Advocacy & Public Policy

Advocacy & Public Policy / en Tue, 29 Apr 2025 18:54:37 -0500 Mon, 28 Apr 25 15:04:37 -0500 2024 Costs of Caring /guidesreports/2025-04-28-2024-costs-caring <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><h2>Introduction</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Figure-1-Labor-constitutes-largest-percentage-of-hospital-expenses.png" data-entity-uuid="d6c1793f-d4c3-44ea-8ba5-d1f15b6518e2" data-entity-type="file" alt="Figure 1. Labor constitutes largest percentage of hospital expenses. Labor: 60% ($839 Billion); Supplies: 13% ($181 Billion); Drugs: 8% ($115 Billion); Other: 19% ($269 Billion). Note: Average expenses estimated by Strata Decision Technology median 2023 values across all hospital spending. Labor is inclusive of purchased services and professional fees." width="718" height="752" id="figure1" class="align-right">Hospitals and health systems have been at the forefront of a major transformation while at a crossroads of increasing demand for higher acuity care and deepening financial instability. Persistent workforce shortages, severe fractures in the supply chain for drugs and supplies, and high levels of inflation have collectively fueled hospitals’ costs as they care for patients 24/7 (see <a href="#figure1">Figure 1</a>). At the same time, hospitals’ costs have been met with inadequate increases in reimbursement by government payers and increasing administrative burden due to inappropriate commercial health insurer practices.Taken together, these issues have created an environment of financial uncertainty where many hospitals and health systems are operating with little to no margin. While recent data suggest that some hospital and health system finances have experienced modest stabilization from historic lows in 2022, the hospital field is still far from where it needs to be to meet the demand for care, invest in new and promising technologies and interventions, and stand ready for the next health care crisis.<img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Figure-2-Inflation-growth-was-more-than-double-the-growth-in-IPPS-reimbursement-2021-2023.png" data-entity-uuid="90ce5355-e63a-4187-bfae-5a641d891486" data-entity-type="file" alt="Figure 2. Inflation growth was more than double the growth in IPPS reimbursement, 2021–2023. Inflation: 12.4%; IPPS Increases: 5.2%. Note: Inflation calculated using annual average CPI-U between 2021 and 2023 from BLS. IPPS increase from FY2020–2023 market basket increases net of other adjustments." width="385" height="705" id="figure2" class="align-left">Fresh off a historically challenging year financially in 2022 in which over half of hospitals closed out the year operating at a loss, many hospitals spent much of 2023 simply struggling to break even.<a href="#fn1">1</a> Economy-wide inflation grew by 12.4% between 2021 and 2023 – more than two times faster than Medicare reimbursement for hospital inpatient care (see <a href="#figure2">Figure 2</a>).Since the start of 2022, the number of days cash on hand for hospitals and health systems has declined by 28.3%, according to data from Strata Decision Technology, which provides data and cloud-based financial planning, decision support and performance analytics solutions.<a href="#fn2">2</a>Diverting dollars from their reserves to maintain access to care has required tradeoffs that have limited many hospitals and health systems from investing in updated infrastructure, new medical technology and equipment, and other clinical needs — particularly among those hospitals in severe financial distress.<a href="#fn3">3</a>,<a href="#fn4">4</a> For example, the average age of capital investments for medical equipment and infrastructure, after years of remaining relatively flat, increased by 7.1% for all hospitals in 2023, according to data from Strata Decision Technology. While the constraints and burdens of increasing plant age present serious challenges to hospitals and health systems in their own right, the inability to make needed capital investments has contributed to bond rating agencies issuing rating downgrades, making it harder for some hospitals and health systems to borrow money.<a href="#fn5">5</a> Ongoing reimbursement challenges, made worse by crises like the recent Change Healthcare cyberattack, and increased operating costs create an unsustainable financial environment.<a href="#fn6">6</a> While these challenges alone could cripple any organization, hospitals and health systems continue to face additional threats from ongoing Medicaid redeterminations increasing uncompensated care<a href="#fn7">7</a>, regulatory changes that add operational burden, cyberattacks that threaten the health care infrastructure and potential legislation that would further cut Medicare payments to hospitals.This report provides a snapshot of the current cost realities facing hospitals and health systems and how they impact their ability to care for patients and communities.<h2>1. Costs of Providing Essential Services</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Figure-3-Cumulative-Medicaid-and-Medicare-underpayments.png" data-entity-uuid="1846fd31-a865-4fcb-8de7-b4ca6bf1b3f2" data-entity-type="file" alt="Figure 3. Cumulative Medicaid and Medicare underpayments. 2013 to 2017: -$375 Billion; 2018 to 2022: -$522 Billion. Note: AHA Annual Survey 2013 to 2022 all dollars inflation adjusted to 2022 values using CPI-U from the BLS." width="620" height="672" id="figure3" class="align-right">Hospitals often play the critical — and sometimes only — role in providing access to essential health care services, such as emergency care and behavioral health, which are necessary for the health and well-being of the communities they serve. Further, oftentimes these are services that are not offered by other types of health care providers. In 2022, the most recent year for which data are available, hospitals admitted nearly 137 million patients in emergency departments and delivered over 3.5 million babies.<a href="#fn8">8</a> Many of these essential services are extremely resource intensive and costly to offer. Further compounding this issue are demographic trends such as an aging population and clinical factors such as higher patient acuity. This has driven a steady rise in the share of inpatient utilization among more clinically complex patients covered by Medicare and Medicaid.<a href="#fn9">9</a> Not only are inpatient services costlier to provide, but public payer payments for these services fall well below costs. In fact, underpayments from Medicare and Medicaid totaled nearly $130 billion in 2022, and Medicare paid just 82 cents for every dollar hospitals spent caring for patients — resulting in a shortfall of almost $100 billion.<a href="#fn10">10</a> Troublingly, cumulative underpayments in the second half of the last decade totaled more than half a trillion dollars — a nearly 40% increase compared to the first half even after adjusting for inflation (see <a href="#figure3">Figure 3</a>).However, the reimbursement challenges do not end with Medicare and Medicaid Reimbursement for some services consistently fall below costs across all payer types. For example, payments for inpatient behavioral health services were 34.3% below costs across all payers on average in 2023, according to data from Strata Decision Technology (see <a href="#figure4">Figure 4</a>). This is especially concerning given the increased utilization of behavioral health services over the last few years.<img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Figure-4-Hospital-payments-do-not-cover-the-costs-of-providing-vital-patient-services-20240612.png" data-entity-uuid="96ed5e28-677a-4ba0-8659-407033fe0a56" data-entity-type="file" alt="Figure 4. Hospital payments do not cover the costs of providing vital inpatient services. Average margin on services: Behavioral Health -34.3%; Nephrology -34.1%; Burns and Wounds -24.1%; Pulmonology -19.4%; Infectious Disease -15.3%. Note: AHA analysis of 2023 average service line payment and cost across all payers from Strata Decision Technology. Does not include supplemental payments from Medicaid." width="1565" height="623" id="figure4">In the outpatient setting, average payments for costly burn and wound services were 42.9% below costs across all payers (see <a href="#figure5">Figure 5</a>). These shortfalls have been especially acute for government payers like Medicare. For example, average Medicare margins for behavioral health services were -38.9% in 2023.<img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Figure-5-Hospital-payments-also-fail-to-cover-the-costs-of-providing-essential-outpatient-services.png" data-entity-uuid="a43ea45f-a309-46a9-9acc-fb54b385b5b2" data-entity-type="file" alt="Figure 5. Hospital payments also fail to cover the costs of providing essential outpatient services. Average margin on services: Burns and wounds -42.9%; Nephrology -32.3%; Behavioral Health -31.7%; Pulmonology -17.5%; Infectious Disease -12.1%. Note: AHA analysis of 2023 average service line payment and cost across all payers from Strata Decision Technology. Does not include supplemental payments from Medicaid." width="1558" height="616" id="figure5">Taken together, these data highlight the challenges that hospitals and health systems face in providing essential services that communities need. This is particularly true for hospitals in rural areas, where the financial challenges can be even more severe.<h2>2. Hospital Administrative Expenses</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Figure-6-Premiums-grew-twice-as-fast-as-hospital-prices-in-2023.png" data-entity-uuid="d158d191-431b-4548-aebc-57269df046dc" data-entity-type="file" alt="Figure 6. Premiums grew twice as fast as hospital prices in 2023. Health Insurance Premiums: 6.7%; Hospital Prices: 2.6%. Note: Health insurance premiums represent premiums for a family of four, from KFF Employer Health Benefits Survey, 2023. Hospital Prices: BLS, annual average Producer Price index for hospitals." width="607" height="790" id="figure6" class="align-right">Some commercial health insurer practices increase hospital costs and delay care to patientsHospitals have seen significant growth in administrative costs due to inappropriate practices by certain commercial health insurers, including Medicare Advantage (MA) and Medicaid managed care plans. In addition to increasing premiums, which grew twice as fast as hospital prices in 2023, commercial health insurers have overburdened hospitals with time-consuming and labor-intensive practices like automatic claims denials and onerous prior authorization requirements (see <a href="#figure6">Figure 6</a>).<a href="#fn11">11</a>A 2021 study by McKinsey estimated that hospitals spent $10 billion annually on dealing with insurer prior authorizations.<a href="#fn12">12</a> Additionally, a 2023 study by Premier found that hospitals are spending just under $20 billion annually in appealing denials — more than half which was wasted on claims that should have been paid out at the time of submission.<a href="#fn13">13</a> Denials issued by commercial MA plans rose sharply by 55.7% in 2023.<a href="#fn14">14</a> Notably, many of these denials were ultimately overturned, consistent with a study by the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) that found 75% of care denials were subsequently overturned.<a href="#fn15">15</a> These denials are particularly concerning because they often occur for medically necessary care, which can result in direct patient harm. In fact, a recent HHS OIG report found that nearly one in five MA denials met Medicare coverage rules, which meant that had they been paid via Medicare fee-for-service, they would have been paid without denial.<a href="#fn16">16</a> Even when denials are ultimately overturned, hospitals are not paid for the costs incurred to navigate that burdensome and resource-intensive process. Making matters worse, MA plans paid hospitals less than 90% of Medicare rates despite costing taxpayers more than traditional Medicare in 2023.<a href="#fn17">17</a>,<a href="#fn18">18</a> Although partly a function of lower rates, the worsening administrative overload is simply costing hospitals more and more.Though these issues are often felt most acutely with MA and Medicaid managed care plans, it also is true for other commercial payers, where claims denials increased by 20.2% in 2023. Moreover, the time taken by commercial payers to process and pay hospital claims from the date of submission increased by 19.7% in 2023, according to data from the Vitality Index. For hospitals and health systems, these practices result in billions of dollars in lost revenue each year, which require hospitals to divert dollars away from patient care to instead focus on seeking payment from commercial insurers.<a href="#fn19">19</a> Without further intervention, these trends are expected to continue and worsen. National expenditures on the administrative costs of private health insurance spending alone are projected to account for 7% of total health care spending between 2022 and 2031 and are projected to grow faster than expenditures for hospital care.<a href="#fn20">20</a><h3>Other expenses</h3>Hospitals also are spending more on things that are not direct patient care services but are still critical to delivering care and maintaining operations. For example, the costs associated with implementing, maintaining and upgrading information management systems and overall technology infrastructure, while critical to improving efficiency and quality of care, typically represent significant investments.Additionally, given the confidential nature of patient data in these systems, hospitals have increasingly become targets for cyberattacks. As a result, the costs of defending against these attacks and protecting patient data has grown steadily.<a href="#fn21">21</a> Health care data breaches are by far the costliest of any other sector.<a href="#fn22">22</a> As cyberattacks and data breaches in health care have grown and regulators are requiring more robust protections, hospitals and health systems are finding themselves increasingly trying to invest in cybersecurity.<a href="#fn23">23</a> Protecting against cyberattacks and other vulnerabilities is important to patient care, but is increasingly costly. In 2022, hospitals spent nearly $30 billion on property and medical liability insurance, according to data from Lightcast.<h2>3. Hospital Drug Expenses</h2>An area of persistent cost pressure for hospitals and health systems has been the rapid and sustained growth in drug expenses. Hospitals spent $115 billion on drug expenses in 2023 alone. One of the factors fueling this growth is drug company decisions to impose large price increases on existing drugs. However, 2023 also saw a continuation of a long-standing trend of drug companies introducing new drugs at record prices. In 2023, the median annual list price for a new drug was $300,000, an increase of 35% from the prior year (see <a href="#figure7">Figure 7</a>).<a href="#fn24">24</a> A recent report by the HHS Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) found that between 2022 and 2023, prices for nearly 2,000 drugs increased faster than the rate of general inflation, with an average price hike of 15.2%.<a href="#fn25">25</a><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Figure-7-Annual-List-Prices-of-Novel-Drugs-Launched-in-2023.png" data-entity-uuid="b88a70d2-300e-48d9-90f9-e3fbe3b80e83" data-entity-type="file" alt="Figure 7. Annual List Prices of Novel Drugs Launched in 2023*. Elevidys: $3,200,000; Roctavian: $2,900,000; Veopoz: $1,799,980; Altuviiio: $970,000; Pombiliti: $650,000; Talvey: $360,000; Orserdu: $280,526; Adzynma: $245,000; Zynyz: $170,880; Filspari: $129,965; Velsipity: $74,000; Leqembi: $26,000. Median price of new drug: $300,000. Median household: $74,580. Average price of a new car: $48,759. Source: Annual list prices of novel drugs launched in 2023 are from a Reuters survey of new drug costs. Median household income is from 2022 Census Bureau data. Average price of new care is from Kelly Blue Book new-vehicle transaction price in December 2023." width="1563" height="771" id="figure7"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Figure-8-Increase-in-drug-shortages-and-drug-prices-2022-2023.png" data-entity-uuid="e6973989-b4db-4b1f-a2ac-dd8b512598d6" data-entity-type="file" alt="Figure 8. Increase in drug shortages and drug prices, 2022–2023. 2022: Drug Shortages 8.0%; Drug Prices 11.5%. 2023: Drug Shortages: 13.0%; Drug Prices 15.2%. Note: Drug shortage data from Utah Drug Information System; Drug price data from ASPE." width="607" height="691" id="figure8" class="align-right">While high drug prices alone pose significant challenges for hospitals and health systems, it is compounded by the fact that many of these same drugs are in shortage. In fact, 2023 saw the most drug shortages in over a decade; there were an average of 301 drugs in shortage per quarter, an increase of 13.0% from the previous year (see <a href="#figure8">Figure 8</a>). These shortages added as much as 20% to hospital drug budgets, according to data from the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP). These shortages can occur for many reasons, including fractured global supply chains lack of available raw materials, and decisions by drug companies that lack incentives to produce low-margin generic medications.<a href="#fn26">26</a> An ASHP survey found that more than 99% of hospital and health system pharmacists experienced drug shortages in 2023, with 85% of respondents describing the severity of drug shortages as critically or moderately impactful.<a href="#fn27">27</a> While generic drugs comprised the majority of medications in shortage, estimated to make up as much as 83% of shortages, many of these drugs also were used to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases.<a href="#fn28">28</a>Hospital pharmacy staff have limited options for navigating drug shortages. They can purchase the drug by going outside their traditional suppliers and group purchasing agreements, access alternate concentrations or package sizes of the drugs than what is needed or purchase a substitute drug with the same clinical indication. However, all three of these options mean hospitals pay higher prices to acquire the drugs. An ASPE report found up to a 16.6% increase in the prices of drugs in shortage; in many cases, the increase in the price of substitute drugs were at least three times higher than the price increase of the drug in shortage.<a href="#fn29">29</a> The costs incurred as a result of drug shortages are compounded by staff overtime needed to find, procure and administer alternative drugs, to manage the added challenges of multiple medication dispensing automation systems and changing electronic health records (EHRs), and to undergo training to ensure medication safety using alternative therapies.<a href="#fn30">30</a><h2>4. Hospital Supply Costs</h2><div class="row"><div class="col-md-5">Having adequate and up-to-date medical supplies, devices and equipment are necessary for hospitals to deliver high quality care to patients. These can include artificial joints used to treat patients with conditions such as arthritis, robotic surgery machines used to perform laparoscopic surgical procedures, and complex imaging machinery used for clinical diagnostics. Most of these items are expensive to acquire and maintain and rely on increasingly volatile global supply chains. Comprising approximately 10.5% of the average hospital’s budget, medical supply expenses collectively accounted for $146.9 billion in 2023, an increase of $6.6 billion over 2022, according to data from Strata Decision Technology. As technology and science are constantly evolving, hospitals routinely need to purchase new supplies, devices and equipment that meet clinical care standards and ensure high quality care.The upfront costs for critical equipment and device upgrades come at a significant cost (<a href="#table1">Table 1</a>). For example, the advanced technology of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) machines, which have allowed doctors to develop a deeper understanding of cardiac pathologies and has led to improved diagnostics, costs hospitals on average $3.2 million. For some hospitals that have high demand for cardiac services, they may need to purchase multiple cMRI machines. The additional costs for ongoing maintenance, upgrades and staff training also add to the total costs hospitals must incur to deliver their patients with the high quality care.</div><div class="col-md-7"> table, th, td { border: 1px solid; } th { background-color: #69b3e733; } } <table id="table1"><tbody><tr><td><h3>Table 1. Medical Device and Equipment Market Prices</h3></td></tr><tr><td>Cutting-edge innovation and technologies provide hospitals with the means to enhance patient outcome in their continuous commitment to delivering top-tier patient care. The featured equipment is intricately connected to advancements in diagnostics, heightened success rates in cardiovascular surgery, and more effective joint replacement procedures.</td></tr></tbody></table><table><thead><tr><th>Medical Devices and Equipment</th><th>Average List Price</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td colspan="2">Point of Care ultrasound devices</td></tr><tr><td>Pocket-sized handheld or tablet-based</td><td>$8,143</td></tr><tr><td>Compact ultrasound systems*</td><td>$73,797</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">Cardiovascular diagnostic and surgical equipment</td></tr><tr><td>Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) machine</td><td>$3,230,728</td></tr><tr><td>Cardiopulmonary bypass system</td><td>$325,442</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">Joint implant proprietary software and equipment</td></tr><tr><td>Image based planning software</td><td>$222,132</td></tr><tr><td>Navigation software system (guide surgeons in real-time)</td><td>$135,365</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">*Larger than handheld devices, but still portable. May have more advanced features.Note: Market prices of medical devices and equipment are courtesy of ECRI, an independent not-for-profit corporation that provides a wide range of services dealing with health care technology.</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><h2>5. Hospital Labor Costs</h2>Hospitals’ labor costs increased by more than $42.5 billion between 2021 and 2023 to a total of $839 billion, accounting for nearly 60% of the average hospital’s expenses. Hospitals continue to turn to expensive contract labor to fill gaps and maintain access to care, spending approximately $51.1 billion on contracted staff in 2023.<img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Figure-9-Growth-in-Total-Hospital-Employee-Compensation-Far-Outpaces-Inflation.png" data-entity-uuid="5fa4709d-12e9-47f3-af06-07ac3b0937b6" data-entity-type="file" alt="Figure 9. Growth in Total Hospital Employee Compensation Far Outpaces Inflation. 2014 to 2023: Inflation 28.7%; Hospital Employee Compensation 45.0%. Note: BLS Annual average Employee Cost Index, 2014 to 2023 for hospitals and CPI-U, 2014 to 2023." width="522" height="592" id="figure9" class="align-right">Though expenditures on contract labor have moderated since pandemic highs, the spending remains elevated and has added to the financial challenges hospitals and health systems face. This is especially true for smaller, rural hospitals where the local workforce pool is smaller and it can be more difficult to recruit staff. Hospitals’ labor costs also can be very sensitive to sudden fluctuations in the demand and supply of labor. Growth in wages and benefits of hospital employees has vastly surpassed economy-wide inflation over the last decade (see <a href="#figure9">Figure 9</a>).Yet, critical labor shortages persist, especially in the face of growing burnout among clinicians. Employee burnout hastened by the pandemic and further exacerbated by commercial insurer administrative burden and increase in violence against hospital employees, led to an unprecedented exodus of health care professionals in recent years.<a href="#fn31">31</a> Resignations per month among health care workers grew 50% between 2020 and 2023, according to data from McKinsey.<a href="#fn32">32</a> Additionally, hospitals have been forced to contend with record high turnover rates — fueling additional expenses for hospitals looking to recruit new workers.<a href="#fn33">33</a>Consequently, hospitals and health systems have invested more to attract and retain talent. Data from Lightcast indicates that advertised wage rates across all hospital jobs jumped by 10.1% during 2023. With a growing gap between supply and demand for health care workers over the next decade, labor costs will likely continue to be an issue for hospitals.<h2>A Look Ahead to the Rest of 2024</h2>Though 2024 is the first full year out of the most recent public health emergency period, hospitals and health systems continue to face many challenges. Credit ratings agencies have painted a bleak picture for the hospital sector in 2024.<a href="#fn34">34</a> According to the S&amp;P, negative outlooks for not-for-profit hospitals are proportionally at their highest in over a decade, affecting 24% of the sector.<a href="#fn35">35</a> Similarly, Fitch reported a credit downgrade-to-upgrade ratio of 3:1 — alarmingly close to the ratio seen during the 2008 financial crisis — calling it a “make or break” year and highlighting the sector’s struggles, particularly among smaller hospitals with annual revenues under $500 million.<a href="#fn36">36</a> While it is expected that hospitals and health systems will continue to face cost increases for labor, drugs, and medical supplies, there are additional headwinds to consider which include:<ul><li>Coverage losses due to Medicaid redeterminations: More than 19 million Medicaid enrollees have been disenrolled through 2023.<a href="#fn37">37</a> Though partially offset by record Marketplace enrollment and possible enrollment in employer-sponsored coverage, this has still resulted in a steady increase in uncompensated care costs throughout 2023 and will likely continue into 2024 – particularly for states that have not expanded Medicaid.<a href="#fn38">38</a></li><li>Potential legislative actions to cut hospital Medicare payments for patient care: Congress is considering several bills that would impose additional payment reductions to services provided in hospital outpatient departments. These proposals, referred to as “siteneutral” payment cuts, would exacerbate financial challenges for hospitals and threaten patients’ access to quality care.</li><li>Cybersecurity risks impact providers and patient care: The cyberattack on Change Healthcare in February 2024 has underscored the extensive repercussions such incidents can have on patient care and hospital operations. The disruptions stemming from that cyberattack have significantly hindered revenue cycle management, pharmacy services, select health care technologies, clinical authorizations, and more across multiple health systems, serving as an example of how an attack can reverberate across the entire health care sector when a business that provides numerous mission-critical services is compromised.<a href="#fn39">39</a></li><li>Ongoing and escalating hospital violence: There has been a significant uptick in violence against health care workers in recent years.<a href="#fn40">40</a> To address this issue, hospitals are making significant investments in violence prevention and preparedness efforts to support their employees.</li></ul><h2>Conclusion</h2>America’s hospitals and health systems are dedicated to providing high-quality 24/7 care to all patients in every community across the country. While the commitment to caring and advancing health never wavers, hospitals continue to face significant challenges making it difficult to ensure the care is always there.The AHA continues to urge Congress and the Administration to support policies to make sure hospitals and health systems have the resources they need to continue providing 24/7 care to all patients and communities. These include:<ul><li>Rejecting Medicare and Medicaid cuts to hospital care, including harmful site-neutral proposals and forthcoming reductions to Medicaid Disproportionate Share hospitals.</li><li>Supporting and strengthening the health care workforce.</li><li>Protecting the 340B Drug Pricing Program from any harmful changes and reining in the increasing costs of drugs.</li><li>Taking actions to hold commercial insurers accountable for practices that delay, deny and disrupt care.</li><li>Bolstering support to enhance cybersecurity of hospitals and the entire health care system.</li></ul><hr><h2>End Notes</h2><ol><li id="fn1"><a href="www.kaufmanhall.com/news/2022-worst-financial-year-hospitals-and-health-systems-start-pandemic" target="_blank">www.kaufmanhall.com/news/2022-worst-financial-year-hospitals-and-health-systems-start-pandemic</a></li><li id="fn2"><a href="https://www.syntellis.com/sites/default/files/2023-11/aha_q2_2023_v2.pdf" target="_blank">www.syntellis.com/sites/default/files/2023-11/aha_q2_2023_v2.pdf</a></li><li id="fn3"><a href="https://fortune.com/well/2024/01/11/rural-hospitals-are-caught-in-an-aging-infrastructure-conundrum/" target="_blank">fortune.com/well/2024/01/11/rural-hospitals-are-caught-in-an-aging-infrastructure-conundrum/</a></li><li id="fn4"><a href="/guidesreports/2023-04-19-essential-role-financial-reserves-not-profit-healthcare" target="_blank">www.aha.org/guidesreports/2023-04-19-essential-role-financial-reserves-not-profit-healthcare</a></li><li id="fn5"><a href="https://www.modernhealthcare.com/finance/hospital-2023-credit-rating-downgrade-fitch-ratings-sp-global-moodys" target="_blank">www.modernhealthcare.com/finance/hospital-2023-credit-rating-downgrade-fitch-ratings-sp-global-moodys</a></li><li id="fn6"><a href="/cybersecurity/change-healthcare-cyberattack-updates" target="_blank">www.aha.org/cybersecurity/change-healthcare-cyberattack-updates</a></li><li id="fn7"><a href="/news/blog/2023-09-20-unwise-dsh-cuts-combined-rise-uncompensated-care-due-medicaid-redeterminations-coverage-losses-further" target="_blank">www.aha.org/news/blog/2023-09-20-unwise-dsh-cuts-combined-rise-uncompensated-care-due-medicaid-redeterminations-coverage-losses-further</a></li><li id="fn8">AHA analysis of 2022 Annual Survey data.</li><li id="fn9"><a href="https://www.trillianthealth.com/insights/the-compass/the-total-available-market-of-commercially-insured-patients-is-shrinking" target="_blank">www.trillianthealth.com/insights/the-compass/the-total-available-market-of-commercially-insured-patients-is-shrinking</a></li><li id="fn10"><a href="/news/headline/2024-01-10-aha-infographic-medicare-underpayments-hospitals-nearly-100-billion-2022#:~:text=AHA%20infographic%3A%20Medicare%20underpayments%20to%20hospitals%20nearly%20%24100%20billion%20in%202022,-Jan%2010%2C%202024&amp;text=Medicare%20paid%20hospitals%20a%20record,negative%20Medicare%20margins%20that%20year." target="_blank">www.aha.org/news/headline/2024-01-10-aha-infographic-medicare-underpayments-hospitals-nearly-100-billion-2022#:~:text=AHA%20infographic% 3A%20Medicare%20underpayments%20to%20hospitals%20nearly%20%24100%20billion%20in%202022,-Jan%2010%2C%202024&amp;text=Medicare%20 paid%20hospitals%20a%20record,negative%20Medicare%20margins%20that%20year.</a></li><li id="fn11"><a href="https://www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/health-insurance-cost-increase-5b35ead7" target="_blank">www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/health-insurance-cost-increase-5b35ead7</a></li><li id="fn12"><a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/industries/healthcare%20systems%20and%20services/our%20insights/administrative%20simplification%20how%20to%20save%20a%20quarter%20trillion%20dollars%20in%20us%20healthcare/administrative-simplification-how-to-save-a-quarter-trillion-dollars-in-us-healthcare.pdf?shouldIndex=false" target="_blank">www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/industries/healthcare%20systems%20and%20services/our%20insights/administrative%20simplification%20 how%20to%20save%20a%20quarter%20trillion%20dollars%20in%20us%20healthcare/administrative-simplification-how-to-save-a-quarter-trillion-dollars- in-us-healthcare.pdf?shouldIndex=false</a></li><li id="fn13"><a href="https://premierinc.com/newsroom/blog/trend-alert-private-payers-retain-profits-by-refusing-or-delaying-legitimate-medical-claims" target="_blank">premierinc.com/newsroom/blog/trend-alert-private-payers-retain-profits-by-refusing-or-delaying-legitimate-medical-claims</a></li><li id="fn14"><a href="https://www.syntellis.com/sites/default/files/2023-11/aha_q2_2023_v2.pdf">www.syntellis.com/sites/default/files/2023-11/aha_q2_2023_v2.pdf</a></li><li id="fn15"><a href="https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/OEI-09-19-00350.pdf" target="_blank">oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/OEI-09-19-00350.pdf</a></li><li id="fn16"><a href="https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/OEI-09-18-00260.pdf" target="_blank">oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/OEI-09-18-00260.pdf</a></li><li id="fn17"><a href="https://www.ensemblehp.com/blog/the-real-cost-of-medicare-advantage-plan-success/" target="_blank">www.ensemblehp.com/blog/the-real-cost-of-medicare-advantage-plan-success/</a></li><li id="fn18"><a href="https://www.medpac.gov/wp-content/uploads/import_data/scrape_files/docs/default-source/reports/mar21_medpac_report_to_the_congress_sec.pdf#page=401" target="_blank">www.medpac.gov/wp-content/uploads/import_data/scrape_files/docs/default-source/reports/mar21_medpac_report_to_the_congress_sec.pdf#page=401</a></li><li id="fn19"><a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/prior-authorization/health-systems-plagued-payer-takeback-schemes-110000#:~:- text=authorization’s financial impact-,Prior authorization’s financial impact,an increase of 67%.”" target="_blank">www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/prior-authorization/health-systems-plagued-payer-takeback-schemes-110000#:~:- text=authorization’s%20 financial%20impact-,Prior%20authorization’s%20financial%20impact,an%20increase%20of%2067%25.%E2%80%9D</a></li><li id="fn20">AHA analysis of NHE projections of 2022-2031 expenditures.</li><li id="fn21"><a href="https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/healthcare-ransomware-costs-comparitech-77-billion/698044/" target="_blank">www.healthcaredive.com/news/healthcare-ransomware-costs-comparitech-77-billion/698044/</a></li><li id="fn22"><a href="https://intraprisehealth.com/the-cost-of-cyberattacks-in-healthcare/" target="_blank">intraprisehealth.com/the-cost-of-cyberattacks-in-healthcare/</a></li><li id="fn23"><a href="https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/cisos-face-budgetary-pressures-burnout-during-global-recession" target="_blank">www.healthcareitnews.com/news/cisos-face-budgetary-pressures-burnout-during-global-recession</a></li><li id="fn24"><a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/prices-new-us-drugs-rose-35-2023-more-than-previous-year-2024-02- 23/?utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_medium=news_tab" target="_blank">www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/prices-new-us-drugs-rose-35-2023-more-than-previous-year-2024-02- 23/?utm_source=facebook&amp; utm_medium=news_tab</a></li><li id="fn25"><a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/changes-list-prices-prescription-drugs" target="_blank">aspe.hhs.gov/reports/changes-list-prices-prescription-drugs</a></li><li id="fn26"><a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/131130/download?attachment" target="_blank">www.fda.gov/media/131130/download?attachment</a></li><li id="fn27"><a href="https://news.ashp.org/-/media/assets/drug-shortages/docs/ASHP-2023-Drug-Shortages-Survey-Report.pdf" target="_blank">news.ashp.org/-/media/assets/drug-shortages/docs/ASHP-2023-Drug-Shortages-Survey-Report.pdf</a></li><li id="fn28"><a href="https://www.iqvia.com/insights/the-iqvia-institute/reports-and-publications/reports/drug-shortages-in-the-us-2023?utm_campaign=2023_ Drug_Shortages_Report_INSTITUTE_IS&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=Eloqua" target="_blank">www.iqvia.com/insights/the-iqvia-institute/reports-and-publications/reports/drug-shortages-in-the-us-2023?utm_campaign=2023_ Drug_Shortages_Report_ INSTITUTE_IS&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=Eloqua</a></li><li id="fn29"><a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/drug-shortages-impacts-consumer-costs" target="_blank">aspe.hhs.gov/reports/drug-shortages-impacts-consumer-costs</a></li><li id="fn30"><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13181-023-00950-6#:~:text=Shortages%20compromise%20or%20delay%20medical,morbidity%20%5B1%2C%202%5D." target="_blank">link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13181-023-00950-6#:~:text=Shortages%20compromise%20or%20delay%20medical,morbidity%20%5B1%2C%202%5D.</a></li><li id="fn31"><a href="/system/files/media/file/2023/06/fact-sheet-examining-the-real-factors-driving-physician-practice-acquisition.pdf" target="_blank">www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2023/06/fact-sheet-examining-the-real-factors-driving-physician-practice-acquisition.pdf</a></li><li id="fn32"><a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare/our-insights/how-health-systems-and-educators-can-work-to-close-the-talent-gap" target="_blank">www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare/our-insights/how-health-systems-and-educators-can-work-to-close-the-talent-gap</a></li><li id="fn33"><a href="https://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/rn-turnover-healthcare-rise" target="_blank">www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/rn-turnover-healthcare-rise</a></li><li id="fn34"><a href="https://on24static.akamaized.net/event/44/67/84/2/rt/1/documents/resourceList1709062595167/ushealthcaresectorcreditbeat227241709062595167.pdf" target="_blank">on24static.akamaized.net/event/44/67/84/2/rt/1/documents/resourceList1709062595167/ushealthcaresectorcreditbeat227241709062595167.pdf</a></li><li id="fn35"><a href="https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/research/articles/231206-historical-peak-of-negative-outlooks-signals-challenges-remain-for-u-s-not- for-profit-acute-health-care-provi-12927513" target="_blank">www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/research/articles/231206-historical-peak-of-negative-outlooks-signals-challenges-remain-for-u-s-not- for-profit-acutehealth- care-provi-12927513</a></li><li id="fn36"><a href="https://www.fitchratings.com/research/us-public-finance/us-not-for-profit-hospitals-health-systems-outlook-2024-05-12-2023" target="_blank">www.fitchratings.com/research/us-public-finance/us-not-for-profit-hospitals-health-systems-outlook-2024-05-12-2023</a></li><li id="fn37"><a href="https://www.kff.org/report-section/medicaid-enrollment-and-unwinding-tracker-overview/" target="_blank">ww.kff.org/report-section/medicaid-enrollment-and-unwinding-tracker-overview/</a></li><li id="fn38"><a href="/news/blog/2023-09-20-unwise-dsh-cuts-combined-rise-uncompensated-care-due-medicaid-redeterminations-coverage-losses-further" target="_blank">www.aha.org/news/blog/2023-09-20-unwise-dsh-cuts-combined-rise-uncompensated-care-due-medicaid-redeterminations-coverage-losses-further</a></li><li id="fn39"><a href="/2024-02-24-update-unitedhealth-groups-change-healthcares-continued-cyberattack-impacting-health-care-providers" target="_blank">www.aha.org/2024-02-24-update-unitedhealth-groups-change-healthcares-continued-cyberattack-impacting-health-care-providers</a></li><li id="fn40"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/hospitals-workplace-violence-shootings-aa6918569ff8f76ff8a15b9813e31686" target="_blank">apnews.com/article/hospitals-workplace-violence-shootings-aa6918569ff8f76ff8a15b9813e31686</a></li></ol></div><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/05/Americas-Hospitals-and-Health-Systems-Continue-to-Face-Escalating-Operational-Costs-and-Economic-Pressures.pdf" target="_blank" title="Click here to download Costs of Caring 2024: America’s Hospitals and Health Systems Continue to Face Escalating Operational Costs and Economic Pressures as They Care for Patients and Communities report PDF."><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Page-1-Americas-Hospitals-and-Health-Systems-Continue-to-Face-Escalating-Operational-Costs-and-Economic-Pressures.png" data-entity-uuid="4315111b-85e5-46dd-9949-8bb4ee5e6246" data-entity-type="file" alt="Costs of Caring 2024: America’s Hospitals and Health Systems Continue to Face Escalating Operational Costs and Economic Pressures as They Care for Patients and Communities page 1." width="695" height="900"></a><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/guidesreports/2024-09-10-skyrocketing-hospital-administrative-costs-burdensome-commercial-insurer-policies-are-impacting" target="_blank">View the Skyrocketing Hospital Administrative Costs, Burdensome Commercial Insurer Policies Are Impacting Patient Care Report</a></div><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/guidesreports/2024-05-01-2023-costs-caring" target="_blank">View the 2023 Costs of Caring Report</a></div><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/guidesreports/2023-04-20-2022-costs-caring" target="_blank">View the 2022 Costs of Caring Report</a></div><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/guidesreports/2021-10-25-2021-cost-caring" target="_blank">View the 2021 Costs of Caring Report</a></div></div></div></div> Mon, 28 Apr 2025 15:04:37 -0500 Advocacy & Public Policy 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 Advocacy & Public Policy Chair File: Resources for Navigating Transformation and Change /news/chairpersons-file/2025-04-14-resources-navigating-transformation-and-change This is an incredibly dynamic and transformative time for health care. One resource I have found incredibly helpful in speaking with many of you and engaging in strategic discussions are the <a href="/type/fact-sheets" target="_blank" title="Key Issues Fact Sheets">fact sheets</a> provided by the AHA. These concise, simple documents offer a wealth of information around key issues, what the AHA is doing and why, and how you can engage with these efforts.There are likely to be substantial changes in health care policy during the new administration, and these fact sheets are great tools for advocating with your legislators and understanding the implications on the financial sustainability of our hospitals and health systems. Topics include enhanced premium tax credits, Medicaid, site-neutral payments, 340B drug pricing and more.The AHA is focused on addressing these challenges head on with Congress, the administration, regulatory bodies and the courts to shape policy that advances our long-term viability and efforts to provide quality patient care. Our&nbsp;<a href="/advocacy-agenda" target="_blank" title="2025 Advocacy Agenda">2025 Advocacy Agenda</a> is focused on:<ul><li>Ensuring access to care.</li><li>Strengthening the health care workforce.</li><li>Advancing quality and health care system resiliency.</li><li>Leading innovation in care delivery.</li><li>Reducing health care system costs for patient care.</li></ul>We will be talking about these key advocacy priorities and pressing issues facing our field at the&nbsp;<a href="https://annualmeeting.aha.org/" target="_blank" title="AHA Annual Membership Meeting">AHA Annual Membership Meeting</a> May 4-6 in Washington, D.C. I hope to connect with many of you there as we engage in insightful conversations with policymakers, legislators and thought leaders.Each of us has influence to use on behalf of our patients, caregivers and communities, and every vote matters. Together as a field, we have the power to make a difference. 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.Helping You Help Communities: Key AHA Resources<ul><li><a href="/type/fact-sheets" target="_blank" title="AHA Fact Sheets">AHA Fact Sheets</a></li><li><a href="/advocacy-agenda" target="_blank" title="2025 Advocacy Agenda">2025 Advocacy Agenda</a></li><li><a href="/advocacy-issues" target="_blank" title="Advocacy Issues and Resources">Advocacy Issues and Resources</a>&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://annualmeeting.aha.org/" target="_blank" title="AHA Annual Membership Meeting Webpage">2025 AHA Annual Membership Meeting</a></li></ul> Mon, 14 Apr 2025 11:14:43 -0500 Advocacy & Public Policy Senate Unveils Amendment to House Budget Resolution with Vote Expected This Week <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8">Senate Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., April 2 released the <a href="https://www.budget.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/senate_amendment_h_con_res_14.pdf?mkt_tok=NzEwLVpMTC02NTEAAAGZl8RTAeR77E_lSejQRLXuYl1AOsKjOdJI0nU2PMfXA8wXmmXVYF7CcZk5tv11NHb3ujccKHrsSVucOEOWX58ycMOSAOS21R7ZAFkGPAKzprtG7Q" target="_blank">Senate's amendment</a> to the House budget resolution for fiscal year 2025. This marks the next step toward reaching a common budget resolution that will allow Congress to move forward with the <a href="/issue-landing-page/2025-02-07-budget-reconciliation-process-resource-page" target="_blank">reconciliation process</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;The amendment is drafted to provide flexibility to Senate and House Committees when they begin drafting their individual bills. As is customary, the budget resolution does not provide details on potential cuts to Medicaid or Medicare, as well as the extension of the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (EPTCs).<h2>Key Highlights of the Budget Resolution</h2>Debt Ceiling: The resolution includes instructions to allow Congress to increase the debt limit. The House Ways &amp; Means Committee instruction is $4 trillion, and the Senate Finance Committee’s is $5 trillion.Tax Policy:&nbsp;The resolution assumes a budget mechanism called “current policy baseline” to set up a pathway toward making the tax cuts within the Tax Cuts &amp; Jobs Act (TCJA) permanent.Preserves House Instructions:<ul><li>The House Ways &amp; Means Committee is instructed to increase deficits by not more than $4.5 trillion (TCJA extension).</li><li>The House Energy and Commerce Committee is instructed to reduce deficits by not less than $880 billion. The Energy and Commerce Committee has primary jurisdiction over Medicaid and other health care programs.</li><li>The resolution reflects the desire of the House-passed budget resolution to reach $2 trillion in spending cuts.</li></ul>Adds Senate Health Committee Instructions:<ul><li>The Senate Finance Committee is instructed to increase deficits by not more than $1.5 trillion (TCJA extension and other tax policy).</li><li>The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee is instructed to reduce deficits by not less than $1 billion. This is a change from the &nbsp;Senate’s original previous budget resolution. The HELP Committee has jurisdiction over measures relating to education, labor, health and public welfare.</li></ul>Deadline for Committees: The budget resolution gives Senate and House committees a May 9 deadline to report legislation, but this is not a binding deadline.<h2>Next Steps</h2>The Senate is expected to begin consideration of the budget resolution as soon as tonight. We anticipate the Senate to potentially work into the weekend processing amendments prior to a final vote. Health-related amendments are expected, particularly around Medicaid and EPTCs. We will be monitoring these developments.If the revised resolution passes the Senate, it will move to the House for consideration next week. Congressional leaders hope to complete work on the budget resolution before leaving for their two-week April recess (April 14-25).Once both chambers have passed the budget resolution, committees that have received instructions in the budget resolution will begin drafting the reconciliation bill.<h2>AHA Take</h2>As the Senate and House forge ahead on the fiscal year 2025 budget resolution and reconciliation process, the AHA continues to urge Congress to take seriously the impact of reductions in health care programs, particularly Medicaid. We ask Congress to construct a path forward that protects Medicaid and patients from harmful cuts that would impact access to care for millions of Americans. The AHA will continue to keep the field updated on the latest developments and action needed.<h2>Resources on Protecting Medicaid, Other Health Programs</h2>The AHA continues to develop and share resources with hospitals and health systems on the importance of protecting Medicaid and other health programs. Please visit our&nbsp;<a href="/advocacy/action-center" target="_blank">Action Center</a> for a host of resources on key advocacy issues. In addition, the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare, of which the AHA is a founding member, continues to run advertising, share digital resources and engage in grassroots activity on the importance of protecting Medicaid. See the Coalition&nbsp;<a href="https://strengthenhealthcare.org/" target="_blank">website</a> for the latest advertising and resources.<h2>Further Questions</h2>If you have further questions, please contact Rachel Jenkins, AHA senior associate director of federal relations, at <a href="mailto:rjenkins@aha.org">rjenkins@aha.org</a>.&nbsp;</div><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/system/files/media/file/2025/04/senate-unveils-amendment-to-house-budget-resolution-with-vote-expected-this-week-bulletin-4-3-2025.pdf"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/cover-senate-unveils-amendment-to-house-budget-resolution-with-vote-expected-this-week-bulletin-4-3-2025.png" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Special Bulletin Cover Image" width="640" height="833"></a></div></div></div> Thu, 03 Apr 2025 16:02:35 -0500 Advocacy & Public Policy Trump Administration Unveils New Tariff Plan <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8">The White House April 2 issued an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/regulating-imports-with-a-reciprocal-tariff-to-rectify-trade-practices-that-contribute-to-large-and-persistent-annual-united-states-goods-trade-deficits/" target="_blank" title="April 2nd Executive Order">executive order</a> implementing a comprehensive new tariff plan. The plan imposes a 10% universal tariff on imported goods from all countries beginning April 5, and reciprocal tariffs on certain countries&nbsp;with which the U.S. has&nbsp;high trade deficits beginning April 9. Additional information can be found in the White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/04/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-declares-national-emergency-to-increase-our-competitive-edge-protect-our-sovereignty-and-strengthen-our-national-and-economic-security/" target="_blank" title="White House Taffif Fact sheet">fact sheet</a>.With a stated purpose of addressing “large and persistent annual U.S. goods trade deficits” driven by “the absence of reciprocity in [U.S.] trade relationships,” the executive order declares a national emergency under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977. The tariff plan includes three key components:<ul><li>Universal tariff. Beginning April 5, the administration will impose a 10% universal tariff on the value of goods imported from all countries.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Country-specific universal tariffs. Starting April 9, the administration will levy reciprocal tariffs on countries with which the U.S. has significant trade deficits. <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Annex-I.pdf" target="_blank" title="List of country specific reciprocal tariff rtates">Annex I</a> of the executive order includes the list of country-specific reciprocal tariff rates; the rates in the table reflect the inclusion of the 10% universal tariff.</li><li>Modification authority.&nbsp;The executive order enables the administration to increase reciprocal tariff rates on those countries that implement retaliatory measures. The administration could also decrease the rates for countries that “take significant steps to remedy non-reciprocal trading arrangements and align with the United States on economic and national security matters.”</li></ul>The tariffs will remain in effect until the president “determines that the threat posed by the trade deficit and underlying nonreciprocal treatment is satisfied, resolved, or mitigated.”The executive order <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Annex-II.pdf" target="_blank" title="Goods exempt from reciproca tariffs">exempts</a> some goods from reciprocal tariffs, including pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, copper, steel/aluminum articles, and energy and certain other minerals that are not available in the United States, but does not exempt them from the universal 10% tariff. In addition, the administration’s previously announced tariff <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/02/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-imposes-tariffs-on-imports-from-canada-mexico-and-china/" target="_blank" title="tariff plans for Canada and Mexico">plans</a> for Canada and Mexico are not affected by this executive order.In a <a href="/system/files/media/file/2025/02/AHA-Urges-Administration-to-Grant-Exceptions-for-Tariffs-for-Medications-and-Medical-Supplies.pdf" target="_blank" title="AHA letter to the Administration Feb. 4">letter to the administration</a> Feb. 4, the AHA expressed concern that the administration’s use of tariffs may “inadvertently put others’ lives at risk by jeopardizing the availability of vital medications and essential health care devices.” The AHA went on to request exceptions for medical devices, pharmaceuticals and products already in short supply.The AHA continues to review the details of the tariff plan to assess its impacts on our members and will work with the administration on ensuring the availability of the drugs, devices and supplies that hospitals and health systems need to serve their communities.<h2>AHA Take</h2>AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack said in a statement, “In America’s hospitals and health systems, the dedication and skill of our care teams come together each day with a vast array of medicines, devices and other supplies to deliver the best care possible. The lives of our patients often depend on the ready availability of things ranging from blood pressure cuffs and surgical instruments to life-saving cancer drugs and antibiotics. The well-being and safety of our caregivers also depend on protective equipment like masks, gloves and respirators.“Last night, the administration released an executive order implementing a comprehensive new tariff plan. We share the Trump administration’s goal of strengthening domestic supply chains for these essential medical products. At the same time, patient care often depends on the availability of internationally sourced devices and treatments. We appreciate that the administration has exempted pharmaceuticals from reciprocal tariffs. However, we strongly urge the administration to consider tariff exemptions for medical devices. It is especially critical to have exceptions for medical products already in shortage and for which production in countries subject to the increased tariffs supplies a significant part of the U.S. market.“The AHA continues to review the details of the tariff plan to assess its impacts on hospitals and health systems. We stand ready to work with the administration and all stakeholders on ensuring the availability of the drugs, devices and supplies that hospitals and health systems need to serve their communities.”<h2>Additional Information on Executive Actions</h2>As the Trump administration continues to issue executive orders and administrative actions on many issues, the AHA is compiling them in its <a href="http://www.aha.org/eotracker" target="_blank" title="AHA tracker of executive actions.">tracker</a> of actions for hospitals and health systems. The tracker will be updated regularly as new actions are released.<h2>Further Questions</h2>If you have further questions, please contact the AHA at 800-424-4301.</div><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/system/files/media/file/2025/04/trump-administration-unveils-new-tariff-plan-advisory-4-3-2025.pdf"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/cover-image-trump-administration-unveils-new-tariff-plan-advisory-4-3-2025.png" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Member Advisory: Trump Administration Unveils New Tariff Plan PDF" width="NaN" height="NaN"></a></div></div></div> Thu, 03 Apr 2025 15:58:36 -0500 Advocacy & Public Policy Leadership Dialogue Series: The Importance of Advocacy and Storytelling in Rural Health /advancing-health-podcast/2025-03-31-leadership-dialogue-series-importance-advocacy-and-storytelling-rural-health In this Leadership Dialogue conversation, Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of Corewell Health and 2025 AHA board chair, talks with Lori Wightman, R.N., CEO of Bothwell Regional Health Center, about the challenges that rural hospitals and health systems face, including razor-thin operating margins and workforce staffing, before pivoting to discuss the importance of advocacy in telling the hospital story.<hr><div></div><div class="raw-html-embed"><details class="transcript"> <summary> <h2 title="Click here to open/close the transcript."> View Transcript </h2> </summary> 00:00:01:05 - 00:00:23:09 Tom Haederle Welcome to Advancing Health. In the face of today's multiple challenges, every hospital needs support and buy in for its mission of great care. Storytelling - sharing the right kinds of stories with the right audience at the right time - is a great way to build and maintain that support. This is particularly important for rural hospitals and health systems, most of which have razor-thin operating margins. 00:00:23:12 - 00:00:40:10 Tom Haederle In this month's Leadership Dialogue, hosted by the �� Association's 2025 Board Chair Tina Freese Decker, we hear more about the importance of advocacy and of all team members participating in telling the hospital story. 00:00:40:13 - 00:01:07:25 Tina Freese Decker Thank you so much for joining us today. I'm Tina Freese Decker, president CEO for Corewell Health, and I'm also the board chair for the �� Association. Last month we talked about trust and how our hospitals and our health systems can strengthen that trust with our communities and the people that we serve. Our rural hospitals are uniquely positioned to do this, as they are often the largest employers in their towns and communities, and frequently the only local source of care. 00:01:07:27 - 00:01:28:07 Tina Freese Decker Rural health care is about being a family. We take care of each other in our communities as best as possible, and we're here to provide that care close to home, no matter what headwinds that we all face. I recently had the opportunity to attend the �� Association's Rural Conference and you could really feel that sense of family and community in the room. 00:01:28:09 - 00:01:59:15 Tina Freese Decker We work in hospitals in red states and blue states all across the country, but we are all focused on the same thing: helping our neighbors in our communities to be healthier. There are some big challenges that are facing real health care, but together with a unified voice, we can get what we need. As I have traveled around our country meeting with the �� Association's regional policy boards and visiting the rural hospitals and my health system and others, the number one concern that I have heard from our hospitals, our communities, is access. 00:01:59:18 - 00:02:22:28 Tina Freese Decker And that is why it is so integral to the �� Association strategy and it is why it is so important that we come together as a field and that we're united as a field, because these challenges that we are facing are real. So today, I am pleased to have a distinguished leader in rural health care with us to talk about how we can all work together to advocate for the needs of our hospitals. 00:02:23:01 - 00:02:45:09 Tina Freese Decker I'd like to welcome Lori Wightman. She is the CEO of Bothwell Regional Health Center, a 108 bed acute care hospital in Sedalia, Missouri. Laura has served in this role since 2019, but even prior to Bothwell, she worked in real health care as the president of Mercy Hospital Ada in Ada, Oklahoma. So, Lori, welcome. Glad you were able to join us today. 00:02:45:15 - 00:02:46:17 Lori Wightman, R.N. Thank you, Tina. 00:02:46:19 - 00:03:03:20 Tina Freese Decker And I wanted to start out with just telling us a little bit about yourself. I know you started your health care career as a nurse and then you made the shift to administration. Can you tell us about yourself and how you see that family aspect in the hospital and the community in our rural areas? 00:03:03:22 - 00:03:30:01 Lori Wightman, R.N. Sure. Well, my father was a hospital administrator and my mother was a nurse, so I did both. And so it was a natural progression. And I think the foundation that nursing lays gives you all kinds of transferable skills that have been very helpful as I went into hospital administration. My career and dating advice has always been, you can't go wrong with a nurse. 00:03:30:03 - 00:03:57:14 Lori Wightman, R.N. And there's certainly served me well. And you talk about that family atmosphere. That is why I continue to choose rural health care. I've done the CEO position in a suburban hospital, and I sat at our senior leadership team meeting and thinking I was the only one on our senior leadership team that even lived in the area that we served. 00:03:57:17 - 00:04:23:24 Lori Wightman, R.N. Everyone else lived in a different suburb, and I just thought that was strange and disconnected. And, so I returned again then to rural health care because it is like a family. And it's ironic because we just finished revisiting our mission, vision and values. And our new mission statement talks about together we work to provide compassionate and safe care to family, friends, and neighbors. 00:04:23:27 - 00:04:37:07 Lori Wightman, R.N. Invariably, when I met new employee orientation, a significant number of people were born at the hospital. That's why I love rural. It's like that "Cheers" phenomenon where everyone knows your name. 00:04:37:09 - 00:05:01:02 Tina Freese Decker Very true. I used to lead a couple of rural hospitals as well. And like you said, even just walking into a rural hospital it feels like family where everyone there knows your name and of course, protect things from a confidentiality and a privacy perspective, but that feeling that we're all in this together. So I love that your mission statement is about together, that you can make an impact on people's health. 00:05:01:05 - 00:05:13:28 Tina Freese Decker I described a little bit about what it's like to walk into a rural hospital. Can you share a little bit about what is like to be a rural hospital, what it means in today's environment and why it's such a great place to work? 00:05:14:01 - 00:05:47:06 Lori Wightman, R.N. Well, in many ways, rural hospitals are uniquely the same as our suburban or urban counterparts. Forty six million people depend on a rural hospital for their care. So we struggle with the same labor shortages, the cost of labor supplies and drugs is rising faster than our reimbursement. We have all of those same struggles. Unique is that family atmosphere, I think. 00:05:47:06 - 00:06:13:26 Lori Wightman, R.N. And we have multiple generations working at the hospital. Now, you can't say anything bad about anyone because invariably they're somehow related. Or they were best friends in high school, or they used to be married to each other. So I mean, it's unique in that way. We have the same types of struggles that &nbsp;our counterparts do. 00:06:13:28 - 00:06:18:03 Tina Freese Decker What pressures are you feeling the most acutely right now? 00:06:18:06 - 00:06:47:09 Lori Wightman, R.N. Well, you take all of those common challenges that I talked about, and you turn up the volume a little bit. Because for us, 78% of our patients and our volume is governmental payers, so 78% of our business, we're getting reimbursed below cost. You can't make that up in volume. So we rely on all of the governmental programs, you know, disproportionate share all of those things. 00:06:47:09 - 00:06:54:22 Lori Wightman, R.N. And, 340B is doing exactly for us what it was designed to do, save rural hospitals. 00:06:54:25 - 00:07:11:22 Tina Freese Decker Those areas are critical that they remain. And so that we can continue to provide that sustainable, high quality care in our communities and all of our communities. 78% being governmental. It's a huge portion of what we do and what we rely on for access and caring for people. 00:07:11:29 - 00:07:23:15 Lori Wightman, R.N. Right. We are the typical rural hospital. We have razor-thin margins and aging plant of 18 years. 00:07:23:18 - 00:07:31:10 Tina Freese Decker So those are challenges that you're trying to navigate right now with all of the other things that happen. And how is your staffing levels going? Are those going okay? 00:07:31:13 - 00:07:55:12 Lori Wightman, R.N. Have the same labor shortage issues. We still have 22 traveling nurses here, but we have started being very aggressive in a grow your own program. And so as soon as the next month we're going to cut that number in half and then, within six months, we're hoping to have all of contract staff out. 00:07:55:15 - 00:08:02:04 Tina Freese Decker Is that something that you're most proud of, or is there something else that you want to share that you're most proud of from a rural hospital perspective? 00:08:02:06 - 00:08:29:24 Lori Wightman, R.N. I think what I'm most proud of is you get to personally view the impact of your decisions on people. I'm very proud of our all the talented people that we have here, from clinicians to community health workers. All of our physicians get to use all of the things they learned in medical school and residency, because there isn't a lot of subspecialists, so they are working at the top of their license. 00:08:29:26 - 00:08:50:21 Lori Wightman, R.N. Just several months ago, one of our critical care physicians diagnosed a case of botulism. Now as an old infection control nurse I get very excited about that because I never thought in my career I would see botulism. But it was diagnosed and treated here and the person's doing well. 00:08:50:23 - 00:09:25:27 Tina Freese Decker Oh, that's wonderful to hear. When you talk about all the different people that are part of health care in rural settings, or also another settings, it's quite amazing to see how many different areas we need to come together to take care of our community. When you think about an even larger scale, from rural hospitals to urban and teaching hospitals and others, how do you think about the whole ecosystem of our field and how we, you know, do we need all of us or and is there a way to form that greater fabric and social connection, or is there something else that we should be doing? 00:09:25:29 - 00:09:50:21 Lori Wightman, R.N. We are all very interconnected and I believe we are all needed. And I especially feel that as an independent hospital, not part of a health system, this is my first independent hospital. I rely on my hospital association more than I ever did when I was working for a health system, because it all comes down to relationships. 00:09:50:21 - 00:10:18:13 Lori Wightman, R.N. And so how do you develop, how do you get yourself in situations where you are meeting and now working with your partners around the state or the region? Because it comes down to relationships, you really need to know who your neighbors are in terms of other hospitals, who you're referring your patients to and develop that working relationship because it is all interconnected. 00:10:18:13 - 00:10:25:06 Lori Wightman, R.N. And we rely on our partners that we refer to, and they rely on us, too. 00:10:25:08 - 00:10:43:23 Tina Freese Decker One of the things I heard you say about the Rural Health Conference that the �� Association just put on, and the value of the �� Association is that we're not alone. And those values of relationships are really critical. So I appreciate that. The �� Association also talks a lot about how do we tell the hospital story. 00:10:43:25 - 00:10:55:15 Tina Freese Decker So how do you engage in advocacy to make sure we're telling that hospital story so that our legislative leaders and others know the value that we're bringing to the community? 00:10:55:17 - 00:11:22:11 Lori Wightman, R.N. Well, we are surrounded by stories. And so the first thing is to always be picking up on what is the story that is surrounding us, and how can we capture that? Because the most effective way is to bring that patient or nurse or physician to the legislator to testify, because they are the most effective way of communicating a message. 00:11:22:18 - 00:11:49:07 Lori Wightman, R.N. You know, the suits can go and talk about data, but nothing is more effective than what I call a real person telling their story and how a decision or a potential decision is going to impact them and how it feels. The other thing we do is every October, it's become tradition. We have Advocacy Day with our board, at our board meeting. 00:11:49:09 - 00:12:21:12 Lori Wightman, R.N. We invite our state elected officials &nbsp;- so people representing us at the state capitol - to come to our board meetings. On election years their challengers also come and I invite the hospital association and they all answer two questions: What do you hope to accomplish in the next legislative session, and what do you think might get in the way? That sets the scene for my board to understand that part of their role in governance is advocacy. 00:12:21:14 - 00:12:29:19 Lori Wightman, R.N. And so I've had two of my board members...almost every legislative session I go and testify on on some bill. 00:12:29:21 - 00:12:50:01 Tina Freese Decker That is really a good idea. Thank you so much for sharing that. Do you have any other final suggestions for us as AHA members, as other hospitals, whether it's rural or urban, that we should think about or do as we think about advocacy and access or also field unity? 00:12:50:03 - 00:13:22:11 Lori Wightman, R.N. You know, having been on the board of two different state hospital associations, I get it. You know, sometimes members can be at odds with each other on a given issue. And my advice to AHA would be to play the role of convener, facilitating conversations between members to better understand each other's position. And if a middle ground can't be reached, then that might be an issue that AHA remains neutral on. 00:13:22:14 - 00:13:34:07 Lori Wightman, R.N. But there are so many issues where we can agree on and that is very much the role and what all of us depend on AHA to play in advocating. 00:13:34:09 - 00:14:02:15 Tina Freese Decker There's a lot that binds us together. Like you said, we're all caring for our neighbors and our communities, and that's the most critical piece of it. And we have to keep that front and center with every decision that we make and every action that we do. Well, Lori, thank you so much for being with us today on this AHA podcast, for sharing your expertise in rural health care and for talking about some new ideas that all of us can take forward to ensure that we're telling the hospital story in the best way possible. 00:14:02:18 - 00:14:21:09 Tina Freese Decker So while I know that we have our work ahead of us, I know that I continue to be energized every time I speak with committed and passionate hospital leaders like Lori. Again, appreciate your work that you do every single day for the neighbors and for the people in your community that you serve. We'll be back next month for another Leadership Dialogue conversation. 00:14:21:13 - 00:14:23:01 Tina Freese Decker Have a great day. 00:14:23:03 - 00:14:31:13 Tom Haederle Thanks for listening to Advancing Health. Please subscribe and rate us five stars on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. </details></div> Mon, 31 Mar 2025 01:41:00 -0500 Advocacy & Public Policy Continuing resolution moves to President Trump for signing /news/headline/2025-03-14-continuing-resolution-moves-president-trump-signing The Senate March 14 <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1968">approved</a> by a vote of 54-46, a continuing resolution to fund the government through Sept. 30. The House <a href="/news/headline/2025-03-11-house-passes-continuing-resolution-fund-government-through-september-extend-key-health-care-provisions">passed</a>, by a vote of 217-213, the bill earlier in the week. President Trump is expected to sign the measure. &nbsp; Fri, 14 Mar 2025 15:16:08 -0500 Advocacy & Public Policy White House withdraws nomination for CDC director; Senate committee advances NIH, FDA picks /news/headline/2025-03-13-white-house-withdraws-nomination-cdc-director-senate-committee-advances-nih-fda-picks The White House March 13 withdrew the nomination of former Republican congressman Dave Weldon for director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions <a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/hearings/nominations-03-13-2025" target="_blank">advanced</a> the nominations of Jay Bhattacharya for director of the National Institutes of Health and Marty Makary for commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. Both nominees will next be considered by a full Senate vote. Thu, 13 Mar 2025 14:40:45 -0500 Advocacy & Public Policy As part of AHA Advocacy Day, hospital leaders urge Congress to protect patient access to care /news/headline/2025-03-04-part-aha-advocacy-day-hospital-leaders-urge-congress-protect-patient-access-care More than 150 hospital and health system leaders March 4 participated in an AHA Advocacy Day briefing in Washington, D.C., to get the latest updates on key issues before meeting with lawmakers and their staff on Capitol Hill. During the briefing, AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack, AHA Executive Vice President Stacey Hughes and other AHA leaders discussed the latest on the budget negotiations — both to fund the federal government past March 14 and Republicans’ efforts to pass legislation implementing President Trump’s agenda through reconciliation. About 100 hospital leaders also participated in the briefing virtually.&nbsp;AHA leaders discussed the importance of urging Congress to address several health care provisions that expire at the end of March, including preventing Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payment cuts; extending enhanced low-volume adjustment and Medicare-dependent hospital programs; and extending telehealth and hospital-at-home waivers. They also provided updates and shared resources that hospital leaders could use as part of their advocacy efforts to urge lawmakers to prevent significant cuts to the Medicaid program that would jeopardize access to the 24/7 care and services that hospitals provide; reject additional so-called site-neutral payment reductions; and extend enhanced premium tax credits to ensure millions of Americans can continue to access health insurance.&nbsp;“With so much at stake in the coming weeks and months, 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,” Pollack said.&nbsp;AHA members can visit AHA’s <a href="/advocacy/action-center" title="advo homepage">website</a> for resources and tools that can assist with their advocacy efforts.&nbsp; Tue, 04 Mar 2025 15:24:47 -0600 Advocacy & Public Policy Register for March 4 AHA Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C.; New Resources to Protect Medicaid <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8">Congress continues to consider policies and proposals that would impact hospital funding for patient care. In the coming weeks, Congress must act to fund the government with the current continuing resolution set to expire on March 14 and ensure long-term stability for critical health care programs also expiring soon, including:<ul><li><a href="/system/files/media/file/2020/02/fact-sheet-medicaid-dsh-0120.pdf">Medicaid disproportionate share hospital</a> program cuts that take effect April 1.</li><li><a href="/fact-sheets/2022-08-30-fact-sheet-rural-hospital-support-act-s4009-assistance-rural-community">Enhanced low-volume adjustment and Medicare-dependent hospital</a> programs expiring April 1.</li><li><a href="/advocacy/advocacy-issues/2024-10-31-advocacy-issue-telehealth-waivers">Telehealth</a> and <a href="/fact-sheets/2024-08-06-fact-sheet-extending-hospital-home-program">hospital-at-home waivers</a> that were extended through March 31.</li></ul>At the same time, the Senate and House continue to move forward with their <a href="/issue-landing-page/2025-02-07-budget-reconciliation-process-resource-page">budget reconciliation frameworks</a>, bringing Congress closer to a full reconciliation package that would have significant implications for hospitals.Hospital and health system leaders can <a href="https://forms.office.com/r/4j1bpiayvP" target="_blank">register</a> for a March 4 AHA Advocacy Day event in Washington, D.C. AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack and other AHA leaders will provide a briefing on the current congressional landscape and share key messages that they can deliver to their representatives and senators on Capitol Hill. This event is for AHA members only.If you cannot make it to Washington, the AHA will virtually broadcast a live briefing for AHA members beginning at 10 a.m. ET. Please <a href="http://aha.windrosemedia.com/" target="_blank">register for the virtual session</a>. You must register in advance to participate in the briefing.Please see our recent <a href="/action-center">AHA Action Alert</a> for our key advocacy messages and resources that can assist you in conversations with your lawmakers.<h2>Coalition Advertising Campaign, Resources to Protect Medicaid</h2>House and Senate Republicans are attempting to use the budget reconciliation process to pass key agenda items on taxes, energy and border security, and they may look to health program funding as a way to pay for this legislation. Such proposals could significantly reduce federal spending for the Medicaid program. Even a small portion of possible reductions could have wide-ranging negative consequences for the health and well-being of both Medicaid enrollees and the broader health care system.The <a href="https://strengthenhealthcare.org/" target="_blank">Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare</a>, of which the AHA is a founding member, has launched a multimedia advertising campaign, highlighting the value of Medicaid coverage for everyday Americans. The ad campaign includes a new <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRVxw6uJ2sc" target="_blank">television commercial</a> warning of potentially devastating cuts to Medicaid and urging Congress to protect Medicaid and ensure access to care for patients. The commercial will be running on TV nationally, in Washington, D.C., and other targeted markets. The ad campaign also includes digital targeting of key elected officials as well as publications inside the Beltway and influential new media outlets.In addition to the advertising campaign, the Coalition has developed and shared digital resources that hospitals and health systems can use as part of their advocacy efforts to protect Medicaid. See the <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BRNuvabV4VqmE5lPufY2EFML5pL7wGwNxhVzs9SvitQ/edit?tab=t.0" target="_blank">Coalition resources</a> and <a href="https://strengthenhealthcare.org/" target="_blank">website</a> for more details.<h2>Further Questions</h2>For questions on the March 4 Advocacy Day, please contact Monica Day at <a href="mailto:mday@aha.org?subject=RE: March 4 Advocacy Day">mday@aha.org</a>. For questions on the Coalition advertising campaign or resources, please contact Kristina Weger, executive director of the Coalition, at <a href="mailto:kweger@aha.org?subject=RE: Coalition advertising campaign and resources">kweger@aha.org</a>.</div><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/system/files/media/file/2025/02/Special-Bulletin-Register-for-March-4-AHA-Advocacy-Day-in-Washington-DC-New-Resources-to-Protect-Medicaid.pdf" target="_blank" title="Special Bulletin: Register for March 4 AHA Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C.; New Resources to Protect Medicaid PDF"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Page-1-Special-Bulletin-Register-for-March-4-AHA-Advocacy-Day-in-Washington-DC-New-Resources-to-Protect-Medicaid.png" data-entity-uuid="7d9fa957-7044-4fe0-b941-3b27e8cbd405" data-entity-type="file" alt="Special Bulletin: Register for March 4 AHA Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C.; New Resources to Protect Medicaid PDF page 1." width="695" height="900"></a></div></div></div> Tue, 25 Feb 2025 06:00:00 -0600 Advocacy & Public Policy