Perspective

Perspective / en Sat, 14 Jun 2025 12:55:41 -0500 Wed, 11 Jun 25 14:38:10 -0500 Uniting to Protect Access to Care /news/perspective/2025-06-11-uniting-protect-access-care The fate of the Trump administration’s legislative centerpiece — the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — continues to be the focal point in Washington, D.C.After the bill’s narrow passage in the House, the Senate is working to put its own stamp on the reconciliation package, which encompasses policy changes on taxes, border security, energy and deficit reduction, including significant changes and cuts to Medicaid and other health care programs. Republicans are aiming to have the legislation through the Senate by the July 4 congressional recess; however, any changes made by the Senate would have to go back to the House for approval.We continue to express concern about the harmful Medicaid and Health Insurance Marketplace provisions included in the House-passed bill, which would cut more than $800 billion from health care programs and result in almost 11 million people losing health care coverage. These cuts will strain already overburdened hospitals and emergency departments as they become the family doctor for millions of newly uninsured Americans, which makes care less accessible for everyone. They also would also set off a damaging ripple effect of job and economic losses as hospitals and communities struggle to manage under the weight of these cuts. Moreover, these payment reductions will simply become an additional “hidden tax” on other purchasers of health care services.In particular, we also continue to be focused like a laser beam on ensuring the preservation of legitimate provider tax and supplemental payment programs, which serve as patches to help finance a chronically underfunded Medicaid program.&nbsp;The notion that these programs represent waste and fraud are far from the truth, as they operate within federal guidelines and are approved by state governments and by both Democratic and Republican administrations, including the Trump administration.&nbsp;Yet even with these financing mechanisms, Medicaid payments to providers are less than the cost of caring.The Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over taxes and Medicaid, as soon as this week could release its legislative text, and there have been some discussions about additional restrictions on Medicaid state directed payments and provider taxes. This would further exacerbate the chronic underpayment for Medicaid services and threaten access to care for all patients in communities across the country.We continue to pull all levers to limit the scope and magnitude of health care reductions contained in this package. We have been meeting with senators and their staff to explain the devastating effects some of the policy changes under consideration would have on the people and communities they represent.Meanwhile, the AHA is running targeted advertising using multiple platforms, including digital, social and traditional media, urging Congress to protect Medicaid and access to care. At the same time, the <a href="https://strengthenhealthcare.org/" title="Coalition to Strengthen America&apos;s Healthcare">Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare</a>, of which the AHA is a founding member, is running ads on TV, podcasts, radio, newsletters and other digital platforms targeted at key senators and influencers. The Coalition also is engaging its grassroots supporters, and since February, the Coalition has generated more than 400,000 letters to Congress about the importance of Medicaid.On Tuesday, June 17, we will host an Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C., during which our team will provide the latest updates on the reconciliation bill before hospital and health system leaders meet with their lawmakers. on Capitol Hill. If you cannot be in <a href="https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=QJMRube-Xk6EsjzBj3s2pnUzMzymJWtHjxrQd2BoFRpUNDNVUkdGWjYyRlJJTUNUVU8wWjVBNTRNWC4u&amp;route=shorturl">Washington</a>, AHA members can register<a href="https://aha-advocacy.ispresenting.live/register/" title="Register to attend virtually for AHA Advocacy Day"> </a>to participate in the event virtually.In addition, we continue to produce <a href="/advocacy/advocacy-issues/medicaid" title="new resources">new resources</a>, including how the bill’s Medicaid reductions could lead to job and <a href="/fact-sheets/2025-06-05-medicaid-spending-reductions-would-lead-losses-jobs-economic-activity-and-tax-revenue-states" title="Medicaid Spending Fact Sheet">economic losses in states</a>, as well as why Medicaid is so important to <a href="/fact-sheets/2025-06-05-medicaid-coverage-supports-rural-patients-hospitals-and-communities" title="Medicaid Supports rural hospitals and communities">rural hospitals and communities</a>. We also are running a <a href="/advocacy/advocacy-issues/medicaid" title="Medicaid video series">video series</a> in which hospital and health system leaders share the importance of Medicaid and how drastic cuts would impact access to care for their patients and communities.We’re at a critical juncture.&nbsp;It’s so important for hospital leaders, patients and community members to <a href="/2020-10-07-get-involved" title="Contact your Senators">weigh in now with your senators</a> and tell them “Don’t Cut Hospital Care.” Your stories have the most impact with your lawmakers, and now is the time to tell them. Wed, 11 Jun 2025 14:38:10 -0500 Perspective Hospitals Lead a National Day of Awareness to End Violence /news/perspective/2025-06-06-hospitals-lead-national-day-awareness-end-violence America’s hospitals and health systems experience firsthand the devastating impact all forms of violence have on individuals’ lives and health. And they see how violence can ripple through a community, affecting not just the injured but their family, friends and neighbors.As beacons of healing, comfort, care and hope, hospitals and health systems are collaborating with community partners to address this important issue.The AHA’s <a href="/hospitals-against-violence-havhope" title="AHA&apos;s Hospitals Against Violence Initiative">Hospitals Against Violence initiative</a> shines a light on how hospitals and health systems are working to heal victims of violence as well as their communities, prevent further acts of violence, and address violence in the workplace. The AHA, working with partner organizations, has developed and shared many resources for hospitals to use to address community and workplace violence.Today, for the ninth consecutive year, AHA is leading <a href="/hospitals-against-violence" title="#HAVhope Friday">#HAVhope Friday</a> — a National Day of Awareness to end violence.&nbsp;#HAVhope unites hospitals, health systems, nurses, doctors, health care professionals and individuals from communities across the country in sharing their commitment to ending violence and highlighting impactful innovative strategies and partnerships. Please take a few minutes to view our <a href="/hospitals-against-violence" title="#HAVhope Webpage">#HAVhope webpage</a>&nbsp; to see many inspiring examples from hospitals and health systems across the country.We know the enormous human and emotional toll violence takes on caregivers and communities. At the same time, a new <a href="/press-releases/2025-06-02-new-aha-report-finds-workplace-and-community-violence-cost-hospitals-more-18-billion-annually" title="new report">report</a>&nbsp; we released this week found that workplace and community violence cost hospitals more than $18 billion in 2023. The report, which was prepared for the AHA by Harborview Injury and Prevention Research Center, part of the University of Washington School of Medicine, found that costs included health care treatment for victims, security staffing for health care facilities, and violence prevention programs and training, among other costs.Hospitals and health systems have long had robust protocols to detect, deter and respond to violence against their team members. These include hospital security and threat assessment teams collaborating with local police departments and other community partners on violence mitigation tactics such as de-escalation training, staff duress alarms, enhanced surveillance security technology and more effective visitor identification policies, among many other measures. Other hospitals are seeking to decrease incidents of workplace violence by upgrading their incident reporting system, boosting prevention education and meticulously tracking data to help prevent future incidents.Despite these efforts, during the past decade the health care field has experienced an increase in workplace violence, and it is showing no signs of subsiding. In addition to causing physical and psychological injury for health care workers, these incidents make it more difficult for nurses, physicians and other team members to provide quality patient care.Currently, no federal law protects hospital workers from workplace assault. That’s why the AHA is advocating for the enactment of the <a href="/news/headline/2025-05-09-aha-expresses-support-save-healthcare-workers-act" title="Save Healthcare Workers Act">Save Healthcare Workers Act</a>,&nbsp; (H.R. 3178/S. 1600) bipartisan, bicameral legislation introduced last month that would make it a federal crime to assault hospital workers, similar to current federal law protecting airline and airport workers.Violence has no place in our communities or in health care settings.&nbsp;We must keep working together to end the cycle of violence and ensure that our nation’s caregivers can focus on what they do best — caring for patients and advancing health in our communities.&nbsp; Fri, 06 Jun 2025 09:09:50 -0500 Perspective As Reconciliation Bill Shifts to the Senate, We Must Speak Up to Protect Medicaid and Access to Care /news/perspective/2025-05-30-reconciliation-bill-shifts-senate-we-must-speak-protect-medicaid-and-access-care After approval in the House last week by a one vote margin, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — a sweeping package that would enact many of President Trump’s legislative priorities on taxes, border security, energy and deficit reduction, including significant changes and cuts to Medicaid and other health care programs — now moves to the Senate.House Speaker Mike Johnson compared the bill’s difficult journey through the House to “crossing over the Grand Canyon on a piece of dental floss,” and he has urged the Senate “not to meddle with it too much,” as changes will need to come back to the House for final passage.However, the reconciliation package’s move to the Senate really is starting over in many respects as we expect the chamber to consider substantial revisions to the package. Even President Trump said, “I want the Senate and the senators to make the changes they want. I think they are going to have changes. Some will be minor, some will be fairly significant.”The bottom line: At this point, nothing is settled, and we still have opportunities to influence the discussion in the Senate and the legislative package they will consider.&nbsp;Concerns with Current Bill.&nbsp;As noted in our <a href="/news/headline/2025-05-22-house-passes-reconciliation-bill-significant-impacts-medicaid-health-insurance-marketplaces" title="Concerns with the current bill reaction">reaction</a> to last week’s vote, we are concerned about the harmful Medicaid and Health Insurance Marketplace provisions currently included in the bill. The sheer magnitude of the level of reductions to the Medicaid program alone — estimated to decimate federal support by more than $700 billion over 10 years&nbsp;— will impact all patients, not just Medicaid beneficiaries, in every community across the nation.Hospitals, especially in rural and underserved areas, will be forced to make difficult decisions about whether they will have to reduce services, reduce staff and potentially consider closing their doors. Other impacts could include longer waiting times to receive care, more crowded emergency departments, and hospitals not being able to invest in technology and innovations for clinical care.In particular, the Medicaid legislative proposals severely restrict the use of legitimate state funding resources and supplemental payment programs, including provider taxes and state directed payments, under the guise of eliminating waste, fraud and abuse. We reject this notion as these critical, legitimate and well-established Medicaid financing programs are essential to offset decades of chronic underpayments of the cost of care provided to Medicaid patients.We will be urging the Senate to make changes to address these and other issues we have with the bill. More details about the bill’s provisions and AHA’s concerns are included in our recent <a href="/advisory/2025-05-22-aha-summary-one-big-beautiful-bill-acts-provisions-impacting-hospitals-and-health-systems" title="Legislative Advisory expressing issues with the current bill.">Legislative Advisory</a> and <a href="/special-bulletin/2025-05-22-house-passes-reconciliation-bill-significant-policy-changes-and-reductions-medicaid-other-health" title="Special Bulletin expressing concerns with the current bill.">Special Bulletin</a>.Senate Dynamics and Process.&nbsp;When the Senate returns to Washington next week and begins to consider the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, it likely will not conduct traditional committee markups, leaving most of the Senate language to be developed by Senate Republican leadership and staff, as well as committee members and staff.&nbsp;At the same time, Senate Majority Leader John Thune will have to navigate divisions among Republican senators on what changes to make to the bill. For example, fiscal conservatives Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., have already stated their refusal to vote for the legislation unless deeper spending cuts are made. Meanwhile, moderates, including Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, have expressed concerns about Medicaid changes, while Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Jim Justice, R-W.Va., have voiced apprehension about the Medicaid provider tax changes.&nbsp;Making Our Voices Heard.&nbsp;With the Senate aiming to pass its bill before the July 4 recess, the next few weeks will be critical to help shape changes to the Senate bill. The AHA will host an Advocacy Day briefing in Washington, D.C., on June 17 to provide the latest updates on the reconciliation bill before hospital and health system leaders meet with their lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Please visit our <a href="/advocacy/action-center" title="AHA Action Center">Action Center</a> for the latest updates and resources.In addition, the AHA next week is running digital advertising inside the Beltway urging Congress to protect Medicaid and access to care. At the same time, the <a href="https://strengthenhealthcare.org/" title="Coalition to Strengthen America&apos;s Healthcare">Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare</a>, of which the AHA is a founding member, continues to run TV and digital advertisements, including its <a href="https://strengthenhealthcare.org/coalition-to-strengthen-americas-healthcare-new-faces-of-medicaid-ad-mom/" title="Coalition to Strengthen America&apos;s Health Care latest ad ">latest ad</a> in its national Faces of Medicaid campaign, calling attention to the devastating effects that Medicaid cuts would have on millions of seniors and their families.While we provide the air cover, it’s so important for you to share with your senators the negative consequences some of the proposals would have on the patients and communities you serve.Nothing is more powerful with lawmakers than your voice — and the voices of your team members, trustees, patients and community members. You live, work and, most importantly, vote in their states and districts. You have their attention and can explain to them the impact policy proposals would have for their constituents and your ability to provide care.With so much at stake, it is vital that we continue speaking with one voice to protect the blue and white “H” that is a beacon of health, healing and hope in every community across the nation. Fri, 30 May 2025 08:35:47 -0500 Perspective This Memorial Day, Reflection and Remembrance from a Grateful Nation /news/perspective/2025-05-23-memorial-day-reflection-and-remembrance-grateful-nation In December 2024, Army 2nd Lt. Regina Benson celebrated her 105th birthday. At the time of her passing the following month, she was America’s oldest military nurse, having served during World War II in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps in Hawaii, Okinawa and Japan from 1944 to 1946.Benson provided critical medical care to wounded soldiers during the war, as well as set up hospitals, supervised wards of medical, surgical and orthopedic patients, and assisted in life-saving operations.In 2020, Benson received the Angel of Honor Award at the Armed Services YMCA's 14th annual Angels of the Battlefield Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., which honors selfless courage and unwavering sacrifice for actions by America’s military service members, past and present.“I made sure that my patients never died alone,” she remembered. “I was always there with them so that I could tell their mothers that they did not die alone.”If a single individual’s life could capture the spirit of what our brave healers and caregivers have contributed to our nation in times of war, it is Army 2nd Lt. Regina Benson.More than 1.3 million U.S. military personnel have given their lives in service to their country since 1775. And caregivers — physicians and surgeons, nurses, medics, corpsmen and others — have stood with our armed forces from the beginning, risking and sometimes losing their own lives in the process.The connection between hospitals, caregivers and Memorial Day underscores the enduring legacy of service and sacrifice in the health care profession. Like members of the military, health care workers have often put themselves in harm's way to care for others, especially during times of crisis and conflict.Over the years, Memorial Day has expanded to honor not only fallen soldiers but also military medical personnel who have sacrificed their lives in service to their country. Instead of weapons, their hands held bandages, syringes, medicine and the tools of healing, but their ultimate sacrifice was no less.Memorial Day serves as a poignant reminder of the shared commitment to serving others and honoring those who have given their lives in service to their country. Many hospitals make a point of commemorating Memorial Day by recognizing the contributions of these individuals and paying tribute to their dedication and bravery.It’s more important than ever to remember and honor the courageous and heroic men and women of our armed forces who gave their lives in the service of our country and what it stands for.Our respect and gratitude for their sacrifice is an appropriate way to ensure their loss is not forgotten and that their spirit and patriotism lives on in the hearts of their families, their communities and our nation.We at the �� Association, all of our members, and the individuals working in hospitals and health systems across America salute our fallen. We work in health care to help save lives, but we understand firsthand the toll of loss, especially the loss of young lives given in service.In these uncertain times, our men and women in uniform once again stand ready, as they always have, to defend our freedoms and help to safeguard our future.Upon receiving her Angel of Honor Award, Benson’s humble acceptance remarks ring as true as ever — and embody the unquestioned sacrifices our caregivers in uniform have always made to serve and protect the United States of America."None of us deserved medals,” she said. “We just did what millions of Americans did. We worked together, fought together and served together for our nation and for our freedom.”For many, this weekend is a time for rest and relaxation. But please take a moment to also reflect on the devotion of the people that Memorial Day honors and the value — and cost — of our freedom. Fri, 23 May 2025 06:00:00 -0500 Perspective Continuing the Fight to Protect Medicaid and Access to 24/7 Hospital Care for Patients and Communities /news/perspective/2025-05-16-continuing-fight-protect-medicaid-and-access-247-hospital-care-patients-and-communities Three key House committees — Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Agriculture — after long debates and discussions this week advanced their portions of a massive reconciliation bill aimed at realizing President Trump’s legislative agenda.The Energy and Commerce Committee, which was instructed to reduce deficits by $880 billion, approved widespread changes to the Medicaid program that, if enacted, would be a devastating blow to the health and well-being of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens and communities.Many of the policies will not make the Medicaid program work better for the 72 million Americans who rely on it. They include babies and children, people with disabilities, the elderly, and nursing home patients. They also are many hard-working people, including farmers, ranchers, veterans and single moms. In fact, these policies will result in displacing millions of Americans from insured status to uninsured, putting their health and financial stability at serious risk.There is no avoiding the real-life consequences these proposals will create for hospitals’ and health systems’ ability to deliver 24/7 care and services to all patients across the country, not just Medicaid beneficiaries. Some hospitals, especially those in rural or underserved communities, could be forced to close. Many others would have to significantly reduce services. Other impacts could be longer waiting times to receive care, more crowded emergency departments, and hospitals not being able to invest in technology and advancements for clinical care.Earlier this week, we sent a <a href="/system/files/media/file/2025/05/aha-house-statement-on-full-committee-markup-of-budget-reconciliation-text-testimony-5-13-2025.pdf" target="_blank" title="AHA Statement to Energy and Commerce Committee">statement</a> to the Energy and Commerce Committee detailing our position on several provisions included in the legislative package. Specifically, we expressed our concerns that the bill restrains and diminishes provider taxes and state directed payment programs that are vital to the financial stability of hospitals and health systems and help them deliver essential services to Medicaid beneficiaries, since Medicaid historically and chronically underpays for the cost of caring for the millions of Americans that rely on the program. &nbsp;Some politicians and other stakeholders have mislabeled these programs and financing mechanisms as “waste, fraud and abuse.” They are nothing of the sort. The truth is the proposed changes to these programs are not real reform.Most states likely would be unable to close the financing gap created by further limiting their ability to tax providers; as a result, they may need to make significant cuts to their Medicaid programs, including reducing eligibility, eliminating or limiting benefits, and further reducing the chronic Medicaid underpayment rates for providers. In addition, states could address financial losses by limiting or eliminating nonmandatory benefits for all Medicaid beneficiaries, such as prescription drug coverage, clinic services, certain behavioral health services, home and community-based services, and physical and occupational therapy.While the legislation advanced out of committee, it still has a long way to go before crossing the finish line. The full House of Representatives could consider the package as soon as next week. And in the Senate&nbsp;— where some Republicans have already expressed concern about various House proposals&nbsp;— there would likely be changes to the bill should it pass the House.That means that we still have opportunities to influence the debate and the final package.&nbsp;We will continue to work with lawmakers to help them understand the impact these reductions will have on patients and the hospitals that care for them and their communities. Meanwhile, the <a href="https://strengthenhealthcare.org/" target="_blank" title="Coalition to Strengthen America&apos;s Healthcare">Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare</a>, of which the AHA is a founding member, continues to run TV and digital advertisements targeted to key stakeholders. This week, the Coalition launched its <a href="https://strengthenhealthcare.org/new-coalition-ad-mom-highlights-impact-of-medicaid-cuts-on-americas-seniors/" target="_blank" title="Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare newest ad.">newest ad</a> in its Faces of Medicaid campaign, telling the story of a family navigating the threat of limited health care options if Congress decides to make cuts to Medicaid.We appreciate your efforts already in sharing with your lawmakers the negative consequences some of the proposals would have on the patients and communities you serve. It’s more important than ever to continue to share those stories as every vote in the House and Senate matters with slim majorities in both chambers of Congress. And visit AHA’s Action Center <a href="/advocacy/action-center" target="_blank" title="AHA&apos;s Action Center Webpage">webpage</a> for the latest resources to assist your efforts.Tomorrow wraps up <a href="/ahia/get-involved/national-hospital-week" target="_blank" title="National Hospital Week webpage">National Hospital Week</a>. Throughout the week, we have been amplifying stories about the amazing work the women and men of America’s hospitals and health systems do every day to care for patients and support communities. Please take 30 seconds to watch this <a href="/ahia/get-involved/national-hospital-week" target="_blank" title="National Hospital Week Video">video</a> posted on our National Hospital Week page that shares some of this incredible and inspiring work.One simple line from the video says, “People count on us.” That’s a powerful message. And it’s one lawmakers need to hear again and again as they consider changes that could affect hospitals’ ability to provide 24/7 care and services to people and communities across the country.&nbsp; Fri, 16 May 2025 08:18:38 -0500 Perspective Uniting to Protect Access to Care for Patients and Communities /news/perspective/2025-05-09-uniting-protect-access-care-patients-and-communities After a week’s delay to try to build consensus among Republicans — due in large part to concerns we have been raising about Medicaid cuts —&nbsp; the House Energy &amp; Commerce Committee could begin next week drafting its portion of the budget reconciliation bill as part of President Trump’s agenda to advance tax cuts that disproportionately benefit high income individuals. The committee is charged with finding $880 billion in savings, which could result in significant funding reductions and policy changes to the Medicaid program, although no specific details of what will be included as part of the markup have been released yet.If there is one simple message that legislators need to hear loud and clear right now, it is “No harmful cuts to the Medicaid program.”Medicaid covers 72 million Americans, and we need to tell legislators that cuts of the magnitude some are talking about could cause some hospitals to close and many others to reduce services. We need to tell them that Medicaid is a lifeline for rural hospitals. And we need to make sure they see the “faces of Medicaid:” children and babies; people with disabilities; the elderly and nursing home patients. It is a program that so many hard-working, low-income folks depend on…whether they are farmers, ranchers, veterans or single moms.Now, the politicians will say they are not going to cut Medicaid or Medicare “benefits.” But that’s often code for saying that payment for providing the services is not off the table. We need to tell them that there will be no “benefits” available if we are unable to keep our doors open to deliver care.And, they need to understand that cuts to Medicaid and Medicare don’t affect just these beneficiaries, but they affect everyone.Moreover, because of crippling Medicaid underpayment, many states have developed supplemental payment programs to patch this fundamentally broken program. Some politicians call these strategies “waste, fraud and abuse.” They are nothing of the sort.Legislators need to understand that these are legitimate financing methods with federal limits overseen by the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services — and have been approved by both Democratic and Republican administrations — including the Trump administration.Cutting off these financing mechanisms for a program that is the single largest source of health care coverage in the United States while hurting patients and their caregivers is simply not real reform, and it risks blowing holes through Medicaid, state government budgets and our health care safety net.These were some of the messages shared this week as 1,100 hospital and health system leaders came to Washington for the<a href="/education-events/2025-aha-annual-membership-meeting" target="_blank" title="AHA 2025 Annual Membership Meeting"> </a><a href="/topics/aha-annual-membership-meeting" target="_blank" title="AHA 2025 Annual Membership Meeting">AHA’s 2025 Annual Membership Meeting</a>. During the meeting, we also discussed the need to reject so-called site-neutral payments; preserve the 340B program; extend the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits that enable millions of Americans to buy affordable private health insurance; provide relief from burdensome regulations; and strengthen and support the health care workforce.&nbsp;Throughout the week, hospital leaders from across the country delivered these key messages to their representatives and senators, emphasizing with powerful personal stories and examples how Medicaid cuts would jeopardize access to care for their patients and communities.Prior to the Annual Meeting, we released an Action Alert with several new <a href="/2020-10-07-get-involved" target="_blank" title="Action Alert with new advocacy resources.">advocacy resources</a>, including fact sheets and infographics, a digital toolkit containing a Medicaid Made Simple video, social media messages and more. We also shared a <a href="/2020-10-07-get-involved" target="_blank" title="Sample Advocacy Message">sample message</a> that individuals can personalize and send to their lawmakers to urge them to reject funding cuts to Medicaid and other health care programs. &nbsp;At the same time, the AHA continues to reinforce these messages in many ways with legislators, policymakers and other influential stakeholders. This week, we launched new digital advertisements in key Washington, D.C., publications and other targeted placements urging Congress to protect Medicaid. In addition, the <a href="https://strengthenhealthcare.org" target="_blank" title="Coalition to Strengthen America&apos;s Healthcare">Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare</a>, of which the AHA is a founding member, continues to run digital and televised national ads, as well as engage its 2.6 million advocates in grassroots advocacy campaigns.There’s still a long way to go in the reconciliation process, which means we have more opportunities to tell our stories about the real impact harmful changes in Medicaid or other programs would have on patients’ access to care.And as the process moves forward, AHA Board Chair Tina Freese Decker reminded hospital and health systems leaders in Washington this week that field unity is paramount as we remain focused on our fundamental mission. “We all may be different, [but] whether we are small or large, urban or rural, blue state or red state … what really unites us is that we care for people.”When we are united, when we show up with one voice, one message, one undeniable presence, we have power that no one can ignore. We have influence that no one can dismiss. And we have a force in every state and congressional district across America that no opponent, no obstacle and no well-funded opposition can match. Fri, 09 May 2025 08:23:43 -0500 Perspective America Needs Strong Hospitals to Support Healthy and Thriving Communities /news/perspective/2025-05-02-america-needs-strong-hospitals-support-healthy-and-thriving-communities The House Energy &amp; Commerce Committee in just over a week is expected to mark up its portion of the budget reconciliation bill to enact key pieces of President Trump’s agenda. As we have been sharing for months, the committee could consider significant funding reductions and policy changes to the Medicaid program, although specific details of what will be included have not been released yet. &nbsp;We are continuing our full court press to make the case to lawmakers that enacting significant cuts to Medicaid would jeopardize access to care for the more than 72 million people who rely on the program and impact access to care for everyone, including limiting the 24/7 care and services hospitals provide.&nbsp;This week we sent a <a href="/lettercomment/2025-04-29-aha-letter-congressional-leadership-potential-medicaid-eptc-policy-changes" target="_blank" title="Letter to House and Senate Leaders urging to refrain from considering disruptive policy changes to Mediciad">letter</a> to House and Senate leaders urging them to refrain from considering disruptive policy changes to Medicaid. We also issued an <a href="/2025-05-01-act-now-urge-your-members-congress-protect-medicaid-and-other-crucial-programs" target="_blank" title="Action Alert">Action Alert</a> with new digital tools and resources that hospital and health system leaders can use as part of their advocacy efforts. It includes sample messages that you can share with your teams and community members so that they can reach out to their lawmakers directly and encourage them to protect access to care.&nbsp;At the same time, we’re continuing to tell our story to legislators, policymakers and key influencers. Starting Sunday, we’ll roll out new digital advertisements in Washington, D.C., publications urging Congress to protect Medicaid. In addition, the <a href="https://strengthenhealthcare.org/" target="_blank" title="Coalition to Strengthen America&apos;s Healthcare">Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare</a>, of which the AHA is a founding member, continues to run digital and televised national ads, as well as engage its 2.6 million advocates in grassroots advocacy campaigns.&nbsp;And we’ll be using our Annual Membership Meeting, taking place May 4-6, to drive home the importance of protecting Medicaid and other programs that support access to care for individuals and communities. In addition to stopping cuts to Medicaid, we’ll be urging lawmakers to reject additional so-called site-neutral payment policies and harmful changes to the 340B program; extend the enhanced premium tax credits that help millions of Americans access affordable private insurance; strengthen and support the health care workforce; and provide relief from burdensome regulations and policies that inhibit care.&nbsp;<h2>New Report Highlights Economic Challenges that Hospitals Face</h2>As we tell the hospital story on Capitol Hill, we released a <a href="/news/headline/2025-04-30-report-hospitals-and-health-systems-squeezed-persistent-economic-challenges" target="_blank">new report</a> this week showing that hospitals and health systems continue to experience significant financial headwinds that can challenge their ability to provide always-there, essential care to their patients and communities.&nbsp;Among other findings, the report shows:&nbsp;<ul><li>Having the right care team available for patients has long been the single largest category of hospital spending, accounting for 56% of total costs in 2024. Amid ongoing workforce shortages, hospitals have raised wages to recruit and retain staff, adding financial pressure even as these investments are essential to maintaining care.</li><li>Hospitals absorbed $130 billion in underpayments from Medicare and Medicaid in 2023 alone, and these shortfalls are worsening — growing on average 14% annually between 2019 and 2023. </li><li>From 2022 to 2024, general inflation rose by 14.1%, while Medicare inpatient payment rates increased by only 5.1% — amounting to an effective payment cut over the past three years. </li><li>The practices of certain Medicare Advantage plans — including increased delays, denials and underpayments — are exacerbating the financial burden faced by hospitals. </li><li>Tariffs on medical imports could significantly raise costs for hospitals as nearly 70% of medical devices marketed in the U.S. are manufactured exclusively overseas. A recent survey found that 82% of health care experts expect tariff-related expenses to raise hospital expenses by at least 15% over the next six months, and 94% of health care administrators expect to delay equipment upgrades to manage financial strain.</li></ul><h2>Make Your Voices Heard</h2>While the Energy and Commerce Committee markup will be important in the fight to protect Medicaid and access to care, it’s important to understand that whatever happens, it won’t be the final word. There is still a long way to go, and the full House of Representatives and Senate will have their say as well. &nbsp;Nothing is more powerful with your representatives and senators than your voice — and the voices of your team members, trustees, patients and community members. You live, work and, most importantly, vote in their districts and states. You have their attention and can explain to them the impact policy proposals would have for their constituents and your ability to provide care.With so much at stake, it is vital that we continue to face health care’s challenges together — speaking as one voice to protect the blue and white “H” that is a beacon of health, healing and hope in every community across the nation. &nbsp; Fri, 02 May 2025 08:12:15 -0500 Perspective Hospitals Are Cornerstones of Communities. We Must Tell Our Stories to Protect Access to Care /news/perspective/2025-04-25-hospitals-are-cornerstones-communities-we-must-tell-our-stories-protect-access-care One year ago, a nurse at Children’s Hospital Colorado went above and beyond in a way that a very young patient and her family will never forget.&nbsp;Kayla McCarthy specializes in working with young children awaiting or recovering from organ transplants. In May 2024, she was approved as a living organ donor and <a href="https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/colorado-news/nurse-donates-liver-to-patient-childrens-hospital-colorado/73-2549bc86-61a8-4ca4-ba3b-aea5f60579d3" target="_blank" title="Article: Nurse helps to save a child&apos;s life">contributed a piece of her liver to a young toddler in her hospital, helping to save the child’s life</a>.&nbsp;McCarthy’s remarkable gift symbolizes with a single gesture what hospitals and their phenomenal care teams mean to the people and communities they serve. It is more than just the doors that are always open to all, any time of day or night. It is even more than the dependable, quality, compassionate care delivered to patients every minute of every day in every corner of the nation.&nbsp;The bond between hospitals and their communities reaches deeper. Hospitals and health systems offer programs that provide healthy food, preventive wellness education and maternal support services to ensure healthy births. Hospitals and health systems provide critical behavioral and mental health services. Hospitals and health systems are major employers, supporting families and businesses while providing a financial foundation that helps communities to thrive. And hospitals and health systems partner with community organizations to address the unique needs of the patients and neighborhoods they serve.&nbsp;For example:&nbsp;<ul><li><a href="/role-hospitals-shodair-childrens-hospital-launches-hope-campaign" target="_blank" title="The Hope Campaign Story">Shodair Children’s Hospital in Helena, Mont., has launched the Hope Campaign</a> to reduce stigma and encourage conversations about youth mental health.</li><li><a href="/role-hospitals-virtual-singing-walking-groups-dartmouth-healths-programs-older-adults-enhance-health" target="_blank" title="Dartmouth Health free educational classes">Dartmouth Health in Lebanon, N.H., offers free educational classes, support and services to improve the minds, bodies and spirits of older adults and their families</a>. Older adults can take a class or series of classes to improve their balance, get help using their iPhone, learn strategies for coping with symptoms of chronic disease and get tips for eating healthy.&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://www.tenethealth.com/our-stories/our-stories-detail/our-stories/2025/03/18/the-hospitals-of-providence-unveils-new-perinatal-center" target="_blank" title="Tenet Health&apos;s caring for mothers story">Tenet Health’s The Hospitals of Providence in El Paso, Texas, recently unveiled a new center dedicated to caring for mothers experiencing a high-risk pregnancy</a>.&nbsp;</li></ul>Every hospital and health system has many stories of how they are healing patients and advancing health for communities. Hundreds of these examples can be found on <a href="/tellingthehospitalstory" target="_blank" title="Telling the Hospital Story web page">AHA’s Telling the Hospital Story</a> webpages.&nbsp;These stories are powerful. They inform and inspire. It’s important that we share these stories with our communities and with our legislators, especially as Congress continues to consider funding cuts and policy changes that would jeopardize access to care for millions of Americans across the nation.&nbsp;Next week, Congress returns to Washington, D.C., and congressional committees will begin marking up portions of the budget reconciliation bill to enact key pieces of President Trump’s agenda. On May 7, we expect the House Energy and Commerce Committee to begin marking up its portion of the bill and the potential for significant cuts to the Medicaid program remain on the table. &nbsp;That week, we’ll have more than 1,000 hospital and health system leaders in Washington for <a href="https://annualmeeting.aha.org/registration" target="_blank" title="AHA&apos;s Annual Membership Meeting web site">AHA’s Annual Membership Meeting</a> May 4-6. You can still register to attend if you have not done so yet.&nbsp;Whether you are at the Annual Meeting or not, you can tell your story to your legislators and explain how certain policies would jeopardize access to the 24/7 care and services that hospitals and health systems provide.&nbsp;We need to talk about protecting access to care by rejecting cuts to Medicaid, additional so-called site-neutral payment policies and harmful changes to the 340B program. At the same time, we need to extend the enhanced premium tax credits that help millions of Americans access affordable private insurance; strengthen and support the health care workforce; and provide relief from burdensome regulations and policies that inhibit care.Please see our recent <a href="/action-alert/2025-04-14-take-action-urge-lawmakers-reject-medicaid-cuts-protect-access-care" target="_blank" title="AHA Action Alert with details and resources to support advocacy efforts.">Action Alert</a> for more details and resources to support your advocacy efforts.&nbsp;At the end of the day, the policies we are fighting for will protect access to care and services for patients, as well as help caregivers like Kayla McCarthy continue to do what they do best: heal, comfort and make lives better.&nbsp; &nbsp; Fri, 25 Apr 2025 08:19:26 -0500 Perspective All Eyes on Washington and All Voices Speaking Up to Protect Access to Care /news/perspective/2025-04-18-all-eyes-washington-and-all-voices-speaking-protect-access-care Just 16 days from now, more than 1,000 hospital and health system leaders from across the country will arrive in Washington, D.C., for the <a href="https://annualmeeting.aha.org" target="_blank" title="2025 AHA Annual Membership Meeting">2025 AHA Annual Membership Meeting</a>.&nbsp;Every year, this important gathering puts specific issues into focus as we discuss the best ways to fulfill our mission of advancing health. This year, it’s an understatement to say the stakes are extremely high as Congress is in the middle of considering legislation that could significantly jeopardize access to patient care across the country and further challenge hospitals’ ability to deliver the care and services that our nation depends on.&nbsp;To help our members navigate the shifting landscape and dynamics on Capitol Hill, we’ve built a program highlighted by nationally recognized speakers who are influential in the administration and Congress, as well as special forums that bring together strategic ideas and relevant research with thought leaders driving policy on the biggest issues affecting our field.On the House side, we’ll hear from lawmakers who serve on the important Energy and Commerce Committee, including Reps. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., who chairs its Subcommittee on Health; Robin Kelly, D-Ill., who likewise serves on the Subcommittee on Health and is a member of the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, which sets the policy direction of the Democratic Caucus; and Kim Schrier, D-Wash., who is the first pediatrician elected to Congress. Energy and Commerce is the all-important committee where the focus will be on major Medicaid cuts. We’ll also hear from Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, a member of the Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicare and tax policies, and Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb. Moran and Flood are respectively executive board member and vice chair of the Republican Main Street Caucus, a solutions-focused group of 80-plus conservative members. Also joining us is Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., chair of the New Democratic Coalition, the largest Democratic caucus in the House and focused on pro-economic growth and fiscal responsibility. On the Senate side, we’ll hear from Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., as well as a panel with two key freshman senators: Elissa Slotkin,&nbsp;D-Mich., and Jon Husted, R-Ohio.In addition, Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services Chief of Staff and Deputy Administrator Stephanie Carlton and CMS Deputy Administrator and Chief Policy and Regulatory Officer John Brooks will join us for a special conversation about the agency’s health priorities.We’ll also gain insights from a number of advisers to President Donald Trump, such as Kellyanne Conway,&nbsp;former senior counselor to President Trump, who will discuss “Shifting Voices: Changes in Political Communications,” and Chris LaCivita, senior adviser and co-campaign manager of the Trump 2024 Presidential Campaign.&nbsp;We’ll do a deep dive into economic issues, including the impact of tariffs, with Douglas Holtz-Eakin, former director of the Congressional Budget Office, who will lead a discussion on “Decoding the Fiscal Cliff:&nbsp;Economic &amp; Fiscal Policy Outlook”&nbsp;&nbsp;with panelists Rana Foroohar, CNN’s global economic analyst, Lanhee Chen, a Hoover Institution Fellow in American public policy studies and former advisor to Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign, and Jason Furman, former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama.We’ll hear from people making and breaking news, as well as providing insight on “Navigating the New Political Landscape,” a discussion featuring Jonathan Martin, politics bureau chief at Politico, Leigh Ann Caldwell, chief Washington correspondent&nbsp; for Puck News, and Jake Sherman,&nbsp;co-founder of Punchbowl News.&nbsp; We’ll have insightful conversations with Hoda Kotb, former “Today Show” co-anchor, who will participate in the AHA’s luncheon recognizing award-winning leaders in our field. Interested attendees can join Eugene Daniels, senior Washington correspondent for MSNBC and president of the White House Correspondents Association, for a Government Relations Officers Network Lunch. And we’re pleased to be joined by retired four-star Gen. Stanley McCrystal, who wrote about his leadership experience in Iraq in 2004 in “Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex Field.”Throughout the conference, we have dynamic sessions featuring top leaders in our field and in the administration discussing post-acute care, rural health care and governance, just to name a few. It’s a very full agenda, but we’ve also built in time for you to connect with colleagues from across the country and have those personal connections that we know are so valuable.The Annual Membership Meeting comes at a critical time as key congressional committees, including the House Energy and Commerce Committee, could begin marking up reconciliation legislation with the potential for significant cuts to the Medicaid program.The timing provides a great opportunity for your visit to Capitol Hill to drive home several key messages. Those include protecting access to care by rejecting cuts to Medicaid, additional so-called site-neutral payments and harmful changes to the 340B program. At the same time, we need to extend the enhanced premium tax credits that help millions of Americans have access to affordable private insurance. We also will talk about ways to provide relief from burdensome regulations and policies that inhibit care and increase costs, as well as opportunities to strengthen and support the health care workforce.Earlier this week, we shared an <a href="/action-alert/2025-04-14-take-action-urge-lawmakers-reject-medicaid-cuts-protect-access-care" target="_blank" title="Advocacy Action Alert PDF">Advocacy Action Alert</a> asking hospital leaders to meet with their senators and representatives to explain to them how cuts to Medicaid and other programs would reduce access to care and services for patients in their communities. We also provided new infographics and resources to support your advocacy efforts.We’ll continue to keep the field updated on the latest from Capitol Hill, and the Annual Membership Meeting will be another opportunity for us to stand up and speak out to protect access to the care that hospitals and health systems provide across America.If you haven’t registered yet, please consider joining us in Washington May 4-6. And if you can’t be in Washington, please continue delivering that message to your representatives and senators throughout the year.In the words of AHA’s 2025 Board Chair, Tina Freese Decker, “When we work together, we speak with a voice that is loud, clear and effective. Because we are here to care for the neighbors in our communities no matter what headwinds we face.” Fri, 18 Apr 2025 09:25:52 -0500 Perspective We Must Urge Congress to Protect Access to Medicaid, Patient Care and 24/7 Hospital Services /news/perspective/2025-04-11-we-must-urge-congress-protect-access-medicaid-patient-care-and-247-hospital-services Congressional lawmakers are heading home for a two-week district work period after both the Senate and House passed a revised budget resolution for fiscal year 2025, allowing the chambers to move forward with the <a href="/issue-landing-page/2025-02-07-budget-reconciliation-process-resource-page" target="_blank" title="Reconciliation Process">reconciliation process</a> and begin drafting the specific policies that will be included in the reconciliation bill. This is where the hard work begins.The revised resolution still includes instructions for the House Energy and Commerce Committee to cut spending by $880 billion, which means cuts to Medicaid and other health programs are very much still on the table.However, this week’s budget action is another step in a long process and no specifics on anything have been decided. It’s important to note that the House Energy and Commerce Committee includes broad jurisdiction over many sectors of the economy beyond health care, and the Senate seems inclined to take a more modest approach. In the meantime, we have been building momentum with lawmakers and the public to demonstrate that devastating cuts to the Medicaid program — and the 72 million individuals who rely on it for coverage — should not be used to pay for the reconciliation bill.We can use the next two weeks while representatives and senators are in their districts and states to drive this point home and explain how significant cuts to Medicaid would stress the availability of health care services for everyone and jeopardize access to the 24/7 care and services that hospitals provide.New Polling Shows Widespread Support for Medicaid. New <a href="https://modernmedicaid.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/MMA-Poll-Memo-4-2-25.pdf" target="_blank" title="New polls show widespread support for Medicaid">polling</a> released this week from President Trump’s 2024 pollster showed that 74% of all voters and 61% of Trump voters have a favorable view of Medicaid. In addition, 70% of total voters, including a majority of Trump voters, opposed cutting Medicaid to pay for tax cuts. “Our recent survey shows there is no appetite across the political spectrum for cutting Medicaid to pay for tax cuts,” the poll memo said. “Medicaid is well-liked by most voters, in large part due to the broad impact it has across the electorate and the high level of importance voters place on as many Americans as possible having health insurance.”Advocacy Resources and Advertising. The AHA continues to share new resources that hospitals and health systems can use to assist their advocacy efforts. Visit our <a href="/advocacy/advocacy-issues/medicaid" target="_blank" title="Medicaid Advocacy webpage">Medicaid advocacy webpage</a> for fact sheets, blogs pushing back on misguided reports and other resources you can use in conversations with your lawmakers. And watch for an Action Alert soon with additional resources.At the same time, the <a href="https://strengthenhealthcare.org/" target="_blank" title="Coalition to Strengthen America&apos;s Healthcare">Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare</a>, of which the AHA is a founding member, continues to run its <a href="https://strengthenhealthcare.org/coalition-launches-national-ad-campaign-to-protect-medicaid-patients-from-cuts-to-care/" target="_blank" title="Faces of Medicaid national ad compaign">Faces of Medicaid</a> national ad campaign that highlights Medicaid’s critical impact on the tens of millions of people who rely on the program for access to care. During the last two weeks, the Coalition launched two new ads, “<a href="https://strengthenhealthcare.org/coalition-launches-national-ad-highlighting-president-trumps-promises-to-protect-medicaid/" target="_blank" title="Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare Promises Ad">Promises</a>,” which underscores President Trump’s public commitments about protecting Medicaid and Medicare and calls on Congress not to cut Medicaid, and “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAglo-JZzdY&amp;t=1s" target="_blank" title="Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare 30 Million ad">30 Million</a>,” focusing on Medicaid coverage for children. The ads are running on national cable and digitally. In addition, the Coalition continues to engage its 2.6 million advocates in a grassroots campaign to send letters, make phone calls and send social media posts to their legislators urging them to protect access to care and services.Make Your Voices Heard. While the AHA and Coalition provide the air cover in Washington, nothing is more powerful than your voice — and the voices of your team members, trustees, patients and community members — with your senators and representatives. You live, work and, most importantly, vote in their districts and states. You have their attention and can explain to them the impact policy proposals would have for their constituents and your ability to provide care.&nbsp;Please take advantage of your legislators being home and highlight for them the need to protect Medicaid and access to the 24/7 services that hospitals and health systems provide.In addition, if you haven’t done so yet, there’s still time to make plans to join nearly 1,000 hospital and health system leaders for the <a href="/education-events/2025-aha-annual-membership-meeting" target="_blank" title="AHA Annual Membership Meeting">AHA’s Annual Membership Meeting</a> May 4-6 in Washington, D.C. You’ll hear directly from legislators, policymakers and thought leaders, as well as have the opportunity to go to Capitol Hill to deliver our field’s message about protecting access to care and services, providing relief from burdensome regulations and policies, and strengthening and supporting the health care workforce.We’ve seen time and time again when our field speaks with a strong and united voice, lawmakers hear us. And we get results. That unity will be more important than ever over the next few weeks and months as we stand up for patients to protect access to the care that hospitals and health systems provide in every community across America. Fri, 11 Apr 2025 08:25:31 -0500 Perspective