehealth in the new cycle; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Home Health Prospective; Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update, Issues pertaining to the CY25 Home Health Proposed Rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Physician fee schedule (PFS) proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2025, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) Proposed rule for Calendar Year (CY2025), Issues pertaining to outpatient and ambulatory surgery center prospective payment system, conditions of participation for maternal health; Health & Human Services (HHS), Letter to HHS, Medicare Advantage Organizations' Use of Prior Authorization for Post-Acute Care; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Significant, Anomalous and Highly Suspect (SAHS) billing in Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in Calendar Year 2023, Issues pertaining to proposed rule to mitigate the impact of significant, anomalous and highly suspect (SAHS) billing activity within the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in calendar year (CY) 2023; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, SFC / W&M Meeting / CMS Meeting , Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Included in E&C markup statement in September , Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Access to inpatient rehabilitation care, Letter to CMS / Supported Hill Led Effort, Access to inpatient rehabilitation care for MA enrollees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage.
SPEAK Act of 2024
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 3565, Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Sustain 340B Program Discussion Draft, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 1302/H.R. 2389, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 3679/H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S.2415, Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7931, Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) , all provisions; H.R. 8245, Rural Hospital Stabilization Act , all provisions; H.R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; S.940/ H.R. 1711, Rural America Health Corps Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3765 / H.R. 6960, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 2364, Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act, all provisions; S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 2510, RAPID Reserve Act, all provisions; S. 2362, Drug Shortage Prevention Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, the Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Act, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to address generic drug shortages; S. 862, Restoring America's Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act, all provisions; HR 2584/ S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S.4079/H.R. 8383, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act , all provisions; H.R. 8186, Healthy Affordable Housing Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act, all provisions; S. 4054, Health Care Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Family Health Affordability Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, HEALTH for MOM Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Labor, Health Plan Accountability, health plan accountability; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 Tariffs, Issues related to tariffs on health care products manufactured in China; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Public Assistance for COVID expenses, Issues related to distribution of public assistance funds to hospitals; Administration for Strategic Preparation & Response (ASPR / HHS), Pediatric Emergencies, Issues related to Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence; U.S. Department of State Immigration, Issues related to visas for foreign-trained health care workers; Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS - HHS), Medical Debt, Issues related to how hospitals address medical debt; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to Change Health Care cyber attack, breach notifications and ongoing cyber risks to the health care field; Lab Developed Tests (LDTs), Issues related to proposed regulatory oversight of Lab Developed Tests (LDTs); Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), ERISA improvements; Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI use in health care; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Prescription drug shortages, Issues pertaining to Drug shortages, supply chains; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, community benefit, physician practice acquisition; Workforce nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages; Behavioral Health, Related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Physician-owned hospitals; Tax-exempt status, not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Health Professions Diversity, Increasing health professionals of color, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs.
Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
Draft Bill , 340B SUSTAIN Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; H.R.9412 , Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2024, Issues pertaining to cyber security for health care field; Draft Bill , Strengthening Pathways to Healthcare Professions Act of 2024, Strengthening HRSA health workforce programs; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; H.R. 2584/ S. 2768, the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act , all provisions; H.R. 3120, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 9457, Transparent Telehealth Bills Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act), all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663 , Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; S. 5025 , the SEPSIS Act , all provisions; Draft Bill , Rural 340B Access Act, Issues pertaining 340B Program access; Draft Bill , Draft Bill , Freestanding Emergency Departments; Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) - Dept. Homeland Sec., Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA) Reporting Requirements, Feedback on reporting requirements for cybersecurity incidents under CIRCIA; Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) proposed emergency response standard, Feedback to strengthen OSHA's emergency response standard for hospitals and health systems and their workforce; Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), J&J Rebate Model for 340B Program, Feedback on Johnson & Johnson rebate model for 340B Program; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Price Transparency, STMT to Committee on Aging, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to ongoing cyber risks to the health care field. Change Health Care cyber-attack, breach notifications CrowdStrike, OneBlood, health records; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP) and impact of recent payment rules; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay; Drug Prices, Included in Cost of Healthcare Hearing , Issues related to prescription drug prices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Hill meetings, Physician-owned hospitals; 340B Program, Hill Letter, Johnson and Johnson 340B Proposal; DEA Telehealth Waivers, Telemedicine prescribing of controlled substances; Workforce, nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Health Professions Diversity, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisitions, physician practice acquisition; Supply Chain Issues, HHS Calls, Issues pertaining to supply chain issues for medical devices and blood shortages; Rural 340B Access Act , Hill visit, Hill discussion about the Rural 340B Access Act (House and Senate); Outstanding COVID reimbursement for hospitals, Check in with FEMA, FEMA outreach about outstanding COVID reimbursement for hospitals.
Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 2584/ S. 2768, the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions, S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions, Draft Bill , 340B SUSTAIN Act, all provisions, H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, all provisions; DRAFT Senate / H.R. 5804, Mental Health Infrastructure Improvement Act, all provisions; S. 5368, End Drug Shortages Act, all provisions, H.R. 10362 / S. 5493, To prohibit pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacies from being under common ownership, and for other purposes, all provisions, H.R. 7379, Patient Matching And Transparency in Certified Health IT Act of 2024, all provisions; Health & Human Services (HHS), Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability (HTI-2), Interoperability, improve transparency and electronic access and exchange of electronic health records; Health & Human Services (HHS) & Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Telemedicine Waivers for Controlled Substances, Waiver flexibilities for prescribing controlled substances through telemedicine ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), IV Fluid Shortage Impact on Sepsis and Infection Care IV Fluid Shortage Impact on Sepsis and Infection Care; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP) and impact of recent payment rules; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay; Workforce, nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Health Professions Diversity, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, physician practice acquisition; Physician Owned Hospitals Physician-owned hospitals; Supply Chain Issues, Baxter Plant / Hurricane Recovery, Issues pertaining to supply chain issues, IV Fluid Shortages, Baxter Plant, Hurricane Recovery, defense production act, national emergency declaration, Advanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Advanced Premium Tax Credits, Cyber Security & Resiliency, Issues pertaining to ongoing cyber risks to the health care field.
Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 3565, Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Sustain 340B Program Discussion Draft, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 1302/H.R. 2389, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 3679/H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S.2415, Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7931, Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) , all provisions; H.R. 8245, Rural Hospital Stabilization Act , all provisions; H.R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; S.940/ H.R. 1711, Rural America Health Corps Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3765 / H.R. 6960, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 2364, Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act, all provisions; S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 2510, RAPID Reserve Act, all provisions; S. 2362, Drug Shortage Prevention Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, the Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Act, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to address generic drug shortages; S. 862, Restoring America's Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act, all provisions; HR 2584/ S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S.4079/H.R. 8383, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act , all provisions; H.R. 8186, Healthy Affordable Housing Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act, all provisions; S. 4054, Health Care Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Family Health Affordability Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, HEALTH for MOM Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Labor, Health Plan Accountability, health plan accountability; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 Tariffs, Issues related to tariffs on health care products manufactured in China; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Public Assistance for COVID expenses, Issues related to distribution of public assistance funds to hospitals; Administration for Strategic Preparation & Response (ASPR / HHS), Pediatric Emergencies, Issues related to Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence; U.S. Department of State Immigration, Issues related to visas for foreign-trained health care workers; Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS - HHS), Medical Debt, Issues related to how hospitals address medical debt; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to Change Health Care cyber attack, breach notifications and ongoing cyber risks to the health care field; Lab Developed Tests (LDTs), Issues related to proposed regulatory oversight of Lab Developed Tests (LDTs); Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), ERISA improvements; Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI use in health care; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Prescription drug shortages, Issues pertaining to Drug shortages, supply chains; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, community benefit, physician practice acquisition; Workforce nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages; Behavioral Health, Related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Physician-owned hospitals; Tax-exempt status, not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Health Professions Diversity, Increasing health professionals of color, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs.
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; S.4338, the Pay PCPs Act , Feedback to improve physician reimbursement and value-based primary care; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act,all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust long-term care hospital payment rates under the Medicare program, Issues related to LTCH payment policy reforms; S. 5236, A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to enhance financial support for rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services to vulnerable populations, and for other purposes, Reimbursements to rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Obstetric care in Critical Access Hospitals (CAH); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Draft Guidance, Issues pertaining to the implementation of the Medicare drug price negotiation program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program; Alternative Payment Model Updates and the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care and feedback on proposed IOTA model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY 2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals; Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments, Issues pertaining to the FY2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems Rule and Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments Changes in FY25 IPPS Rule; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), 2025 Priorities, Issues pertaining to 340B Drug Pricing Program, inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) payments, the physician fee schedule (PFS) and telehealth in the new cycle; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Home Health Prospective; Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update, Issues pertaining to the CY25 Home Health Proposed Rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Physician fee schedule (PFS) proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2025, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) Proposed rule for Calendar Year (CY2025), Issues pertaining to outpatient and ambulatory surgery center prospective payment system, conditions of participation for maternal health; Health & Human Services (HHS), Letter to HHS, Medicare Advantage Organizations' Use of Prior Authorization for Post-Acute Care; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Significant, Anomalous and Highly Suspect (SAHS) billing in Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in Calendar Year 2023, Issues pertaining to proposed rule to mitigate the impact of significant, anomalous and highly suspect (SAHS) billing activity within the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in calendar year (CY) 2023; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, SFC / W&M Meeting / CMS Meeting , Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Included in E&C markup statement in September , Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Access to inpatient rehabilitation care, Letter to CMS / Supported Hill Led Effort, Access to inpatient rehabilitation care for MA enrollees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage.
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91 A, joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions ; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 4946, Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033,Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023all provisions; H.R. 1406, Sustainable Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act, all provisions; DRAFT, DRAFT Clarifying that Rural Emergency Hospitals are eligible for Medicaid hospital reimbursement; DRAFT, DRAFT, Expanding services Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) are paid at the enhanced outpatient prospective payment system rate, allow eligibility for Small Rural Hospital improvement Grants; DRAFT, DRAFT, Issues pertaining to freestanding emergency departments; H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, All provisions; H. R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, Issues pertaining to expansion of physician-owned Rural Emergency Hospitals; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS), Feedback on Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2026, Navigators and non-navigator assistance personnel working within hospitals and health systems to assist consumers; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Part C Utilization Management Annual Data Submission and Audit Protocol Data Request, Proposed Medicare Part C Utilization Management and data submission and audit protocol; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Physician fee schedule payments, advanced alternative payment model (A-APM) incentives and Medicare Advantage (MA) network adequacy; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Affordable drugs, Medicare $2 Drug List Model request for information; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Changes to the Fiscal Year 2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Rates Due to Court Decision, Low Wage Index Policy changes due to recent court change; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Transaction Facilitator and the Medicare drug negotiation program, Information collection request (ICR) regarding the Medicare Transaction Facilitator (MTF) and the Medicare drug negotiation program; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, scheduled physician reimbursement cuts for 2025, extension of Medicare's Advanced Alternative Payment Model (AAPM) incentive payments; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Organ Transplant Final Rule, Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Final Rule, IOTA Model impact on hospitals.
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 3565, Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Sustain 340B Program Discussion Draft, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 1302/H.R. 2389, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 3679/H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S.2415, Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7931, Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) , all provisions; H.R. 8245, Rural Hospital Stabilization Act , all provisions; H.R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; S.940/ H.R. 1711, Rural America Health Corps Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3765 / H.R. 6960, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 2364, Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act, all provisions; S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 2510, RAPID Reserve Act, all provisions; S. 2362, Drug Shortage Prevention Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, the Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Act, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to address generic drug shortages; S. 862, Restoring America's Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act, all provisions; HR 2584/ S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S.4079/H.R. 8383, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act , all provisions; H.R. 8186, Healthy Affordable Housing Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act, all provisions; S. 4054, Health Care Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Family Health Affordability Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, HEALTH for MOM Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Labor, Health Plan Accountability, health plan accountability; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 Tariffs, Issues related to tariffs on health care products manufactured in China; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Public Assistance for COVID expenses, Issues related to distribution of public assistance funds to hospitals; Administration for Strategic Preparation & Response (ASPR / HHS), Pediatric Emergencies, Issues related to Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence; U.S. Department of State Immigration, Issues related to visas for foreign-trained health care workers; Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS - HHS), Medical Debt, Issues related to how hospitals address medical debt; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to Change Health Care cyber attack, breach notifications and ongoing cyber risks to the health care field; Lab Developed Tests (LDTs), Issues related to proposed regulatory oversight of Lab Developed Tests (LDTs); Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), ERISA improvements; Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI use in health care; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Prescription drug shortages, Issues pertaining to Drug shortages, supply chains; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, community benefit, physician practice acquisition; Workforce nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages; Behavioral Health, Related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Physician-owned hospitals; Tax-exempt status, not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Health Professions Diversity, Increasing health professionals of color, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs.
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91 A, joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions ; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 4946, Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033,Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023all provisions; H.R. 1406, Sustainable Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act, all provisions; DRAFT, DRAFT Clarifying that Rural Emergency Hospitals are eligible for Medicaid hospital reimbursement; DRAFT, DRAFT, Expanding services Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) are paid at the enhanced outpatient prospective payment system rate, allow eligibility for Small Rural Hospital improvement Grants; DRAFT, DRAFT, Issues pertaining to freestanding emergency departments; H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, All provisions; H. R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, Issues pertaining to expansion of physician-owned Rural Emergency Hospitals; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS), Feedback on Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2026, Navigators and non-navigator assistance personnel working within hospitals and health systems to assist consumers; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Part C Utilization Management Annual Data Submission and Audit Protocol Data Request, Proposed Medicare Part C Utilization Management and data submission and audit protocol; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Physician fee schedule payments, advanced alternative payment model (A-APM) incentives and Medicare Advantage (MA) network adequacy; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Affordable drugs, Medicare $2 Drug List Model request for information; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Changes to the Fiscal Year 2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Rates Due to Court Decision, Low Wage Index Policy changes due to recent court change; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Transaction Facilitator and the Medicare drug negotiation program, Information collection request (ICR) regarding the Medicare Transaction Facilitator (MTF) and the Medicare drug negotiation program; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, scheduled physician reimbursement cuts for 2025, extension of Medicare's Advanced Alternative Payment Model (AAPM) incentive payments; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Organ Transplant Final Rule, Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Final Rule, IOTA Model impact on hospitals.
Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Advanced Premium Tax Credits , Extension of Advanced Premium Tax Credits.
Draft Bill, "Further Continuing Appropriations and Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2025", Division A - Further Continuing Appropriations Act 2025, Division E, Health Provisions; Disaster Relief Funds, Additional funding for FEMAs Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) and ensuring hospitals are compensated for pandemic expenses.
Filing targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), SENATE, White House Office
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2024 · third_quarter · Q3
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; S.4338, the Pay PCPs Act , Feedback to improve physician reimbursement and value-based primary care; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act,all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust long-term care hospital payment rates under the Medicare program, Issues related to LTCH payment policy reforms; S. 5236, A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to enhance financial support for rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services to vulnerable populations, and for other purposes, Reimbursements to rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Obstetric care in Critical Access Hospitals (CAH); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Draft Guidance, Issues pertaining to the implementation of the Medicare drug price negotiation program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program; Alternative Payment Model Updates and the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care and feedback on proposed IOTA model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY 2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals; Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments, Issues pertaining to the FY2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems Rule and Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments Changes in FY25 IPPS Rule; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), 2025 Priorities, Issues pertaining to 340B Drug Pricing Program, inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) payments, the physician fee schedule (PFS) and telehealth in the new cycle; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Home Health Prospective; Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update, Issues pertaining to the CY25 Home Health Proposed Rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Physician fee schedule (PFS) proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2025, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) Proposed rule for Calendar Year (CY2025), Issues pertaining to outpatient and ambulatory surgery center prospective payment system, conditions of participation for maternal health; Health & Human Services (HHS), Letter to HHS, Medicare Advantage Organizations' Use of Prior Authorization for Post-Acute Care; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Significant, Anomalous and Highly Suspect (SAHS) billing in Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in Calendar Year 2023, Issues pertaining to proposed rule to mitigate the impact of significant, anomalous and highly suspect (SAHS) billing activity within the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in calendar year (CY) 2023; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, SFC / W&M Meeting / CMS Meeting , Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Included in E&C markup statement in September , Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Access to inpatient rehabilitation care, Letter to CMS / Supported Hill Led Effort, Access to inpatient rehabilitation care for MA enrollees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage.
Draft Bill , 340B SUSTAIN Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; H.R.9412 , Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2024, Issues pertaining to cyber security for health care field; Draft Bill , Strengthening Pathways to Healthcare Professions Act of 2024, Strengthening HRSA health workforce programs; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; H.R. 2584/ S. 2768, the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act , all provisions; H.R. 3120, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 9457, Transparent Telehealth Bills Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act), all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663 , Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; S. 5025 , the SEPSIS Act , all provisions; Draft Bill , Rural 340B Access Act, Issues pertaining 340B Program access; Draft Bill , Draft Bill , Freestanding Emergency Departments; Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) - Dept. Homeland Sec., Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA) Reporting Requirements, Feedback on reporting requirements for cybersecurity incidents under CIRCIA; Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) proposed emergency response standard, Feedback to strengthen OSHA's emergency response standard for hospitals and health systems and their workforce; Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), J&J Rebate Model for 340B Program, Feedback on Johnson & Johnson rebate model for 340B Program; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Price Transparency, STMT to Committee on Aging, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to ongoing cyber risks to the health care field. Change Health Care cyber-attack, breach notifications CrowdStrike, OneBlood, health records; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP) and impact of recent payment rules; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay; Drug Prices, Included in Cost of Healthcare Hearing , Issues related to prescription drug prices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Hill meetings, Physician-owned hospitals; 340B Program, Hill Letter, Johnson and Johnson 340B Proposal; DEA Telehealth Waivers, Telemedicine prescribing of controlled substances; Workforce, nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Health Professions Diversity, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisitions, physician practice acquisition; Supply Chain Issues, HHS Calls, Issues pertaining to supply chain issues for medical devices and blood shortages; Rural 340B Access Act , Hill visit, Hill discussion about the Rural 340B Access Act (House and Senate); Outstanding COVID reimbursement for hospitals, Check in with FEMA, FEMA outreach about outstanding COVID reimbursement for hospitals.
FEMA Disaster Relief Funding, additional funding for FEMAs Disaster Relief Fund (DRF).
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), SENATE, White House Office
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2024 · second_quarter · 2A
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
S. 3565, Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Sustain 340B Program Discussion Draft, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 1302/H.R. 2389, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 3679/H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S.2415, Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7931, Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) , all provisions; H.R. 8245, Rural Hospital Stabilization Act , all provisions; H.R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; S.940/ H.R. 1711, Rural America Health Corps Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3765 / H.R. 6960, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 2364, Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act, all provisions; S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 2510, RAPID Reserve Act, all provisions; S. 2362, Drug Shortage Prevention Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, the Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Act, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to address generic drug shortages; S. 862, Restoring America's Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act, all provisions; HR 2584/ S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S.4079/H.R. 8383, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act , all provisions; H.R. 8186, Healthy Affordable Housing Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act, all provisions; S. 4054, Health Care Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Family Health Affordability Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, HEALTH for MOM Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Labor, Health Plan Accountability, health plan accountability; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 Tariffs, Issues related to tariffs on health care products manufactured in China; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Public Assistance for COVID expenses, Issues related to distribution of public assistance funds to hospitals; Administration for Strategic Preparation & Response (ASPR / HHS), Pediatric Emergencies, Issues related to Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence; U.S. Department of State Immigration, Issues related to visas for foreign-trained health care workers; Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS - HHS), Medical Debt, Issues related to how hospitals address medical debt; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to Change Health Care cyber attack, breach notifications and ongoing cyber risks to the health care field; Lab Developed Tests (LDTs), Issues related to proposed regulatory oversight of Lab Developed Tests (LDTs); Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), ERISA improvements; Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI use in health care; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Prescription drug shortages, Issues pertaining to Drug shortages, supply chains; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, community benefit, physician practice acquisition; Workforce nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages; Behavioral Health, Related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Physician-owned hospitals; Tax-exempt status, not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Health Professions Diversity, Increasing health professionals of color, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs.
Draft Bill, Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025, FY25 Appropriations priorities pertaining to CHGME, Behavioral Health, maternal/child health, workforce and loan repayment programs, public health, unique patient identifier; Cyber Security, FY25 President's Budget Proposal, Issues pertaining to health care cyber mandates in President's FY25 Budget.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Government Accountability Office (GAO), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Natl Security Council (NSC), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP), SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2024 · second_quarter · Q2
Draft Bill, Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025, FY25 Appropriations priorities pertaining to CHGME, Behavioral Health, maternal/child health, workforce and loan repayment programs, public health, unique patient identifier; Cyber Security, FY25 President's Budget Proposal, Issues pertaining to health care cyber mandates in President's FY25 Budget.
S. 3565, Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Sustain 340B Program Discussion Draft, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 1302/H.R. 2389, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 3679/H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S.2415, Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7931, Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) , all provisions; H.R. 8245, Rural Hospital Stabilization Act , all provisions; H.R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; S.940/ H.R. 1711, Rural America Health Corps Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3765 / H.R. 6960, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 2364, Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act, all provisions; S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 2510, RAPID Reserve Act, all provisions; S. 2362, Drug Shortage Prevention Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, the Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Act, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to address generic drug shortages; S. 862, Restoring America's Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act, all provisions; HR 2584/ S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S.4079/H.R. 8383, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act , all provisions; H.R. 8186, Healthy Affordable Housing Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act, all provisions; S. 4054, Health Care Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Family Health Affordability Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, HEALTH for MOM Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Labor, Health Plan Accountability, health plan accountability; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 Tariffs, Issues related to tariffs on health care products manufactured in China; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Public Assistance for COVID expenses, Issues related to distribution of public assistance funds to hospitals; Administration for Strategic Preparation & Response (ASPR / HHS), Pediatric Emergencies, Issues related to Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence; U.S. Department of State Immigration, Issues related to visas for foreign-trained health care workers; Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS - HHS), Medical Debt, Issues related to how hospitals address medical debt; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to Change Health Care cyber attack, breach notifications and ongoing cyber risks to the health care field; Lab Developed Tests (LDTs), Issues related to proposed regulatory oversight of Lab Developed Tests (LDTs); Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), ERISA improvements; Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI use in health care; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Prescription drug shortages, Issues pertaining to Drug shortages, supply chains; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, community benefit, physician practice acquisition; Workforce nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages; Behavioral Health, Related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Physician-owned hospitals; Tax-exempt status, not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Health Professions Diversity, Increasing health professionals of color, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs.
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Government Accountability Office (GAO), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Natl Security Council (NSC), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP), SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2024 · first_quarter · Q1
Hill outreach to oppose site-neutral payment cuts; Hill outreach in support of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program; Hill outreach about streamlining prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans; AHA Letter Comments on Medicare Payment Advisory Commission 2024 Payment Proposals; Support S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act of 2023, a bill to amend the title XVIII of the Social Security Act to preserve access to rural health care by ensuring fairness in Medicare hospital payments; Letter comments on three topics that were discussed during the December 2023 Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) public meeting: Hospital payment update recommendation to Congress, Post acute care facilities update recommendation to Congress, Physician reimbursement update recommendation to Congress; Support HR 2665, Supporting Safety Net Hospitals Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to delay certain disproportionate share hospital payment reductions under the Medicaid program; Comment letter to CMS opposes the proposal to limit the inclusion of patient days for patients who are regarded as eligible for Medicaid benefits under a Section 1115 demonstration project for purposes of the Medicare DSH calculation; Comment letter to CMS regarding a proposed rule to improve access, quality and health outcomes for Medicaid programs and the proposed policies related to access, finance and quality in Medicaid and CHIP managed care programs; Support H.R. 4968 GOLD Card Act of 2023A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to exempt qualifying physicians from prior authorization requirements under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Monitor H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promote price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purpose; A comment letter on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2024, The letter urges CMS to examine ways to account for these increased costs to ensure that beneficiaries continue to have access to quality outpatient care. It also urges the agency to reduce the productivity cut for CY 2024 as such a cut does not align with hospital and health systems public health emergency (PHE) experiences related to actual losses in productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic; Hill outreach to oppose the elimination of facility fees; Hill outreach to oppose changes that would prevent providers from negotiating contracting restrictions with commercial health insurance plans; A request letter on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to permanently remove the regulatory waivers which ensure hospitals and health systems could leverage telehealth services to respond to a wave of unprecedented need efficiently and effectively; Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act, A letter to comment on the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act; A letter to express concerns regarding CMS proposed restrictions on states use of provider-based funding sources, such as provider taxes, to finance Medicaid payments; A letter to CMS requesting that the agency correct an error in its CY 2024 final rule reimbursement rate for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) (HCPCS code G0277)
Support a bill to reauthorize the program of payments to childrens hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs; advocate appropriations priorities regarding funding for health care programs for fiscal year (FY) 2024, Continue to monitor the FY 2024 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2023 · fourth_quarter · Q4
Continue to monitor the FY 2023 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts; Support a bill to reauthorize the program of payments to childrens hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs; Letter to House and Senate Labor/ HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs and Ranking Members on appropriations priorities regarding funding for health care programs for fiscal year (FY) 2024. Americas hospitals are facing many challenges and we appreciate you considering the effect your decisions have on hospitals ability to provide care to their patients and communities. We ask you to give favorable consideration to funding for health care programs that have proven successful in improving access to quality health care for patients and communities across America.
Hill outreach to oppose site-neutral payment cuts; Hill outreach in support of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program; Hill outreach about streamlining prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans; AHA Letter Comments on Medicare Payment Advisory Commission 2024 Payment Proposals; Support S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act of 2023, a bill to amend the title XVIII of the Social Security Act to preserve access to rural health care by ensuring fairness in Medicare hospital payments; Letter comments on three topics that were discussed during the March 2023 Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) public meeting: the hospital wage index, alignment of payment rates across ambulatory settings and Medicare Part B drug payments. Agrees that the current wage index system is flawed, but continues to have concerns about the use of non-hospital data in an alternative wage index system; recommends that the commission reject modifications to the current average sales price (ASP)-plus-6% methodology; and urges the commission not to recommend additional site-neutral payment cuts; Support HR 2665, Supporting Safety Net Hospitals Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to delay certain disproportionate share hospital payment reductions under the Medicaid program; Comment letter to CMS opposes the proposal to limit the inclusion of patient days for patients who are regarded as eligible for Medicaid benefits under a Section 1115 demonstration project for purposes of the Medicare DSH calculation; Comment letter to CMS regarding a proposed rule to improve access, quality and health outcomes for Medicaid programs and the proposed policies related to access, finance and quality in Medicaid and CHIP managed care programs; Support H.R. 4968 GOLD Card Act of 2023A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to exempt qualifying physicians from prior authorization requirements under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Support H.R.5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act A bill to promote price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; A comment letter on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2024, The letter urges CMS to examine ways to account for these increased costs to ensure that beneficiaries continue to have access to quality outpatient care. It also urges the agency to reduce the productivity cut for CY 2024 as such a cut does not align with hospital and health systems public health emergency (PHE) experiences related to actual losses in productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic; Hill outreach to oppose the elimination of facility fees; Hill outreach to oppose changes that would prevent providers from negotiating contracting restrictions with commercial health insurance plans; A request letter on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to permanently remove the regulatory waivers which ensure hospitals and health systems could leverage telehealth services to respond to a wave of unprecedented need efficiently and effectively; Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act, A letter to comment on the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act; A letter to express concerns regarding CMS proposed restrictions on states use of provider-based funding sources, such as provider taxes, to finance Medicaid payments; A letter to CMS requesting that the agency correct an error in its CY 2024 final rule reimbursement rate for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) (HCPCS code G0277)
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2023 · third_quarter · Q3
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Hill outreach about the anticompetitive behaviors of travel nurse staffing agencies; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an Request For Information on the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Support HR 2584/S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees Act or the SAVE Act, a bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purpose; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, we encourage you to consider policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Hill briefing, Site-neutral Payment Proposals Would Jeopardize Access to Care for Patients and Communities; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; Drug Shortage Prevention Act Letter to express support for the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Bipartisan request for information on the critically important 340B Drug Pricing Program Letter on the savings 340B hospitals achieve through purchasing certain outpatient drugs at a discount allow them to provide a range of programs and services that directly benefit their patients; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Commerce and Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2023 · second_quarter · Q2
Hill outreach to oppose site-neutral payment cuts; Hill outreach in support of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program; Hill outreach about streamlining prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans; AHA Letter Comments on Medicare Payment Advisory Commission 2024 Payment Proposals; Support S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act of 2023, a bill to amend the title XVIII of the Social Security Act to preserve access to rural health care by ensuring fairness in Medicare hospital payments; Letter comments on three topics that were discussed during the March 2023 Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) public meeting: the hospital wage index, alignment of payment rates across ambulatory settings and Medicare Part B drug payments. Agrees that the current wage index system is flawed, but continues to have concerns about the use of non-hospital data in an alternative wage index system; recommends that the commission reject modifications to the current average sales price (ASP)-plus-6% methodology; and urges the commission not to recommend additional site-neutral payment cuts; Support HR 2665, Supporting Safety Net Hospitals Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to delay certain disproportionate share hospital payment reductions under the Medicaid program; Comment letter to CMS opposes the proposal to limit the inclusion of patient days for patients who are regarded as eligible for Medicaid benefits under a Section 1115 demonstration project for purposes of the Medicare DSH calculation; Comment letter to CMS regarding a proposed rule to improve access, quality and health outcomes for Medicaid programs and the proposed policies related to access, finance and quality in Medicaid and CHIP managed care programs.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2023 · first_quarter · Q1
Continue to monitor the FY 2023 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
Hill outreach to oppose site-neutral payment cuts; Hill outreach in support of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program; Hill outreach about streamlining prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans; AHA Letter Comments on Medicare Payment Advisory Commission 2024 Payment Proposals.
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Hill outreach about the anticompetitive behaviors of travel nurse staffing agencies; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?;Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an Request For Information on the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110 Rural Hospitals Support Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110Telehealth Option Act A bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care ActA bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2022 · fourth_quarter · Q4
Support HR 1319, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, This bill provides additional relief to address the continued impact of COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses and more money for the Provider Relief Fund in the reconciliation bill, sequester relief, and advanced Medicare payment loan relief; Continue to monitor the FY 2021 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts; Urged the Senate to pass legislation that would stop Medicare cuts to hospitals, physicians and other providers from going into effect early next year. The bill would extend the moratorium on the 2% Medicare sequester cuts until April 1, 2022, reduce the cuts from 2% to 1% from April 1 through June 30, 2022, and stop the 4% statutory Pay-As-You-Go sequester from taking effect early next year. Other provisions in the package would mitigate a separate Medicare payment cut to physicians; delay payment cuts and private payer data reporting requirements for certain hospital laboratories; delay the implementation of the radiation oncology model; and set up a fast-track process in the Senate to allow for a vote to increase the debt limit; Submitted a COVID Relief letter as part of negotiations surrounding an omnibus budget agreement, expressing the need of additional immediate support from Congress and the Administration in order to continue standing strong and to be able to provide timely access to life-saving health care and important programs to assist hospitals and health systems - Provider Relief Fund, Medicare sequester relief, Medicare accelerated and advance payments, 340B hospital eligibility; Letters to House and Senate Labor / HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs and Rankings on appropriations priorities regarding funding for health care programs for fiscal year (FY) 2023. We asked to give favorable consideration to funding for health care programs that have proven successful in improving access to quality health care for patients and communities across America; Letter to House and Senate appropriators in support of increased funding for the Childrens Hospitals GME program for FY 2023; Concern, S 4295, Financial Data Transparency Act of 2022, specifically concern with Sec 203 impact on state, county, municipal, public utilities, hospital and education entities required to submit financial information to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) for several reasons; Support the House and Senate Appropriations Committees $1.7 trillion omnibus appropriations bill that would fund the federal government through the end of the current fiscal year. The legislation includes many provisions beneficial to hospitals and health systems.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2022 · third_quarter · Q3
Support HR 1319, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, This bill provides additional relief to address the continued impact of COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses and more money for the Provider Relief Fund in the reconciliation bill, sequester relief, and advanced Medicare payment loan relief; Continue to monitor the FY 2021 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts; Urged the Senate to pass legislation that would stop Medicare cuts to hospitals, physicians and other providers from going into effect early next year. The bill would extend the moratorium on the 2% Medicare sequester cuts until April 1, 2022, reduce the cuts from 2% to 1% from April 1 through June 30, 2022, and stop the 4% statutory Pay-As-You-Go sequester from taking effect early next year. Other provisions in the package would mitigate a separate Medicare payment cut to physicians; delay payment cuts and private payer data reporting requirements for certain hospital laboratories; delay the implementation of the radiation oncology model; and set up a fast-track process in the Senate to allow for a vote to increase the debt limit; Submitted a COVID Relief letter as part of negotiations surrounding an omnibus budget agreement, expressing the need of additional immediate support from Congress and the Administration in order to continue standing strong and to be able to provide timely access to life-saving health care and important programs to assist hospitals and health systems - Provider Relief Fund, Medicare sequester relief, Medicare accelerated and advance payments, 340B hospital eligibility; Letters to House and Senate Labor / HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs and Rankings on appropriations priorities regarding funding for health care programs for fiscal year (FY) 2023. We asked to give favorable consideration to funding for health care programs that have proven successful in improving access to quality health care for patients and communities across America; Letter to House and Senate appropriators in support of increased funding for the Childrens Hospitals GME program for FY 2023.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2022 · second_quarter · Q2
Support HR 1319, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, This bill provides additional relief to address the continued impact of COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses and more money for the Provider Relief Fund in the reconciliation bill, sequester relief, and advanced Medicare payment loan relief; Continue to monitor the FY 2021 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts; Urged the Senate to pass legislation that would stop Medicare cuts to hospitals, physicians and other providers from going into effect early next year. The bill would extend the moratorium on the 2% Medicare sequester cuts until April 1, 2022, reduce the cuts from 2% to 1% from April 1 through June 30, 2022, and stop the 4% statutory Pay-As-You-Go sequester from taking effect early next year. Other provisions in the package would mitigate a separate Medicare payment cut to physicians; delay payment cuts and private payer data reporting requirements for certain hospital laboratories; delay the implementation of the radiation oncology model; and set up a fast-track process in the Senate to allow for a vote to increase the debt limit; Submitted a COVID Relief letter as part of negotiations surrounding an omnibus budget agreement, expressing the need of additional immediate support from Congress and the Administration in order to continue standing strong and to be able to provide timely access to life-saving health care and important programs to assist hospitals and health systems - Provider Relief Fund, Medicare sequester relief, Medicare accelerated and advance payments, 340B hospital eligibility; Letters to House and Senate Labor / HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs and Rankings on appropriations priorities regarding funding for health care programs for fiscal year (FY) 2023. We asked to give favorable consideration to funding for health care programs that have proven successful in improving access to quality health care for patients and communities across America; Letter to House and Senate appropriators in support of increased funding for the Childrens Hospitals GME program for FY 2023.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2022 · first_quarter · Q1
Support HR 1319, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, This bill provides additional relief to address the continued impact of COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses and more money for the Provider Relief Fund in the reconciliation bill, sequester relief, and advanced Medicare payment loan relief; Continue to monitor the FY 2021 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts; Urged the Senate to pass legislation that would stop Medicare cuts to hospitals, physicians and other providers from going into effect early next year. The bill would extend the moratorium on the 2% Medicare sequester cuts until April 1, 2022, reduce the cuts from 2% to 1% from April 1 through June 30, 2022, and stop the 4% statutory Pay-As-You-Go sequester from taking effect early next year. Other provisions in the package would mitigate a separate Medicare payment cut to physicians; delay payment cuts and private payer data reporting requirements for certain hospital laboratories; delay the implementation of the radiation oncology model; and set up a fast-track process in the Senate to allow for a vote to increase the debt limit; Submitted a COVID Relief letter as part of negotiations surrounding an omnibus budget agreement, expressing the need of additional immediate support from Congress and the Administration in order to continue standing strong and to be able to provide timely access to life-saving health care and important programs to assist hospitals and health systems - Provider Relief Fund, Medicare sequester relief, Medicare accelerated and advance payments, 340B hospital eligibility.
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Hill outreach about the anticompetitive behaviors of travel nurse staffing agencies; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an Request For Information on the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Support HR 2584/S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees Act or the SAVE Act, a bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purpose; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, we encourage you to consider policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Hill briefing, Site-neutral Payment Proposals Would Jeopardize Access to Care for Patients and Communities; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; Drug Shortage Prevention Act Letter to express support for the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Bipartisan request for information on the critically important 340B Drug Pricing Program Letter on the savings 340B hospitals achieve through purchasing certain outpatient drugs at a discount allow them to provide a range of programs and services that directly benefit their patients; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Commerce and Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Hill outreach to oppose site-neutral payment cuts; Hill outreach in support of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program; Hill outreach about streamlining prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans; AHA Letter Comments on Medicare Payment Advisory Commission 2024 Payment Proposals; Support S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act of 2023, a bill to amend the title XVIII of the Social Security Act to preserve access to rural health care by ensuring fairness in Medicare hospital payments; Letter comments on three topics that were discussed during the March 2023 Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) public meeting: the hospital wage index, alignment of payment rates across ambulatory settings and Medicare Part B drug payments. Agrees that the current wage index system is flawed, but continues to have concerns about the use of non-hospital data in an alternative wage index system; recommends that the commission reject modifications to the current average sales price (ASP)-plus-6% methodology; and urges the commission not to recommend additional site-neutral payment cuts; Support HR 2665, Supporting Safety Net Hospitals Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to delay certain disproportionate share hospital payment reductions under the Medicaid program; Comment letter to CMS opposes the proposal to limit the inclusion of patient days for patients who are regarded as eligible for Medicaid benefits under a Section 1115 demonstration project for purposes of the Medicare DSH calculation; Comment letter to CMS regarding a proposed rule to improve access, quality and health outcomes for Medicaid programs and the proposed policies related to access, finance and quality in Medicaid and CHIP managed care programs; Support H.R. 4968 GOLD Card Act of 2023A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to exempt qualifying physicians from prior authorization requirements under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Support H.R.5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act A bill to promote price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; A comment letter on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2024. The letter urges CMS to examine ways to account for these increased costs to ensure that beneficiaries continue to have access to quality outpatient care. It also urges the agency to reduce the productivity cut for CY 2024 as such a cut does not align with hospital and health systems public health emergency (PHE) experiences related to actual losses in productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic; Hill outreach to oppose the elimination of facility fees; Hill outreach to oppose changes that would prevent providers from negotiating contracting restrictions with commercial health insurance plans.
Continue to monitor the FY 2023 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts; Support a bill to reauthorize the program of payments to childrens hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs; Letter to House and Senate Labor/ HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs and Ranking Members on appropriations priorities regarding funding for health care programs for fiscal year (FY) 2024. Americas hospitals are facing many challenges and we appreciate you considering the effect your decisions have on hospitals ability to provide care to their patients and communities. We ask you to give favorable consideration to funding for health care programs that have proven successful in improving access to quality health care for patients and communities across America.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Hill outreach about the anticompetitive behaviors of travel nurse staffing agencies; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an Request For Information on the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Support HR 2584, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees Act or the SAVE Act, a bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purpose; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, we encourage you to consider policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Hill briefing, Site-neutral Payment Proposals Would Jeopardize Access to Care for Patients and Communities.
Continue to monitor the FY 2023 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts; Support a bill to reauthorize the program of payments to childrens hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs; Letter to House and Senate Labor/ HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs and Ranking Members on appropriations priorities regarding funding for health care programs for fiscal year (FY) 2024. Americas hospitals are facing many challenges and we appreciate you considering the effect your decisions have on hospitals ability to provide care to their patients and communities. We ask you to give favorable consideration to funding for health care programs that have proven successful in improving access to quality health care for patients and communities across America.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Support H.R. 526, Ensuring Coverage in Public Health Emergencies Act of 2021, a bill to provide for special enrollment periods during public health emergencies; Letter urging Congress to provide additional funds to the Provider Relief Fund and for vaccine distribution and administration, which will allow for continued support of hospitals' COVID-19-related lost revenues, as well as additional expenses incurred due to purchasing supplies and equipment, staffing, establishing emergency testing and vaccination centers and constructing and retrofitting facilities; Support H.R. 708 and S. 168, Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, a bill to provide temporary licensing reciprocity for telehealth and interstate health care treatment; Support H.R. 1306 and S. 412, National Coronavirus Commission Act of 2021, a bill to establish the Commission on the Coronavirus Pandemic in the United States; Support S. 610/ H.R. 1667, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, a bill to address behavioral health and well-being among health care professionals; Support S. 773 a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program; Support S.834, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1195, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan and urge the Committee on Education and Labor not to report it favorably; Support S.924 and H.R. 2130, Rural America Health Corps Act, a bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Discussions with ASPR about COVID-19 related medical supply and personnel shortages; Discussions with FEMA about COVID-19 public assistance funding policies; Letter asking Congress to consider an infrastructure proposal that you prioritize hospital and health system needs to ensure our nations health care system is well positioned to meet the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead; Support S.1512/H.R. 2903, CONNECT for Health Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services; Support H.R. 2255/ S 1024, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce during the COVID-19 crisis by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support S.1568, Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Support H.R. 3203, a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program, and for other purposes; Statement to Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing on "COVID-19 Part II: Evaluating the Medical Supply Chain and Pandemic Response Gaps" urges Congress to take steps to strengthen the nations medical supply chain; Statement to Senate Committee on Finance hearing on COVID-19 Health Care Flexibilities: Perspectives, Experiences, and Lessons Learned stating that these flexibilities can continue to drive significant improvements in patient care long after the public health emergency (PHE) ends and given the beneficial impact of those specific flexibilities urges Congress and the Administration to make them permanent. In addition, a second group of flexibilities will remain critically important for some time following the PHE and will require a carefully crafted phase-out plan to ensure enough time is provided for a necessary transition. Without action from Congress and the Administration prior to the termination of the PHE, we are concerned that much of the progress made because of the implementation of many of these flexibilities may be unnecessarily halted or even lost; Letter urges Senate HELP Committee to consider recommendations and prioritize programs that support the health care workforce needs of the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future; Support H.R. 769/S. 1491, Rural Maternal and Obstetric Modernization of Services Act or the Rural MOMS Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve obstetric care in rural areas; Support for S.1675/ H.R. 4387, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act, a bill to improve maternal health; Support 1438, Opioid Workforce Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the opioid crisis; Support HR 3441,Substance Use Disorder Workforce Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the substance use disorder crisis; Support S.1810 / H.R.3541, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities; Statement to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights for the hearing on Antitrust Applied: Hospital Consolidation Concerns and Solutions expressing that integration helps to ensure every community, whether rural, urban or suburban, has access to the same high standard of affordable, evidenced based care; discussions to ensure that H.R. 2547s limits on unfair practice under FDCPA for debt collectors does not inappropriately interfere with or restrict the ability of hospitals to be able to obtain payment for care provided; Support for revising/repealing changes to the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Program that reduced reimbursement for provider-based RHCs; Hill outreach expressing concerns with United Healths retroactive denial of coverage for emergency-level care in facilities; Hill outreach expressing concern about CMS mid-build audit denials; Senate outreach on prior authorization legislation; Urge support for legislation/administrative action to extend the deadline to use PRF money; Urged HRSA to ensure that the drug companies that denied 340B Statute appropriate discounts make the impacted hospitals whole for the benefit of the vulnerable communities they serve; Support S. 2304 Drug-Price Transparency for Competition Act of 2021 (DTC Act of 2021), a bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require that direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription drugs and biological products include an appropriate disclosure of pricing information; Support S.246/H.R.851 Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act or the FAAN Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to support schools of nursing in program enhancement and infrastructure modernization, increasing the number of nursing faculty and students, and for other purposes; Support S. 1568/HR 4407Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses Act or the TRAIN Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Comment letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommending the withdrawal of the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Meeting with Department of Labor staff to discuss our concerns about the OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Discussion with ASPR staff overseeing the Strategic National Stockpile about their intent to procure supplies of surgical masks; Call with Senator Cassidys staff to discuss concerns about impact of FEMA COVID-19 funding of traveling nurse agencies on hospital nursing shortages; Oppose S 2428, False Claims Amendments Act of 2021A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to modify False Claims Act procedures, and for other purposes; Discussions about Provider Relief Fund - reporting on past disbursements and urging HHS to disburse remaining PRF money; Discussions about the challenges that teaching hospitals have with training the physician workforce, residency caps that limit funding for training programs, a shortage of residents pursuing primary care specialties, a growing patient pool due to the newly insured and aging of the population; Discussions about the hospital and health system priorities for infrastructure and reconciliation bills; Letter urging Congress to maintain the current legal and regulatory framework for evaluating mergers and acquisitions; Hill outreach to discuss the benefits of health care integration; Hill outreach about the negative impact of potentially anticompetitive conduct by nurse-staffing agencies; Support HR 5035/ S 2982 Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Support H.R.5376 Build Back Better Act, this bill provides funding, establishes programs, and otherwise modifies provisions relating to a broad array of areas, including education, labor, child care, health care, taxes, immigration, and the environment; Discussions with members of congress about the implementation of Rural Emergency Hospital payment designation; Discussions on the No Surprises Act Implementation (surprise billing) and urging federal regulators to restore the independence of the independent dispute resolution process in the No Surprises Act Part 2 regulations; Support HR 5699 Student Assisted Vaccination Effort (SAVE) Act, a bill to expand the definition of qualified persons for purposes of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act to include health professional students; Support S 2873 Preventing and Addressing Trauma with Health Services Act (PATHS Act), a bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs and activities to increase access to high-quality culturally competent trauma support and mental health care; Letter urging HRSA to delay proposals to withdraw certain HPSAs; Support S 3497 and HR 6397, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to public institutions of higher education located in a covered State; Support HR 6279 and S 3629, Opioid Treatment Access Act of 2022, a bill to authorize a study on certain exemptions for treatment of opioid use disorder through opioid treatment programs during the COVID-19 public health emergency; Support HR 5703 and S 3677, Post-Disaster Mental Health Response Act, a bill to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to provide professional counseling services to victims of emergencies declared under such Act; Submitted a statement on the hearing for Pandemic Profiteers: Legislation to Stop Corporate Price Gouging regarding concerns about anticompetitive conduct on the part of health care staffing agencies, some of which have been exploiting the severe shortage of health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic; Submitted a statement on the hearing for Americas Mental Health Crisis and supports additional approaches to help ensure improved access to needed comprehensive, affordable and quality behavioral health services; Provide comments to the Affordability Subcommittee of the Healthy Future Task Force expressing our shared focus with Congress on providing relief from the pandemic, ensuring a smooth recovery and rebuilding a better health care system for the future, all while continuing to support efforts to promote greater affordability and value to patients and the health care system; Submitted statement on the hearing for Recruiting, Revitalizing & Diversifying: Examining the Health Care Workforce Shortage about the challenges ahead and the need to examine Americas health care workforce shortage. We must work together to solve these issues so that our nations hospitals and health systems can continue to care for the patients and communities they serve; Submitted statement on the hearing for Protecting Youth Mental Health: Part II - Identifying and Addressing Barriers to Care examines ways to protect the mental health of our nations youth; Submitted statement on the hearing for Exploring Pathways to Affordable, Universal Health Coverage Care expressing the need to build upon and improve our existing system to increase access to coverage of comprehensive health benefits; Submitted a letter to provide information regarding the challenges facing Americas health care workforce as the country enters the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic; Provided comments to the Modernization Subcommittee of the Healthy Future Task Force urging Congress to consider how to ensure the telehealth flexibilities could remain in place for patients and health care providers beyond the PHE; Support HR 7053 and S 3792, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend acute hospital care at home waiver flexibilities; Support resolution, H. Res. 909, Expressing support for healthcare personnel and condemning assaults on healthcare personnel as the U.S. healthcare system faces unprecedented staffing shortages and increased workplace-related stressors; Letter urges Congress to provide immediate additional support for hospitals and health systems serving their communities during this unprecedented public health crisis. While the support Congress has provided during the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic has helped hospitals care for their patients and communities, there is still a significant need for financial support and relief as COVID-19 challenges persist; Support S 3904, Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2022, a bill to enhance the cybersecurity of the Healthcare and Public Health Sector; Letter urging OSHA to extend the comment deadline for the rule making on the occupational exposure to COVID-19 in healthcare settings by at least an additional 30 days, through May 23; Meeting with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH) at HHS to discuss the widespread blood shortages in the U.S. and next steps; Stakeholder calls with HHS ASPR regarding the distribution/administration of COVID-19 therapeutics; Discussions on S 571, Public Health Funding Prevents Pandemics Act, a bill to fully fund the Prevention and Public Health Fund and reaffirm the importance of prevention in the United States healthcare system; Regular calls with ASPR and other stakeholders participating in the Health Care and Public Health (HPH) Sector Joint Supply Chain Resilience Working Group (Joint SCRWG), a formal Working Group under the authority of the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC) to support the Presidents vision for a resilient public health supply chain; Monthly calls with ASPRs Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) to discuss updates on the hospital association COVID-19 funding program; Call with ASPR Healthcare and Public Health Government Coordinating Council leadership and other hospital associations to provide feedback on the COVID-19 hospital data guidance update; Provide comment letter to OSHA on the re-opening of comments on the Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 Rulemaking in which we urge OSHA not to finalize its rule for occupational exposure to COVID-19. In our comments, we indicate that we continue to oppose establishing new regulations that are not fully aligned with the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions evolving evidence-based guidance. With the constantly evolving, science-based CDC guidance and recommendations, CMS vaccination requirement and existing OSHA general standards, we strongly believe that an inconsistent and overly strict OSHA COVID-19 health care standard is not necessary, would cause confusion and will ultimately lower hospital employees morale and worsen unprecedented personnel shortages in hospitals. It is essential to a well-functioning health care system that only one set of science-based standards be applied to health care providers, and that these standards be aligned across federal agencies; Letter urging Congress to make the expanded tax credits permanent, ensuring millions of low- and middle-income families continue to have access to affordable coverage in 2023 and beyond; Express concerns with the letter to CMS from Congressman Murphy that makes a number of requests for data surrounding the COVID-19 add on payments for hospitals. We are concerned about the questions as they do not take into account the continued needs of the nations hospitals and health systems. Hospitals continue to face numerous challenges, including increased labor and supply costs and workforce shortages. These additional payments have helped to address some but not all of the high costs associated with COVID-19 patient care. The complexity of care is still higher than pre-pandemic levels as measured by length of stay, which further indicates that its still more resource intensive to treat COVID inpatients. In addition, the high costs associated personal protective equipment, isolation measures, and other additional resources are necessary when treating all patients, unless and until it is determined they do not have COVID-19; Submitted a letter to Ways and Means per their request for information on the health care industry and climate change. We support the sustainability efforts while acknowledging that for a variety of reasons, many hospitals and health systems face challenges and barriers to implementing this work, especially while responding to a pandemic; Letter urging HHS to maintain the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) until it is clear that the global pandemic has receded and the capabilities authorized by the PHE are no longer necessary. This will help prevent any future surges from threatening the health and safety of patients and the ability of health care professionals to care for them; Long COVID Best Clinical Practices Discussion with the White House Policy Advisor, Office of the COVID-19 Response; Submitted comment letter to the Federal Trade Commission outlining the impact pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) practices have on the field. Specifically, urging the FTC to increase scrutiny on insured-mandated white bagging policies, as well as the impact of PBM-negotiated rebates and other business practices on the 340B drug discount pricing program and overall drug prices and drug price increases; Submit a comment letter to the Internal Revenue Service for their proposed rule amending how employer coverage affordability would be measured for family members of employees. We advocated for a fix to the current methodology for assessing affordability of employer coverage for family members, often referred to as the family glitch, which is estimated to affect about 5 million individuals. We commend the IRS on proposing to revise the regulation and improve access to health insurance coverage for millions of American families; Concerns S.4348, Food and Drug Administration Safety and Landmark Advancements Act of 2022 or the FDASLA Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise and extend the user-fee programs for prescription drugs, medical devices, generic drugs, and biosimilar biological product; Comment letter on CMS Radiation Oncology (RO) Model proposed rule. We strongly supports CMS efforts to transform the delivery of cancer care. We also support the original intent of the RO Model, which was to protect access to care by ensuring fair, predictable payment for radiation oncologists. However, this important goal of the original RO Model has been marred by the incorporation of significant payment cuts and substantial administrative burdens for those participating in this mandatory model. As such, the AHA supports CMSs proposal to delay the start date of the RO model from Jan. 1, 2023 to a date to be determined through future rulemaking; Support S. 4352,Travel Nursing Agency Transparency Study Act, a bill to require a study on the effects of travel nurse agencies on the health industry during the COVID-19 pandemic; Letter in response to CMS request for guidance on implementing the regulatory requirement for convening providers and facilities exchange information with co-providers and co-facilities to create a comprehensive good faith estimate as part of the implementation of the No Surprises Act. Due to the lack of currently available automated solutions, this process would require a significant manual effort by providers, which would undoubtedly result in the convening provider being unable to meet the short statutory timeframes for delivering good faith estimates to the patients and could also lead to inadvertent errors. AHA has requested an extension in enforcement direction until a technical solution has been identified and implemented; Support HR 7691, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees Act or the SAVE Act, a bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Letter requesting that HHS, HRSA, and OIG take immediate enforcement action against the now 17 companies that are refusing to honor their obligations under the 340B program; Letter sent to HHS Secretary to discuss how best to ensure prompt repayment to 340B hospitals without penalizing the rest of the hospital field after the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously agreed that HHS outpatient payment cuts to hospitals in the 340B Drug Pricing Program were unlawful. The Courts decision did not determine a remedy for the unlawful payment cuts, instead, it remanded the case to the lower courts to address the proper remedy; Support HR 7084/ S 3983, Protecting and Transforming Cyber Health Care Act of 2022 or the PATCH Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require, for purposes of ensuring cybersecurity, the inclusion in any premarket submission for a cyber device of information to demonstrate a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness throughout the lifecycle of the cyber device, and for other purposes; Submit Comment letter of support for CMS continued focus on strengthening health insurance coverage and ensuring ease of enrollment and limited gaps in coverage, including proposed updates to Medicare enrollment and eligibility rules; Submit letter for oversight hearing on Medicare Advantage (MA) plans expressing concerns about some MA plans inappropriate restrictions on beneficiary access to medically necessary care, including those highlighted in a recent report issued by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and urge Congress to increase its oversight of these plans; Provided feedback on the Senate Finance Committees discussion draft addressing mental health care and telehealth. AHA supports allowing Medicare beneficiaries who seek treatment for mental health disorders to receive their care through audio-only services, removing the requirement for Medicare patients to receive an in-person visit prior to receiving mental health services through telehealth, and expanding beyond physicians and limited non-physician practitioners the types of providers who can deliver and bill for telehealth services; Support HR 8576/ S 4352 Travel Nursing Agency Transparency Study Act, a bill to require a study on the effects of travel nurse agencies on the health industry during the COVID-19 pandemic; Support HR 8806 Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2022, a bill to enhance the cybersecurity of the Healthcare and Public Health Sector; Submitted a statement for the record for the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on Flatlining Care: Why Immigrants Are Crucial to Bolstering Our Health Care Workforce. This hearing examines the importance of improving the immigration process in order to help alleviate Americas health care workforce shortage. We encourage Congress to help address domestic health care workforce shortage;
Support H.R. 315,Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act, a bill to amend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to extend the temporary suspension of Medicare sequestration; Support H.R. 1332 and S.368,Telehealth Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program related to the COVID-19 public health emergency; Discussion with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) about the Radiation Oncology Alternative Payment Model; Support H.R. 1868, a bill that, among other health care provisions, would eliminate the 2% across-the-board cut to all Medicare payments, known as sequestration, until the end of 2021; Support H.R. 2455, The Resetting the Impact Act (TRIA), a bill to amend the IMPACT Act of 2014 to reset data collection and the development of a payment system technical prototype for post-acute care providers under the Medicare program to take into account the effects of COVID-19; Support H.R. 3173/ S.3018, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish requirements with respect to the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1887/ S. 4009, Rural Hospital Support Act, a bill to make permanent the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and Low-volume Adjustment programs and rebases the MDH and Sole Community Hospital programs; Support relief for Medicare advanced payments; Discussion with CMMI about the priorities for alternative payment models; Support HR 4587, Value in Health Care Act of 2021, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to revise certain regulations in relation to the Medicare shared savings program and other advanced alternative payment arrangements to encourage participation in such program, and for other purposes; Support HR 3746, Accountable Care in Rural America Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benchmarking process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program; Support H.R. 5425/ S. 1988, Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program; Letter asking Congress to address two important issues by the end of the year: an extension of the moratorium on Medicare sequester cuts, as well as preventing the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) sequester from taking effect; Letter urging Congress to remove the reductions to the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) program and uncompensated care pools from the Build Back Better Act; Support H.R. 5674/ S. 3061Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services under the Medicare Program; Letter to the HHS secretary asking for PHE extension and urging HHS to extend the declaration for at least 90 days; Letter to the HHS secretary asking to renew the COVID-19 PHE; Letter to CMS urging changes to MA prior authorization requirements for PHE; Letter expressing our disappointment that Congress is adjourning for April recess without addressing the needs of hospitals and health systems and urging Congress to act to ensure health care providers have the critical relief, including but not limited to extending the Medicare sequester relief, adding more PRF dollars, and providing flexibility in the repayment terms for Medicare accelerated and advance repayments; Provide comments in response to the (CMS) request for information regarding access to coverage and care in the Medicaid and Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) programs. The critical components for a comprehensive access and coverage strategy for Medicaid and CHIP should include: Robust outreach and enrollment efforts to secure and maintain coverage for eligible individuals and families, as well as ensure beneficiary knowledge of how to use this coverage, Standards to ensure timely and equitable access to quality care, and Provider payments that are sufficient to enable beneficiaries' access to quality care; Provide comments in response to the Department of Homeland Securitys (DHS) proposed rule to codify standards and clarify policies that govern public charge determinations. Public charge determinations assess how likely it is that an individual will become dependent on government assistance (public benefits) for support and subsistence. These policy clarifications are intended to help immigrants and their family members better understand when the use of certain public benefits could impact their future immigration status and address the chilling effects of the now-repealed 2019 public charge final rule. The AHA supports DHSs efforts to clarify policies regarding how public charge determinations are made to help reverse the damaging effects of the repealed 2019 public charge rule; A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to expand the availability of mental, emotional, and behavioral health services under the Medicaid program; Letter urging Congress to halt further cuts to hospital payments. Need to stop a harmful Medicare payment cut to providers that will go into effect July 1 without congressional action. Specifically, a 1% Medicare sequester cut took effect April 1, and that cut will increase to 2% on July 1 if Congress does not act. This will result in billions of dollars being cut from hospitals and health systems by the end of the year; Submitted comment letter regarding Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2023 and Updates to the IRF Quality Reporting Program. We note that the proposed IRF PPS labor-related share would only modestly shift upward from 72.9% in FY 2022 to 73.2% in FY 2022. AHA is concerned that these changes neither align regarding massive cost growth in recent months and years; Provide Comments on the Medicare Program - Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities and Updates to the Quality Reporting Program and Value-Based Purchasing Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2023 which stated the Proposed FY 2023 Payment Update warrants closer examination and we urge CMS to discuss in the final rule how the agency will account for these increased costs. The timing of this proposed net decrease in payments could not be worse, given the well-documented impact of the COVID-19 public emergency (PHE) on the SNF and nursing home field; Letter sent to the bipartisan, bicameral Leadership of the House and Senate, urging Congress to act to prevent further Medicare sequester cuts scheduled to take effect on July 1; Submitted comment letter about inpatient and long-term care hospital prospective payment system proposed rule for fiscal year 2023. Concerned that CMS is proposing policies and payment adjustment that do not take into account the current the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and its atypical market forces and pandemic-driven aberrations affecting the utilization and cost of providing LTCH services. Specifically, we are concerned by proposals for an inadequate market basket update and an untenable spike in the high-cost outlier threshold; Letter urges Congress to call on CMS to make changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) proposed rule for fiscal year (FY) 2023 in order to ensure that Medicare payments for acute care services more accurately reflect the cost of providing hospital care to patients and communities; Support the bipartisan Dear Colleague letters that ask CMS to make critical changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system proposed rule for fiscal year (FY) 2023 to more accurately reflect the cost of providing hospital care to patients; Support HR 8487/ S 3173 Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2022, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish requirements with respect to the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans; Support HR 8747 Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals Act of 2022 or the ARCH Act of 2022, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend Medicare-dependent hospital and Medicare low-volume hospital payments; Oppose HR 1330/ S 4130 Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2022, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 8188/ S4449 Saving Access to Laboratory Services Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the accuracy of market-based Medicare payment for clinical diagnostic laboratory services, to reduce administrative burdens in the collection of data, and for other purposes; Letter urged Congress to prevent the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (Statutory PAYGO) sequester from taking effect at the end of this session of Congress. Failure to waive Statutory PAYGO sequester cuts would result in $38 billion in Medicare cuts in fiscal year 2023 which would have a devastating impact on the health care field, destabilizing health care access; Letter expressing opportunities to increase participation, enhance efficacy of Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) programs, and further transition our health care system from volume to value; Letter to provide feedback on the cybersecurity policy proposals released in Senator Warner report. Hospitals and health systems have prioritized protecting patients and defending their networks from cyberattacks. However, they need support from the federal government as the field continues to face targets from sophisticated cyber adversaries and nation-states; Letter to leadership encouraging Congress to take steps to provide relief to those seeking and administering behavioral health care; Support HR 7744, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, a bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to extend beyond the COVID-19 emergency period, with certain modifications, the Emergency Declaration Blanket Waiver relating to training and certification of nurse aides to alleviate burdens imposed on staff of skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Support H.R. 315,Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act, a bill to amend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to extend the temporary suspension of Medicare sequestration; Support H.R. 1332 and S.368,Telehealth Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program related to the COVID-19 public health emergency; Discussion with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) about the Radiation Oncology Alternative Payment Model; Support H.R. 1868, a bill that, among other health care provisions, would eliminate the 2% across-the-board cut to all Medicare payments, known as sequestration, until the end of 2021; Support H.R. 2455, The Resetting the Impact Act (TRIA), a bill to amend the IMPACT Act of 2014 to reset data collection and the development of a payment system technical prototype for post-acute care providers under the Medicare program to take into account the effects of COVID-19; Support H.R. 3173/ S.3018, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish requirements with respect to the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1887/ S. 4009, Rural Hospital Support Act, a bill to make permanent the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and Low-volume Adjustment programs and rebases the MDH and Sole Community Hospital programs; Support relief for Medicare advanced payments; Discussion with CMMI about the priorities for alternative payment models; Support HR 4587, Value in Health Care Act of 2021, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to revise certain regulations in relation to the Medicare shared savings program and other advanced alternative payment arrangements to encourage participation in such program, and for other purposes; Support HR 3746, Accountable Care in Rural America Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benchmarking process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program; Support H.R. 5425/ S. 1988, Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program; Letter asking Congress to address two important issues by the end of the year: an extension of the moratorium on Medicare sequester cuts, as well as preventing the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) sequester from taking effect; Letter urging Congress to remove the reductions to the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) program and uncompensated care pools from the Build Back Better Act; Support H.R. 5674/ S. 3061Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services under the Medicare Program; Letter to the HHS secretary asking for PHE extension and urging HHS to extend the declaration for at least 90 days; Letter to the HHS secretary asking to renew the COVID-19 PHE; Letter to CMS urging changes to MA prior authorization requirements for PHE; Letter expressing our disappointment that Congress is adjourning for April recess without addressing the needs of hospitals and health systems and urging Congress to act to ensure health care providers have the critical relief, including but not limited to extending the Medicare sequester relief, adding more PRF dollars, and providing flexibility in the repayment terms for Medicare accelerated and advance repayments; Provide comments in response to the (CMS) request for information regarding access to coverage and care in the Medicaid and Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) programs. The critical components for a comprehensive access and coverage strategy for Medicaid and CHIP should include: Robust outreach and enrollment efforts to secure and maintain coverage for eligible individuals and families, as well as ensure beneficiary knowledge of how to use this coverage, Standards to ensure timely and equitable access to quality care, and Provider payments that are sufficient to enable beneficiaries' access to quality care; Provide comments in response to the Department of Homeland Securitys (DHS) proposed rule to codify standards and clarify policies that govern public charge determinations. Public charge determinations assess how likely it is that an individual will become dependent on government assistance (public benefits) for support and subsistence. These policy clarifications are intended to help immigrants and their family members better understand when the use of certain public benefits could impact their future immigration status and address the chilling effects of the now-repealed 2019 public charge final rule. The AHA supports DHSs efforts to clarify policies regarding how public charge determinations are made to help reverse the damaging effects of the repealed 2019 public charge rule; A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to expand the availability of mental, emotional, and behavioral health services under the Medicaid program; Letter urging Congress to halt further cuts to hospital payments. Need to stop a harmful Medicare payment cut to providers that will go into effect July 1 without congressional action. Specifically, a 1% Medicare sequester cut took effect April 1, and that cut will increase to 2% on July 1 if Congress does not act. This will result in billions of dollars being cut from hospitals and health systems by the end of the year; Submitted comment letter regarding Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2023 and Updates to the IRF Quality Reporting Program. We note that the proposed IRF PPS labor-related share would only modestly shift upward from 72.9% in FY 2022 to 73.2% in FY 2022. AHA is concerned that these changes neither align regarding massive cost growth in recent months and years; Provide Comments on the Medicare Program - Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities and Updates to the Quality Reporting Program and Value-Based Purchasing Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2023 which stated the Proposed FY 2023 Payment Update warrants closer examination and we urge CMS to discuss in the final rule how the agency will account for these increased costs. The timing of this proposed net decrease in payments could not be worse, given the well-documented impact of the COVID-19 public emergency (PHE) on the SNF and nursing home field; Letter sent to the bipartisan, bicameral Leadership of the House and Senate, urging Congress to act to prevent further Medicare sequester cuts scheduled to take effect on July 1; Submitted comment letter about inpatient and long-term care hospital prospective payment system proposed rule for fiscal year 2023. Concerned that CMS is proposing policies and payment adjustment that do not take into account the current the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and its atypical market forces and pandemic-driven aberrations affecting the utilization and cost of providing LTCH services. Specifically, we are concerned by proposals for an inadequate market basket update and an untenable spike in the high-cost outlier threshold; Letter urges Congress to call on CMS to make changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) proposed rule for fiscal year (FY) 2023 in order to ensure that Medicare payments for acute care services more accurately reflect the cost of providing hospital care to patients and communities; Support the bipartisan Dear Colleague letters that ask CMS to make critical changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system proposed rule for fiscal year (FY) 2023 to more accurately reflect the cost of providing hospital care to patients; Support HR 8487/ S 3173 Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2022, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish requirements with respect to the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans; Support HR 8747 Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals Act of 2022 or the ARCH Act of 2022, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend Medicare-dependent hospital and Medicare low-volume hospital payments; Oppose HR 1330/ S 4130 Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2022, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 8188/ S4449 Saving Access to Laboratory Services Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the accuracy of market-based Medicare payment for clinical diagnostic laboratory services, to reduce administrative burdens in the collection of data, and for other purposes.
Support H.R. 526, Ensuring Coverage in Public Health Emergencies Act of 2021, a bill to provide for special enrollment periods during public health emergencies; Letter urging Congress to provide additional funds to the Provider Relief Fund and for vaccine distribution and administration, which will allow for continued support of hospitals' COVID-19-related lost revenues, as well as additional expenses incurred due to purchasing supplies and equipment, staffing, establishing emergency testing and vaccination centers and constructing and retrofitting facilities; Support H.R. 708 and S. 168, Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, a bill to provide temporary licensing reciprocity for telehealth and interstate health care treatment; Support H.R. 1306 and S. 412, National Coronavirus Commission Act of 2021, a bill to establish the Commission on the Coronavirus Pandemic in the United States; Support S. 610/ H.R. 1667, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, a bill to address behavioral health and well-being among health care professionals; Support S. 773 a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program; Support S.834, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1195, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan and urge the Committee on Education and Labor not to report it favorably; Support S.924 and H.R. 2130, Rural America Health Corps Act, a bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Discussions with ASPR about COVID-19 related medical supply and personnel shortages; Discussions with FEMA about COVID-19 public assistance funding policies; Letter asking Congress to consider an infrastructure proposal that you prioritize hospital and health system needs to ensure our nations health care system is well positioned to meet the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead; Support S.1512/H.R. 2903, CONNECT for Health Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services; Support H.R. 2255/ S 1024, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce during the COVID-19 crisis by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support S.1568, Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Support H.R. 3203, a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program, and for other purposes; Statement to Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing on "COVID-19 Part II: Evaluating the Medical Supply Chain and Pandemic Response Gaps" urges Congress to take steps to strengthen the nations medical supply chain; Statement to Senate Committee on Finance hearing on COVID-19 Health Care Flexibilities: Perspectives, Experiences, and Lessons Learned stating that these flexibilities can continue to drive significant improvements in patient care long after the public health emergency (PHE) ends and given the beneficial impact of those specific flexibilities urges Congress and the Administration to make them permanent. In addition, a second group of flexibilities will remain critically important for some time following the PHE and will require a carefully crafted phase-out plan to ensure enough time is provided for a necessary transition. Without action from Congress and the Administration prior to the termination of the PHE, we are concerned that much of the progress made because of the implementation of many of these flexibilities may be unnecessarily halted or even lost; Letter urges Senate HELP Committee to consider recommendations and prioritize programs that support the health care workforce needs of the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future; Support H.R. 769/S. 1491, Rural Maternal and Obstetric Modernization of Services Act or the Rural MOMS Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve obstetric care in rural areas; Support for S.1675/ H.R. 4387, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act, a bill to improve maternal health; Support 1438, Opioid Workforce Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the opioid crisis; Support HR 3441,Substance Use Disorder Workforce Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the substance use disorder crisis; Support S.1810 / H.R.3541, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities; Statement to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights for the hearing on Antitrust Applied: Hospital Consolidation Concerns and Solutions expressing that integration helps to ensure every community, whether rural, urban or suburban, has access to the same high standard of affordable, evidenced based care; discussions to ensure that H.R. 2547s limits on unfair practice under FDCPA for debt collectors does not inappropriately interfere with or restrict the ability of hospitals to be able to obtain payment for care provided; Support for revising/repealing changes to the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Program that reduced reimbursement for provider-based RHCs; Hill outreach expressing concerns with United Healths retroactive denial of coverage for emergency-level care in facilities; Hill outreach expressing concern about CMS mid-build audit denials; Senate outreach on prior authorization legislation; Urge support for legislation/administrative action to extend the deadline to use PRF money; Urged HRSA to ensure that the drug companies that denied 340B Statute appropriate discounts make the impacted hospitals whole for the benefit of the vulnerable communities they serve; Support S. 2304 Drug-Price Transparency for Competition Act of 2021 (DTC Act of 2021), a bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require that direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription drugs and biological products include an appropriate disclosure of pricing information; Support S.246/H.R.851 Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act or the FAAN Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to support schools of nursing in program enhancement and infrastructure modernization, increasing the number of nursing faculty and students, and for other purposes; Support S. 1568/HR 4407Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses Act or the TRAIN Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Comment letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommending the withdrawal of the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Meeting with Department of Labor staff to discuss our concerns about the OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Discussion with ASPR staff overseeing the Strategic National Stockpile about their intent to procure supplies of surgical masks; Call with Senator Cassidys staff to discuss concerns about impact of FEMA COVID-19 funding of traveling nurse agencies on hospital nursing shortages; Oppose S 2428, False Claims Amendments Act of 2021A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to modify False Claims Act procedures, and for other purposes; Discussions about Provider Relief Fund - reporting on past disbursements and urging HHS to disburse remaining PRF money; Discussions about the challenges that teaching hospitals have with training the physician workforce, residency caps that limit funding for training programs, a shortage of residents pursuing primary care specialties, a growing patient pool due to the newly insured and aging of the population; Discussions about the hospital and health system priorities for infrastructure and reconciliation bills; Letter urging Congress to maintain the current legal and regulatory framework for evaluating mergers and acquisitions; Hill outreach to discuss the benefits of health care integration; Hill outreach about the negative impact of potentially anticompetitive conduct by nurse-staffing agencies; Support HR 5035/ S 2982 Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Support H.R.5376 Build Back Better Act, this bill provides funding, establishes programs, and otherwise modifies provisions relating to a broad array of areas, including education, labor, child care, health care, taxes, immigration, and the environment; Discussions with members of congress about the implementation of Rural Emergency Hospital payment designation; Discussions on the No Surprises Act Implementation (surprise billing) and urging federal regulators to restore the independence of the independent dispute resolution process in the No Surprises Act Part 2 regulations; Support HR 5699 Student Assisted Vaccination Effort (SAVE) Act, a bill to expand the definition of qualified persons for purposes of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act to include health professional students; Support S 2873 Preventing and Addressing Trauma with Health Services Act (PATHS Act), a bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs and activities to increase access to high-quality culturally competent trauma support and mental health care; Letter urging HRSA to delay proposals to withdraw certain HPSAs; Support S 3497 and HR 6397, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to public institutions of higher education located in a covered State; Support HR 6279 and S 3629, Opioid Treatment Access Act of 2022, a bill to authorize a study on certain exemptions for treatment of opioid use disorder through opioid treatment programs during the COVID-19 public health emergency; Support HR 5703 and S 3677, Post-Disaster Mental Health Response Act, a bill to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to provide professional counseling services to victims of emergencies declared under such Act; Submitted a statement on the hearing for Pandemic Profiteers: Legislation to Stop Corporate Price Gouging regarding concerns about anticompetitive conduct on the part of health care staffing agencies, some of which have been exploiting the severe shortage of health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic; Submitted a statement on the hearing for Americas Mental Health Crisis and supports additional approaches to help ensure improved access to needed comprehensive, affordable and quality behavioral health services; Provide comments to the Affordability Subcommittee of the Healthy Future Task Force expressing our shared focus with Congress on providing relief from the pandemic, ensuring a smooth recovery and rebuilding a better health care system for the future, all while continuing to support efforts to promote greater affordability and value to patients and the health care system; Submitted statement on the hearing for Recruiting, Revitalizing & Diversifying: Examining the Health Care Workforce Shortage about the challenges ahead and the need to examine Americas health care workforce shortage. We must work together to solve these issues so that our nations hospitals and health systems can continue to care for the patients and communities they serve; Submitted statement on the hearing for Protecting Youth Mental Health: Part II - Identifying and Addressing Barriers to Care examines ways to protect the mental health of our nations youth; Submitted statement on the hearing for Exploring Pathways to Affordable, Universal Health Coverage Care expressing the need to build upon and improve our existing system to increase access to coverage of comprehensive health benefits; Submitted a letter to provide information regarding the challenges facing Americas health care workforce as the country enters the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic; Provided comments to the Modernization Subcommittee of the Healthy Future Task Force urging Congress to consider how to ensure the telehealth flexibilities could remain in place for patients and health care providers beyond the PHE; Support HR 7053 and S 3792, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend acute hospital care at home waiver flexibilities; Support resolution, H. Res. 909, Expressing support for healthcare personnel and condemning assaults on healthcare personnel as the U.S. healthcare system faces unprecedented staffing shortages and increased workplace-related stressors; Letter urges Congress to provide immediate additional support for hospitals and health systems serving their communities during this unprecedented public health crisis. While the support Congress has provided during the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic has helped hospitals care for their patients and communities, there is still a significant need for financial support and relief as COVID-19 challenges persist; Support S 3904, Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2022, a bill to enhance the cybersecurity of the Healthcare and Public Health Sector; Letter urging OSHA to extend the comment deadline for the rule making on the occupational exposure to COVID-19 in healthcare settings by at least an additional 30 days, through May 23; Meeting with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH) at HHS to discuss the widespread blood shortages in the U.S. and next steps; Stakeholder calls with HHS ASPR regarding the distribution/administration of COVID-19 therapeutics; Discussions on S 571, Public Health Funding Prevents Pandemics Act, a bill to fully fund the Prevention and Public Health Fund and reaffirm the importance of prevention in the United States healthcare system; Regular calls with ASPR and other stakeholders participating in the Health Care and Public Health (HPH) Sector Joint Supply Chain Resilience Working Group (Joint SCRWG), a formal Working Group under the authority of the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC) to support the Presidents vision for a resilient public health supply chain; Monthly calls with ASPRs Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) to discuss updates on the hospital association COVID-19 funding program; Call with ASPR Healthcare and Public Health Government Coordinating Council leadership and other hospital associations to provide feedback on the COVID-19 hospital data guidance update; Provide comment letter to OSHA on the re-opening of comments on the Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 Rulemaking in which we urge OSHA not to finalize its rule for occupational exposure to COVID-19. In our comments, we indicate that we continue to oppose establishing new regulations that are not fully aligned with the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions evolving evidence-based guidance. With the constantly evolving, science-based CDC guidance and recommendations, CMS vaccination requirement and existing OSHA general standards, we strongly believe that an inconsistent and overly strict OSHA COVID-19 health care standard is not necessary, would cause confusion and will ultimately lower hospital employees morale and worsen unprecedented personnel shortages in hospitals. It is essential to a well-functioning health care system that only one set of science-based standards be applied to health care providers, and that these standards be aligned across federal agencies; Letter urging Congress to make the expanded tax credits permanent, ensuring millions of low- and middle-income families continue to have access to affordable coverage in 2023 and beyond; Express concerns with the letter to CMS from Congressman Murphy that makes a number of requests for data surrounding the COVID-19 add on payments for hospitals. We are concerned about the questions as they do not take into account the continued needs of the nations hospitals and health systems. Hospitals continue to face numerous challenges, including increased labor and supply costs and workforce shortages. These additional payments have helped to address some but not all of the high costs associated with COVID-19 patient care. The complexity of care is still higher than pre-pandemic levels as measured by length of stay, which further indicates that its still more resource intensive to treat COVID inpatients. In addition, the high costs associated personal protective equipment, isolation measures, and other additional resources are necessary when treating all patients, unless and until it is determined they do not have COVID-19; Submitted a letter to Ways and Means per their request for information on the health care industry and climate change. We support the sustainability efforts while acknowledging that for a variety of reasons, many hospitals and health systems face challenges and barriers to implementing this work, especially while responding to a pandemic; Letter urging HHS to maintain the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) until it is clear that the global pandemic has receded and the capabilities authorized by the PHE are no longer necessary. This will help prevent any future surges from threatening the health and safety of patients and the ability of health care professionals to care for them; Long COVID Best Clinical Practices Discussion with the White House Policy Advisor, Office of the COVID-19 Response; Submitted comment letter to the Federal Trade Commission outlining the impact pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) practices have on the field. Specifically, urging the FTC to increase scrutiny on insured-mandated white bagging policies, as well as the impact of PBM-negotiated rebates and other business practices on the 340B drug discount pricing program and overall drug prices and drug price increases; Submit a comment letter to the Internal Revenue Service for their proposed rule amending how employer coverage affordability would be measured for family members of employees. We advocated for a fix to the current methodology for assessing affordability of employer coverage for family members, often referred to as the family glitch, which is estimated to affect about 5 million individuals. We commend the IRS on proposing to revise the regulation and improve access to health insurance coverage for millions of American families; Concerns S.4348, Food and Drug Administration Safety and Landmark Advancements Act of 2022 or the FDASLA Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise and extend the user-fee programs for prescription drugs, medical devices, generic drugs, and biosimilar biological product; Comment letter on CMS Radiation Oncology (RO) Model proposed rule. We strongly supports CMS efforts to transform the delivery of cancer care. We also support the original intent of the RO Model, which was to protect access to care by ensuring fair, predictable payment for radiation oncologists. However, this important goal of the original RO Model has been marred by the incorporation of significant payment cuts and substantial administrative burdens for those participating in this mandatory model. As such, the AHA supports CMSs proposal to delay the start date of the RO model from Jan. 1, 2023 to a date to be determined through future rulemaking; Support S. 4352,Travel Nursing Agency Transparency Study Act, a bill to require a study on the effects of travel nurse agencies on the health industry during the COVID-19 pandemic; Letter in response to CMS request for guidance on implementing the regulatory requirement for convening providers and facilities exchange information with co-providers and co-facilities to create a comprehensive good faith estimate as part of the implementation of the No Surprises Act. Due to the lack of currently available automated solutions, this process would require a significant manual effort by providers, which would undoubtedly result in the convening provider being unable to meet the short statutory timeframes for delivering good faith estimates to the patients and could also lead to inadvertent errors. AHA has requested an extension in enforcement direction until a technical solution has been identified and implemented; Support HR 7691, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees Act or the SAVE Act, a bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Letter requesting that HHS, HRSA, and OIG take immediate enforcement action against the now 17 companies that are refusing to honor their obligations under the 340B program; Letter sent to HHS Secretary to discuss how best to ensure prompt repayment to 340B hospitals without penalizing the rest of the hospital field after the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously agreed that HHS outpatient payment cuts to hospitals in the 340B Drug Pricing Program were unlawful. The Courts decision did not determine a remedy for the unlawful payment cuts, instead, it remanded the case to the lower courts to address the proper remedy; Support HR 7084/ S 3983, Protecting and Transforming Cyber Health Care Act of 2022 or the PATCH Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require, for purposes of ensuring cybersecurity, the inclusion in any premarket submission for a cyber device of information to demonstrate a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness throughout the lifecycle of the cyber device, and for other purposes; Submit Comment letter of support for CMS continued focus on strengthening health insurance coverage and ensuring ease of enrollment and limited gaps in coverage, including proposed updates to Medicare enrollment and eligibility rules; Submit letter for oversight hearing on Medicare Advantage (MA) plans expressing concerns about some MA plans inappropriate restrictions on beneficiary access to medically necessary care, including those highlighted in a recent report issued by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and urge Congress to increase its oversight of these plans; Provided feedback on the Senate Finance Committees discussion draft addressing mental health care and telehealth. AHA supports allowing Medicare beneficiaries who seek treatment for mental health disorders to receive their care through audio-only services, removing the requirement for Medicare patients to receive an in-person visit prior to receiving mental health services through telehealth, and expanding beyond physicians and limited non-physician practitioners the types of providers who can deliver and bill for telehealth services; Support HR 8576/ S 4352 Travel Nursing Agency Transparency Study Act, a bill to require a study on the effects of travel nurse agencies on the health industry during the COVID-19 pandemic; Support HR 8806 Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2022, a bill to enhance the cybersecurity of the Healthcare and Public Health Sector; Submitted a statement for the record for the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on Flatlining Care: Why Immigrants Are Crucial to Bolstering Our Health Care Workforce. This hearing examines the importance of improving the immigration process in order to help alleviate Americas health care workforce shortage. We encourage Congress to help address domestic health care workforce shortage.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Support H.R. 526, Ensuring Coverage in Public Health Emergencies Act of 2021, a bill to provide for special enrollment periods during public health emergencies; Letter urging Congress to provide additional funds to the Provider Relief Fund and for vaccine distribution and administration, which will allow for continued support of hospitals' COVID-19-related lost revenues, as well as additional expenses incurred due to purchasing supplies and equipment, staffing, establishing emergency testing and vaccination centers and constructing and retrofitting facilities; Support H.R. 708 and S. 168, Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, a bill to provide temporary licensing reciprocity for telehealth and interstate health care treatment; Support H.R. 1306 and S. 412, National Coronavirus Commission Act of 2021, a bill to establish the Commission on the Coronavirus Pandemic in the United States; Support S. 610/ H.R. 1667, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, a bill to address behavioral health and well-being among health care professionals; Support S. 773 a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program; Support S.834, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1195, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan and urge the Committee on Education and Labor not to report it favorably; Support S.924 and H.R. 2130, Rural America Health Corps Act, a bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Discussions with ASPR about COVID-19 related medical supply and personnel shortages; Discussions with FEMA about COVID-19 public assistance funding policies; Letter asking Congress to consider an infrastructure proposal that you prioritize hospital and health system needs to ensure our nations health care system is well positioned to meet the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead; Support S.1512/H.R. 2903, CONNECT for Health Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services; Support H.R. 2255/ S 1024, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce during the COVID-19 crisis by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support S.1568, Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Support H.R. 3203, a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program, and for other purposes; Statement to Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing on "COVID-19 Part II: Evaluating the Medical Supply Chain and Pandemic Response Gaps" urges Congress to take steps to strengthen the nations medical supply chain; Statement to Senate Committee on Finance hearing on COVID-19 Health Care Flexibilities: Perspectives, Experiences, and Lessons Learned stating that these flexibilities can continue to drive significant improvements in patient care long after the public health emergency (PHE) ends and given the beneficial impact of those specific flexibilities urges Congress and the Administration to make them permanent. In addition, a second group of flexibilities will remain critically important for some time following the PHE and will require a carefully crafted phase-out plan to ensure enough time is provided for a necessary transition. Without action from Congress and the Administration prior to the termination of the PHE, we are concerned that much of the progress made because of the implementation of many of these flexibilities may be unnecessarily halted or even lost; Letter urges Senate HELP Committee to consider recommendations and prioritize programs that support the health care workforce needs of the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future; Support H.R. 769/S. 1491, Rural Maternal and Obstetric Modernization of Services Act or the Rural MOMS Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve obstetric care in rural areas; Support for S.1675/ H.R. 4387, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act, a bill to improve maternal health; Support 1438, Opioid Workforce Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the opioid crisis; Support HR 3441,Substance Use Disorder Workforce Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the substance use disorder crisis; Support S.1810 / H.R.3541, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities; Statement to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights for the hearing on Antitrust Applied: Hospital Consolidation Concerns and Solutions expressing that integration helps to ensure every community, whether rural, urban or suburban, has access to the same high standard of affordable, evidenced based care; discussions to ensure that H.R. 2547s limits on unfair practice under FDCPA for debt collectors does not inappropriately interfere with or restrict the ability of hospitals to be able to obtain payment for care provided; Support for revising/repealing changes to the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Program that reduced reimbursement for provider-based RHCs; Hill outreach expressing concerns with United Healths retroactive denial of coverage for emergency-level care in facilities; Hill outreach expressing concern about CMS mid-build audit denials; Senate outreach on prior authorization legislation; Urge support for legislation/administrative action to extend the deadline to use PRF money; Urged HRSA to ensure that the drug companies that denied 340B Statute appropriate discounts make the impacted hospitals whole for the benefit of the vulnerable communities they serve; Support S. 2304 Drug-Price Transparency for Competition Act of 2021 (DTC Act of 2021), a bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require that direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription drugs and biological products include an appropriate disclosure of pricing information; Support S.246/H.R.851 Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act or the FAAN Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to support schools of nursing in program enhancement and infrastructure modernization, increasing the number of nursing faculty and students, and for other purposes; Support S. 1568/HR 4407Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses Act or the TRAIN Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Comment letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommending the withdrawal of the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Meeting with Department of Labor staff to discuss our concerns about the OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Discussion with ASPR staff overseeing the Strategic National Stockpile about their intent to procure supplies of surgical masks; Call with Senator Cassidys staff to discuss concerns about impact of FEMA COVID-19 funding of traveling nurse agencies on hospital nursing shortages; Oppose S 2428, False Claims Amendments Act of 2021A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to modify False Claims Act procedures, and for other purposes; Discussions about Provider Relief Fund - reporting on past disbursements and urging HHS to disburse remaining PRF money; Discussions about the challenges that teaching hospitals have with training the physician workforce, residency caps that limit funding for training programs, a shortage of residents pursuing primary care specialties, a growing patient pool due to the newly insured and aging of the population; Discussions about the hospital and health system priorities for infrastructure and reconciliation bills; Letter urging Congress to maintain the current legal and regulatory framework for evaluating mergers and acquisitions; Hill outreach to discuss the benefits of health care integration; Hill outreach about the negative impact of potentially anticompetitive conduct by nurse-staffing agencies; Support HR 5035/ S 2982 Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Support H.R.5376 Build Back Better Act, this bill provides funding, establishes programs, and otherwise modifies provisions relating to a broad array of areas, including education, labor, child care, health care, taxes, immigration, and the environment; Discussions with members of congress about the implementation of Rural Emergency Hospital payment designation; Discussions on the No Surprises Act Implementation (surprise billing) and urging federal regulators to restore the independence of the independent dispute resolution process in the No Surprises Act Part 2 regulations; Support HR 5699 Student Assisted Vaccination Effort (SAVE) Act, a bill to expand the definition of qualified persons for purposes of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act to include health professional students; Support S 2873 Preventing and Addressing Trauma with Health Services Act (PATHS Act), a bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs and activities to increase access to high-quality culturally competent trauma support and mental health care; Letter urging HRSA to delay proposals to withdraw certain HPSAs; Support S 3497 and HR 6397, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to public institutions of higher education located in a covered State; Support HR 6279 and S 3629, Opioid Treatment Access Act of 2022, a bill to authorize a study on certain exemptions for treatment of opioid use disorder through opioid treatment programs during the COVID-19 public health emergency; Support HR 5703 and S 3677, Post-Disaster Mental Health Response Act, a bill to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to provide professional counseling services to victims of emergencies declared under such Act; Submitted a statement on the hearing for Pandemic Profiteers: Legislation to Stop Corporate Price Gouging regarding concerns about anticompetitive conduct on the part of health care staffing agencies, some of which have been exploiting the severe shortage of health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic; Submitted a statement on the hearing for Americas Mental Health Crisis and supports additional approaches to help ensure improved access to needed comprehensive, affordable and quality behavioral health services; Provide comments to the Affordability Subcommittee of the Healthy Future Task Force expressing our shared focus with Congress on providing relief from the pandemic, ensuring a smooth recovery and rebuilding a better health care system for the future, all while continuing to support efforts to promote greater affordability and value to patients and the health care system; Submitted statement on the hearing for Recruiting, Revitalizing & Diversifying: Examining the Health Care Workforce Shortage about the challenges ahead and the need to examine Americas health care workforce shortage. We must work together to solve these issues so that our nations hospitals and health systems can continue to care for the patients and communities they serve; Submitted statement on the hearing for Protecting Youth Mental Health: Part II - Identifying and Addressing Barriers to Care examines ways to protect the mental health of our nations youth; Submitted statement on the hearing for Exploring Pathways to Affordable, Universal Health Coverage Care expressing the need to build upon and improve our existing system to increase access to coverage of comprehensive health benefits; Submitted a letter to provide information regarding the challenges facing Americas health care workforce as the country enters the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic; Provided comments to the Modernization Subcommittee of the Healthy Future Task Force urging Congress to consider how to ensure the telehealth flexibilities could remain in place for patients and health care providers beyond the PHE; Support HR 7053 and S 3792, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend acute hospital care at home waiver flexibilities; Support resolution, H. Res. 909, Expressing support for healthcare personnel and condemning assaults on healthcare personnel as the U.S. healthcare system faces unprecedented staffing shortages and increased workplace-related stressors; Letter urges Congress to provide immediate additional support for hospitals and health systems serving their communities during this unprecedented public health crisis. While the support Congress has provided during the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic has helped hospitals care for their patients and communities, there is still a significant need for financial support and relief as COVID-19 challenges persist; Support S 3904, Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2022, a bill to enhance the cybersecurity of the Healthcare and Public Health Sector; Letter urging OSHA to extend the comment deadline for the rule making on the occupational exposure to COVID-19 in healthcare settings by at least an additional 30 days, through May 23; Meeting with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH) at HHS to discuss the widespread blood shortages in the U.S. and next steps; Stakeholder calls with HHS ASPR regarding the distribution/administration of COVID-19 therapeutics; Discussions on S 571, Public Health Funding Prevents Pandemics Act, a bill to fully fund the Prevention and Public Health Fund and reaffirm the importance of prevention in the United States healthcare system; Regular calls with ASPR and other stakeholders participating in the Health Care and Public Health (HPH) Sector Joint Supply Chain Resilience Working Group (Joint SCRWG), a formal Working Group under the authority of the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC) to support the Presidents vision for a resilient public health supply chain; Monthly calls with ASPRs Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) to discuss updates on the hospital association COVID-19 funding program; Call with ASPR Healthcare and Public Health Government Coordinating Council leadership and other hospital associations to provide feedback on the COVID-19 hospital data guidance update; Provide comment letter to OSHA on the re-opening of comments on the Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 Rulemaking in which we urge OSHA not to finalize its rule for occupational exposure to COVID-19. In our comments, we indicate that we continue to oppose establishing new regulations that are not fully aligned with the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions evolving evidence-based guidance. With the constantly evolving, science-based CDC guidance and recommendations, CMS vaccination requirement and existing OSHA general standards, we strongly believe that an inconsistent and overly strict OSHA COVID-19 health care standard is not necessary, would cause confusion and will ultimately lower hospital employees morale and worsen unprecedented personnel shortages in hospitals. It is essential to a well-functioning health care system that only one set of science-based standards be applied to health care providers, and that these standards be aligned across federal agencies; Letter urging Congress to make the expanded tax credits permanent, ensuring millions of low- and middle-income families continue to have access to affordable coverage in 2023 and beyond; Express concerns with the letter to CMS from Congressman Murphy that makes a number of requests for data surrounding the COVID-19 add on payments for hospitals. We are concerned about the questions as they do not take into account the continued needs of the nations hospitals and health systems. Hospitals continue to face numerous challenges, including increased labor and supply costs and workforce shortages. These additional payments have helped to address some but not all of the high costs associated with COVID-19 patient care. The complexity of care is still higher than pre-pandemic levels as measured by length of stay, which further indicates that its still more resource intensive to treat COVID inpatients. In addition, the high costs associated personal protective equipment, isolation measures, and other additional resources are necessary when treating all patients, unless and until it is determined they do not have COVID-19; Submitted a letter to Ways and Means per their request for information on the health care industry and climate change. We support the sustainability efforts while acknowledging that for a variety of reasons, many hospitals and health systems face challenges and barriers to implementing this work, especially while responding to a pandemic; Letter urging HHS to maintain the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) until it is clear that the global pandemic has receded and the capabilities authorized by the PHE are no longer necessary. This will help prevent any future surges from threatening the health and safety of patients and the ability of health care professionals to care for them; Long COVID Best Clinical Practices Discussion with the White House Policy Advisor, Office of the COVID-19 Response; Submitted comment letter to the Federal Trade Commission outlining the impact pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) practices have on the field. Specifically, urging the FTC to increase scrutiny on insured-mandated white bagging policies, as well as the impact of PBM-negotiated rebates and other business practices on the 340B drug discount pricing program and overall drug prices and drug price increases; Submit a comment letter to the Internal Revenue Service for their proposed rule amending how employer coverage affordability would be measured for family members of employees. We advocated for a fix to the current methodology for assessing affordability of employer coverage for family members, often referred to as the family glitch, which is estimated to affect about 5 million individuals. We commend the IRS on proposing to revise the regulation and improve access to health insurance coverage for millions of American families; Concerns S.4348, Food and Drug Administration Safety and Landmark Advancements Act of 2022 or the FDASLA Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise and extend the user-fee programs for prescription drugs, medical devices, generic drugs, and biosimilar biological product; Comment letter on CMS Radiation Oncology (RO) Model proposed rule. We strongly supports CMS efforts to transform the delivery of cancer care. We also support the original intent of the RO Model, which was to protect access to care by ensuring fair, predictable payment for radiation oncologists. However, this important goal of the original RO Model has been marred by the incorporation of significant payment cuts and substantial administrative burdens for those participating in this mandatory model. As such, the AHA supports CMSs proposal to delay the start date of the RO model from Jan. 1, 2023 to a date to be determined through future rulemaking; Support S. 4352,Travel Nursing Agency Transparency Study Act, a bill to require a study on the effects of travel nurse agencies on the health industry during the COVID-19 pandemic; Letter in response to CMS request for guidance on implementing the regulatory requirement for convening providers and facilities exchange information with co-providers and co-facilities to create a comprehensive good faith estimate as part of the implementation of the No Surprises Act. Due to the lack of currently available automated solutions, this process would require a significant manual effort by providers, which would undoubtedly result in the convening provider being unable to meet the short statutory timeframes for delivering good faith estimates to the patients and could also lead to inadvertent errors. AHA has requested an extension in enforcement direction until a technical solution has been identified and implemented; Support HR 7691, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees Act or the SAVE Act, a bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Letter requesting that HHS, HRSA, and OIG take immediate enforcement action against the now 17 companies that are refusing to honor their obligations under the 340B program; Letter sent to HHS Secretary to discuss how best to ensure prompt repayment to 340B hospitals without penalizing the rest of the hospital field after the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously agreed that HHS outpatient payment cuts to hospitals in the 340B Drug Pricing Program were unlawful. The Courts decision did not determine a remedy for the unlawful payment cuts, instead, it remanded the case to the lower courts to address the proper remedy; Support HR 7084/ S 3983, Protecting and Transforming Cyber Health Care Act of 2022 or the PATCH Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require, for purposes of ensuring cybersecurity, the inclusion in any premarket submission for a cyber device of information to demonstrate a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness throughout the lifecycle of the cyber device, and for other purposes; Submit Comment letter of support for CMS continued focus on strengthening health insurance coverage and ensuring ease of enrollment and limited gaps in coverage, including proposed updates to Medicare enrollment and eligibility rules; Submit letter for oversight hearing on Medicare Advantage (MA) plans expressing concerns about some MA plans inappropriate restrictions on beneficiary access to medically necessary care, including those highlighted in a recent report issued by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and urge Congress to increase its oversight of these plans.
Support H.R. 315,Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act, a bill to amend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to extend the temporary suspension of Medicare sequestration; Support H.R. 1332 and S.368,Telehealth Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program related to the COVID-19 public health emergency; Discussion with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) about the Radiation Oncology Alternative Payment Model; Support H.R. 1868, a bill that, among other health care provisions, would eliminate the 2% across-the-board cut to all Medicare payments, known as sequestration, until the end of 2021; Support H.R. 2455, The Resetting the Impact Act (TRIA), a bill to amend the IMPACT Act of 2014 to reset data collection and the development of a payment system technical prototype for post-acute care providers under the Medicare program to take into account the effects of COVID-19; Support H.R. 3173/ S.3018, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish requirements with respect to the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1887/ S. 4009, Rural Hospital Support Act, a bill to make permanent the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and Low-volume Adjustment programs and rebases the MDH and Sole Community Hospital programs; Support relief for Medicare advanced payments; Discussion with CMMI about the priorities for alternative payment models; Support HR 4587, Value in Health Care Act of 2021, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to revise certain regulations in relation to the Medicare shared savings program and other advanced alternative payment arrangements to encourage participation in such program, and for other purposes; Support HR 3746, Accountable Care in Rural America Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benchmarking process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program; Support H.R. 5425/ S. 1988, Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program; Letter asking Congress to address two important issues by the end of the year: an extension of the moratorium on Medicare sequester cuts, as well as preventing the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) sequester from taking effect; Letter urging Congress to remove the reductions to the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) program and uncompensated care pools from the Build Back Better Act; Support H.R. 5674/ S. 3061Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services under the Medicare Program; Letter to the HHS secretary asking for PHE extension and urging HHS to extend the declaration for at least 90 days; Letter to the HHS secretary asking to renew the COVID-19 PHE; Letter to CMS urging changes to MA prior authorization requirements for PHE; Letter expressing our disappointment that Congress is adjourning for April recess without addressing the needs of hospitals and health systems and urging Congress to act to ensure health care providers have the critical relief, including but not limited to extending the Medicare sequester relief, adding more PRF dollars, and providing flexibility in the repayment terms for Medicare accelerated and advance repayments; Provide comments in response to the (CMS) request for information regarding access to coverage and care in the Medicaid and Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) programs. The critical components for a comprehensive access and coverage strategy for Medicaid and CHIP should include: Robust outreach and enrollment efforts to secure and maintain coverage for eligible individuals and families, as well as ensure beneficiary knowledge of how to use this coverage, Standards to ensure timely and equitable access to quality care, and Provider payments that are sufficient to enable beneficiaries' access to quality care; Provide comments in response to the Department of Homeland Securitys (DHS) proposed rule to codify standards and clarify policies that govern public charge determinations. Public charge determinations assess how likely it is that an individual will become dependent on government assistance (public benefits) for support and subsistence. These policy clarifications are intended to help immigrants and their family members better understand when the use of certain public benefits could impact their future immigration status and address the chilling effects of the now-repealed 2019 public charge final rule. The AHA supports DHSs efforts to clarify policies regarding how public charge determinations are made to help reverse the damaging effects of the repealed 2019 public charge rule; A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to expand the availability of mental, emotional, and behavioral health services under the Medicaid program; Letter urging Congress to halt further cuts to hospital payments. Need to stop a harmful Medicare payment cut to providers that will go into effect July 1 without congressional action. Specifically, a 1% Medicare sequester cut took effect April 1, and that cut will increase to 2% on July 1 if Congress does not act. This will result in billions of dollars being cut from hospitals and health systems by the end of the year; Submitted comment letter regarding Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2023 and Updates to the IRF Quality Reporting Program. We note that the proposed IRF PPS labor-related share would only modestly shift upward from 72.9% in FY 2022 to 73.2% in FY 2022. AHA is concerned that these changes neither align regarding massive cost growth in recent months and years; Provide Comments on the Medicare Program - Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities and Updates to the Quality Reporting Program and Value-Based Purchasing Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2023 which stated the Proposed FY 2023 Payment Update warrants closer examination and we urge CMS to discuss in the final rule how the agency will account for these increased costs. The timing of this proposed net decrease in payments could not be worse, given the well-documented impact of the COVID-19 public emergency (PHE) on the SNF and nursing home field; Letter sent to the bipartisan, bicameral Leadership of the House and Senate, urging Congress to act to prevent further Medicare sequester cuts scheduled to take effect on July 1; Submitted comment letter about inpatient and long-term care hospital prospective payment system proposed rule for fiscal year 2023. Concerned that CMS is proposing policies and payment adjustment that do not take into account the current the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and its atypical market forces and pandemic-driven aberrations affecting the utilization and cost of providing LTCH services. Specifically, we are concerned by proposals for an inadequate market basket update and an untenable spike in the high-cost outlier threshold; Letter urges Congress to call on CMS to make changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) proposed rule for fiscal year (FY) 2023 in order to ensure that Medicare payments for acute care services more accurately reflect the cost of providing hospital care to patients and communities.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Support H.R. 315,Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act, a bill to amend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to extend the temporary suspension of Medicare sequestration; Support H.R. 1332 and S.368,Telehealth Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program related to the COVID-19 public health emergency; Discussion with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) about the Radiation Oncology Alternative Payment Model; Support H.R. 1868, a bill that, among other health care provisions, would eliminate the 2% across-the-board cut to all Medicare payments, known as sequestration, until the end of 2021; Support H.R. 2455, The Resetting the Impact Act (TRIA), a bill to amend the IMPACT Act of 2014 to reset data collection and the development of a payment system technical prototype for post-acute care providers under the Medicare program to take into account the effects of COVID-19; Support H.R. 3173/ S.3018, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish requirements with respect to the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1887, Rural Hospital Support Act, a bill to make permanent the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and Low-volume Adjustment programs and rebases the MDH and Sole Community Hospital programs; Support relief for Medicare advanced payments; Discussion with CMMI about the priorities for alternative payment models; Support HR 4587, Value in Health Care Act of 2021, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to revise certain regulations in relation to the Medicare shared savings program and other advanced alternative payment arrangements to encourage participation in such program, and for other purposes; Support HR 3746, Accountable Care in Rural America Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benchmarking process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program; Support H.R. 5425/ S. 1988, Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program; Letter asking Congress to address two important issues by the end of the year: an extension of the moratorium on Medicare sequester cuts, as well as preventing the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) sequester from taking effect; Letter urging Congress to remove the reductions to the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) program and uncompensated care pools from the Build Back Better Act; Support H.R. 5674/ S. 3061Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services under the Medicare Program; Letter to the HHS secretary asking for PHE extension and urging HHS to extend the declaration for at least 90 days; Letter to the HHS secretary asking to renew the COVID-19 PHE; Letter to CMS urging changes to MA prior authorization requirements for PHE.
Support H.R. 526, Ensuring Coverage in Public Health Emergencies Act of 2021, a bill to provide for special enrollment periods during public health emergencies; Letter urging Congress to provide additional funds to the Provider Relief Fund and for vaccine distribution and administration, which will allow for continued support of hospitals' COVID-19-related lost revenues, as well as additional expenses incurred due to purchasing supplies and equipment, staffing, establishing emergency testing and vaccination centers and constructing and retrofitting facilities; Support H.R. 708 and S. 168, Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, a bill to provide temporary licensing reciprocity for telehealth and interstate health care treatment; Support H.R. 1306 and S. 412, National Coronavirus Commission Act of 2021, a bill to establish the Commission on the Coronavirus Pandemic in the United States; Support S. 610/ H.R. 1667, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, a bill to address behavioral health and well-being among health care professionals; Support S. 773 a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program; Support S.834, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1195, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan and urge the Committee on Education and Labor not to report it favorably; Support S.924 and H.R. 2130, Rural America Health Corps Act, a bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Discussions with ASPR about COVID-19 related medical supply and personnel shortages; Discussions with FEMA about COVID-19 public assistance funding policies; Letter asking Congress to consider an infrastructure proposal that you prioritize hospital and health system needs to ensure our nations health care system is well positioned to meet the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead; Support S.1512/H.R. 2903, CONNECT for Health Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services; Support H.R. 2255/ S 1024, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce during the COVID-19 crisis by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support S.1568, Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Support H.R. 3203, a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program, and for other purposes; Statement to Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing on "COVID-19 Part II: Evaluating the Medical Supply Chain and Pandemic Response Gaps" urges Congress to take steps to strengthen the nations medical supply chain; Statement to Senate Committee on Finance hearing on COVID-19 Health Care Flexibilities: Perspectives, Experiences, and Lessons Learned stating that these flexibilities can continue to drive significant improvements in patient care long after the public health emergency (PHE) ends and given the beneficial impact of those specific flexibilities urges Congress and the Administration to make them permanent. In addition, a second group of flexibilities will remain critically important for some time following the PHE and will require a carefully crafted phase-out plan to ensure enough time is provided for a necessary transition. Without action from Congress and the Administration prior to the termination of the PHE, we are concerned that much of the progress made because of the implementation of many of these flexibilities may be unnecessarily halted or even lost; Letter urges Senate HELP Committee to consider recommendations and prioritize programs that support the health care workforce needs of the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future; Support H.R. 769/S. 1491, Rural Maternal and Obstetric Modernization of Services Act or the Rural MOMS Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve obstetric care in rural areas; Support for S.1675/ H.R. 4387, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act, a bill to improve maternal health; Support 1438, Opioid Workforce Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the opioid crisis; Support HR 3441,Substance Use Disorder Workforce Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the substance use disorder crisis; Support S.1810 / H.R.3541, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities; Statement to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights for the hearing on Antitrust Applied: Hospital Consolidation Concerns and Solutions expressing that integration helps to ensure every community, whether rural, urban or suburban, has access to the same high standard of affordable, evidenced based care; discussions to ensure that H.R. 2547s limits on unfair practice under FDCPA for debt collectors does not inappropriately interfere with or restrict the ability of hospitals to be able to obtain payment for care provided; Support for revising/repealing changes to the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Program that reduced reimbursement for provider-based RHCs; Hill outreach expressing concerns with United Healths retroactive denial of coverage for emergency-level care in facilities; Hill outreach expressing concern about CMS mid-build audit denials; Senate outreach on prior authorization legislation; Urge support for legislation/administrative action to extend the deadline to use PRF money; Urged HRSA to ensure that the drug companies that denied 340B Statute appropriate discounts make the impacted hospitals whole for the benefit of the vulnerable communities they serve; Support S. 2304 Drug-Price Transparency for Competition Act of 2021 (DTC Act of 2021), a bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require that direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription drugs and biological products include an appropriate disclosure of pricing information; Support S.246/H.R.851 Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act or the FAAN Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to support schools of nursing in program enhancement and infrastructure modernization, increasing the number of nursing faculty and students, and for other purposes; Support S. 1568/HR 4407Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses Act or the TRAIN Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Comment letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommending the withdrawal of the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Meeting with Department of Labor staff to discuss our concerns about the OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Discussion with ASPR staff overseeing the Strategic National Stockpile about their intent to procure supplies of surgical masks; Call with Senator Cassidys staff to discuss concerns about impact of FEMA COVID-19 funding of traveling nurse agencies on hospital nursing shortages; Oppose S 2428, False Claims Amendments Act of 2021A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to modify False Claims Act procedures, and for other purposes; Discussions about Provider Relief Fund - reporting on past disbursements and urging HHS to disburse remaining PRF money; Discussions about the challenges that teaching hospitals have with training the physician workforce, residency caps that limit funding for training programs, a shortage of residents pursuing primary care specialties, a growing patient pool due to the newly insured and aging of the population; Discussions about the hospital and health system priorities for infrastructure and reconciliation bills; Letter urging Congress to maintain the current legal and regulatory framework for evaluating mergers and acquisitions; Hill outreach to discuss the benefits of health care integration; Hill outreach about the negative impact of potentially anticompetitive conduct by nurse-staffing agencies; Support HR 5035/ S 2982 Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Support H.R.5376 Build Back Better Act, this bill provides funding, establishes programs, and otherwise modifies provisions relating to a broad array of areas, including education, labor, child care, health care, taxes, immigration, and the environment; Discussions with members of congress about the implementation of Rural Emergency Hospital payment designation; Discussions on the No Surprises Act Implementation (surprise billing) and urging federal regulators to restore the independence of the independent dispute resolution process in the No Surprises Act Part 2 regulations; Support HR 5699 Student Assisted Vaccination Effort (SAVE) Act, a bill to expand the definition of qualified persons for purposes of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act to include health professional students; Support S 2873 Preventing and Addressing Trauma with Health Services Act (PATHS Act), a bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs and activities to increase access to high-quality culturally competent trauma support and mental health care; Letter urging HRSA to delay proposals to withdraw certain HPSAs; Support S 3497 and HR 6397, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to public institutions of higher education located in a covered State; Support HR 6279 and S 3629, Opioid Treatment Access Act of 2022, a bill to authorize a study on certain exemptions for treatment of opioid use disorder through opioid treatment programs during the COVID-19 public health emergency; Support HR 5703 and S 3677, Post-Disaster Mental Health Response Act, a bill to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to provide professional counseling services to victims of emergencies declared under such Act; Submitted a statement on the hearing for Pandemic Profiteers: Legislation to Stop Corporate Price Gouging regarding concerns about anticompetitive conduct on the part of health care staffing agencies, some of which have been exploiting the severe shortage of health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic; Submitted a statement on the hearing for Americas Mental Health Crisis and supports additional approaches to help ensure improved access to needed comprehensive, affordable and quality behavioral health services; Provide comments to the Affordability Subcommittee of the Healthy Future Task Force expressing our shared focus with Congress on providing relief from the pandemic, ensuring a smooth recovery and rebuilding a better health care system for the future, all while continuing to support efforts to promote greater affordability and value to patients and the health care system; Submitted statement on the hearing for Recruiting, Revitalizing & Diversifying: Examining the Health Care Workforce Shortage about the challenges ahead and the need to examine Americas health care workforce shortage. We must work together to solve these issues so that our nations hospitals and health systems can continue to care for the patients and communities they serve; Submitted statement on the hearing for Protecting Youth Mental Health: Part II - Identifying and Addressing Barriers to Care examines ways to protect the mental health of our nations youth; Submitted statement on the hearing for Exploring Pathways to Affordable, Universal Health Coverage Care expressing the need to build upon and improve our existing system to increase access to coverage of comprehensive health benefits; Submitted a letter to provide information regarding the challenges facing Americas health care workforce as the country enters the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic; Provided comments to the Modernization Subcommittee of the Healthy Future Task Force urging Congress to consider how to ensure the telehealth flexibilities could remain in place for patients and health care providers beyond the PHE; Support HR 7053 and S 3792, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend acute hospital care at home waiver flexibilities; Support resolution, H. Res. 909, Expressing support for healthcare personnel and condemning assaults on healthcare personnel as the U.S. healthcare system faces unprecedented staffing shortages and increased workplace-related stressors; Letter urges Congress to provide immediate additional support for hospitals and health systems serving their communities during this unprecedented public health crisis. While the support Congress has provided during the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic has helped hospitals care for their patients and communities, there is still a significant need for financial support and relief as COVID-19 challenges persist; Support S 3904, Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2022, a bill to enhance the cybersecurity of the Healthcare and Public Health Sector; Letter urging OSHA to extend the comment deadline for the rule making on the occupational exposure to COVID-19 in healthcare settings by at least an additional 30 days, through May 23; Meeting with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH) at HHS to discuss the widespread blood shortages in the U.S. and next steps; Stakeholder calls with HHS ASPR regarding the distribution/administration of COVID-19 therapeutics; Discussions on S 571, Public Health Funding Prevents Pandemics Act, a bill to fully fund the Prevention and Public Health Fund and reaffirm the importance of prevention in the United States healthcare system; Regular calls with ASPR and other stakeholders participating in the Health Care and Public Health (HPH) Sector Joint Supply Chain Resilience Working Group (Joint SCRWG), a formal Working Group under the authority of the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC) to support the Presidents vision for a resilient public health supply chain; Monthly calls with ASPRs Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) to discuss updates on the hospital association COVID-19 funding program; Call with ASPR Healthcare and Public Health Government Coordinating Council leadership and other hospital associations to provide feedback on the COVID-19 hospital data guidance update.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office