AHA Press Releases

We applaud final House passage of the reauthorization of the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act.

We applaud Congressional passage of the reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act. The number of drug shortages has tripled in the last six years and the shortages have affected patient care.

The mission of every hospital in America is to serve the health care needs of people in its community part of that commitment includes treating patients with dignity and respect from the bedside to the billing office.

Today's announcement provides some much-needed regulatory relief for an overburdened health care system. But CMS misses some important opportunities to further modernize the rules to better reflect how care is organized and delivered today.

In a comment letter to CMS on the proposed rule for Stage 2 meaningful use, the AHA raised a question about a proposal to provide patients with the ability to view download and transmit large volumes of protected health information via the Internet through a "patient portal".

We are deeply disappointed that CMS has proposed new coding cuts in the proposed IPPS rule which results in real payment reductions for hospital services provided to Medicare beneficiaries. CMS continues to use outdated data and a flawed methodology to put into place these cuts.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) will present its 2012 Award of Honor to the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare, Boston. The award, is given to organizations and individuals in recognition of exemplary contributions to the public's health and well-being through leadership on major health policy or social initiatives.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) will present its Award of Honor to Ronald McDonald House Charities ® (RMHC ®), Oak Brook, Ill., for its efforts to improve the health of children and their families and its contribution to family-centered care.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) has available through its website press releases highlighting several awards that the AHA and its affiliated organizations will present during its 2012 Annual Membership meeting in Washington.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) will present its highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award, to Karen Davis, Ph.D., president of The Commonwealth Fund. This award recognizes significant lifetime contributions and service to the nation's health care institutions and associations.

The American Hospital Association (AHA), in partnership with the state hospital associations, today awarded 52 individuals with the American Hospital Association Grassroots Champion Award. As a 2012 Grassroots Champion these individuals are being recognized for exceptional leadership in generating grassroots and community activity in support of a hospital's mission.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) will honor four hospital volunteer programs with its Hospital Awards for Volunteer Excellence (HAVE). The AHA HAVE Awards Program is in its 29th year and highlights the extraordinary efforts of volunteer programs and the positive impact their contributions have on the patients, hospitals, health systems and communities they serve.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) today presented the Justin Ford Kimball Innovators Award to Thomas S. Nesbitt, M.D., Associate Vice Chancellor for Strategic Technologies and Alliances, and director, Center for Health and Technology, University of California (UC) Davis Health System in Sacramento, Calif. The award recognizes people and organizations that have made outstanding contributions in health care delivery and financing.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) today announced that Larry McAndrews, retired president and CEO, National Association of Children's Hospitals (NACHRI), will be awarded its 2012 Board of Trustees Award. The award is presented to individuals or groups who have made substantial and noteworthy contributions to the work of the AHA.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) today announced that Larry S. Gage, retired president, National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems (NAPH), will be awarded its 2012 Board of Trustees Award.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) today presented two federal hospital leaders with awards recognizing their outstanding service in the health care field.

While we support ensuring that physicians will not see their Medicare payments reduced, we are extremely disappointed that once again Congress is putting seniors' access to hospital services in jeopardy through arbitrary reductions to hospitals.

Bruce Schwartz, M.D., deputy chairman and professor of clinical psychiatry of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, N.Y., and CEO, president and medical director of University Behavioral Associates and MBCIPA, is the 2012 chair of the American Hospital Association's (AHA) Section for Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Services.

A new report by Ernst & Young found that not-for-profit hospitals spend an average of 11.3 percent of their total expenses on benefits to their communities. Starting in 2009, not-for-profit hospitals were required to file Schedule H with the Internal Revenue Service to show the community benefit they provide.

The Coalition to Protect America's Health Care today launched a national advertising campaign to urge Congress not to cut Medicare and Medicaid funding for hospital care.