/ en Sun, 15 Jun 2025 00:52:11 -0500 Wed, 28 May 25 14:49:00 -0500 /fact-sheets/2023-04-19-fact-sheet-workplace-violence-and-intimidation-and-need-federal-legislative-response <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><h2>The Issue</h2><p>For the past decade, the health care field has experienced a sharp increase in workplace violence. Several factors have imposed significant stress on the entire health care system, and in some instances, patients, visitors and family members have attacked health care staff and jeopardized our workforce’s ability to provide care. This rise in workplace violence has shown no indication of subsiding. Hospitals, health systems and providers support the enactment of a federal law that would protect health care workers from violence, just as current federal law protects airline and airport workers.</p><h2>Background</h2><p>Hospitals and health systems have long had robust protocols to detect, deter and respond to violence against their team members. However, violence against hospital employees continues to increase. </p><p>Day after day, the media reports on patients or family members assaulting hospital staff, sometimes with deadly consequences. For example, a Kentucky nurse was choked, thrown to the ground, and hit by a patient who later told police she was mad because “staff was taking too long to discharge her from the hospital.”<sup>1</sup> Last year, a Florida physician sustained a concussion, brain contusion and two broken ribs after an alleged attack by a patient’s relative.<sup>2</sup> </p><p>Data supports these news accounts. A Press Ganey survey found that on average, two nurses are assaulted every hour in the U.S., and a 2024 American College of Emergency Physicians survey found that 9 out of 10 respondents reported having been attacked or threatened in the past year. </p><p>Workplace violence has severe consequences for the entire health care system. Not only do these assaults cause physical and psychological injury for health care workers, but they make it more difficult for nurses, physicians and other clinical staff to provide quality patient care. Nurses and physicians cannot provide attentive care when they are afraid for their safety, distracted by disruptive patients and family members, or traumatized from prior violent interactions. </p><p>In addition, violent interactions at health care facilities tie up valuable resources and can delay urgently needed care for other patients. Studies show that workplace violence reduces patient satisfaction and employee productivity and increases the potential for adverse medical events.</p><h2>AHA Take</h2><p>Despite the incidence of workplace violence and its harmful effects on our health care system, no federal law protects hospital workers from workplace assault. By contrast, Congress responded to increases in violent behavior on commercial aircraft and in airports by enacting a federal law criminalizing attacks against those employees. Vigorous enforcement of these federal laws helps to create a safer traveling environment, deters violent behavior and ensures that offenders are appropriately punished. Our nation’s health care workers, who tirelessly treat patients while facing increased violence, deserve the same legal protections as airline workers. <span><strong>Congress should enact the bipartisan Save Healthcare Workers Act (H.R. 3178/S. 1600), which provides protections similar to those in current law for flight crews, flight attendants and airport workers. </strong></span></p><p>The Save Healthcare Workers Act would make it a federal crime to knowingly assault a hospital worker on the job and establish fines, imprisonment, or both for these offenses. The legislation creates an affirmative defense if the assault results from the perpetrator’s physical, mental or intellectual disability; in other words, if a patient, family member or visitor assaults a health care worker because of such a disability, that person could not be prosecuted.<br>__________<br><small class="sm"><sup>1</sup> Mike Stunson, Patient chokes nurse because her discharge was taking too long, Kentucky cops say, Lexington Herald Leader (April 28, 2025)</small><br><small class="sm"><sup>2</sup> Mariah Taylor, Florida physician injured after alleged attack by patient’s son, Becker’s Hospital Review (Oct.16, 2024)</small><br><a class="ck-anchor" id="https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/legal-regulatory-issues/florida-physician-injured-after-alleged-attack-by-patients-son/" href="https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/legal-regulatory-issues/florida-physician-injured-after-alleged-attack-by-patients-son/"><small class="sm">https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/legal-regulatory-issues/florida-physician-injured-after-alleged-attack-by-patients-son/</small></a><small class="sm"> </small></p><p> </p></div><div class="col-md-4"><p><a href="/system/files/media/file/2022/09/Fact-Sheet-Workplace-Violence-and-Intimidation-and-the-Need-for-a-Federal-Legislative-Response.pdf" target="_blank" title="Click here to download the Fact Sheet: Workplace Violence and Intimidation, and the Need for a Federal Legislative Response PDF."><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-05/cover-Fact-Sheet-Workplace-Violence-and-Intimidation-and-the-Need-for-a-Federal-Legislative-Response-r-5-28-2025.png" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Cover: Fact Sheet: Workplace Violence and Intimidation, and the Need for a Federal Legislative Response May 28, 2025" width="NaN" height="NaN"></a></p><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/system/files/media/file/2022/09/Fact-Sheet-Workplace-Violence-and-Intimidation-and-the-Need-for-a-Federal-Legislative-Response.pdf" target="_blank" title="Click here to download the Fact Sheet: Workplace Violence and Intimidation, and the Need for a Federal Legislative Response PDF.">Download the PDF</a></div></div></div></div> Wed, 28 May 2025 14:49:00 -0500 SAVE Act /lettercomment/2025-05-09-aha-supports-house-save-healthcare-workers-act-hr-3178 <p> May 8, 2025</p><table><tbody><tr><td>The Honorable Madeleine Dean<br>United States House of Representatives<br>150 Cannon House Office Building<br>Washington, DC 20515</td><td>The Honorable Mariannette Miller-Meeks<br>United States House of Representatives<br>504 Cannon House Office Building<br>Washington, DC 20515</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br>Dear Representatives Dean and Miller-Meeks</p><p>On behalf of our nearly 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, our clinical partners — including more than 270,000 affiliated physicians, 2 million nurses and other caregivers — and the 43,000 health care leaders who belong to our professional membership groups, the ���������� Association (AHA) applauds you for your leadership in introducing H.R. 3178, the Save Healthcare Workers Act. </p><p>For the past several years, health care workers across the nation have experienced a sharp increase in incidences of workplace violence, with no sign that this trend is receding. Despite the diligent efforts of hospitals and health systems to prevent violence and protect their staff, health care workers remain five times more likely than any other type of worker to be physically attacked on the job, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. </p><p>Violence in health care settings has implications beyond the injuries sustained by the dedicated health care workforce. Our member hospitals and health systems report that workplace violence and intimidation make it more difficult for clinical staff to provide quality patient care. Providers cannot deliver attentive care when they are afraid for their personal safety, distracted by disruptive patients or family members, or traumatized from prior attacks. In addition, violent attacks at health care facilities can delay urgently needed care for other patients, reduce employee productivity and increase the likelihood of adverse events. </p><p>However, despite the proliferation of workplace violence and its deleterious effects on our health care system, no federal law protects the health workforce from assault or intimidation. In contrast, federal laws criminalize assault and intimidation against aircraft and airport workers. Vigorous enforcement of these federal statutes has helped create a safer traveling environment, deter violent behavior and ensure that offenders face severe consequences for their actions.</p><p>Your bipartisan legislation, modeled after the federal statute protecting aircraft and airport workers, would make it a federal crime to assault a hospital employee, with enhanced penalties applicable to acts that involve the use of a deadly or dangerous weapon, inflict bodily injury, or are committed during an emergency declaration. Importantly, your bill would authorize a federal grant program through the Department of Justice to provide much-needed funds to hospitals to aid in violence prevention. </p><p>Ensuring a safe and secure environment for our workforce is essential to providing quality care to the patients and communities we serve. America’s hospitals and health systems are pleased to support your legislation and stand ready to work with you to ensure its passage. </p><p>Sincerely, </p><p>/s/ </p><p>Richard J. Pollack <br>President and Chief Executive Officer</p> Fri, 09 May 2025 09:54:28 -0500 SAVE Act /lettercomment/2025-05-08-aha-supports-senate-save-healthcare-workers-act-s-1600 <p>May 8, 2025</p><table><tbody><tr><td>The Honorable Cindy Hyde-Smith<br>United States Senate<br>528 Hart Senate Office Building<br>Washington, DC 20510</td><td>The Honorable Angus S. King Jr.<br>United States Senate<br>133 Hart Senate Office Building<br>Washington, DC 20510</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br>Dear Senators Hyde-Smith and King:</p><p>On behalf of our nearly 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, our clinical partners — including more than 270,000 affiliated physicians, 2 million nurses and other caregivers — and the 43,000 health care leaders who belong to our professional membership groups, the ���������� Association (AHA) applauds you for your leadership in introducing S. 1600, the Save Healthcare Workers Act. </p><p>For the past several years, health care workers across the nation have experienced a sharp increase in incidences of workplace violence, with no sign that this trend is receding. Despite the diligent efforts of hospitals and health systems to prevent violence and protect their staff, health care workers remain five times more likely than any other type of worker to be physically attacked on the job, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. </p><p>Violence in health care settings has implications beyond the injuries sustained by the dedicated health care workforce. Our member hospitals and health systems report that workplace violence and intimidation make it more difficult for clinical staff to provide quality patient care. Providers cannot deliver attentive care when they are afraid for their personal safety, distracted by disruptive patients or family members, or traumatized from prior attacks. In addition, violent attacks at health care facilities can delay urgently needed care for other patients, reduce employee productivity and increase the likelihood of adverse events. </p><p>However, despite the proliferation of workplace violence and its deleterious effects on our health care system, no federal law protects the health workforce from assault or intimidation. In contrast, federal laws criminalize assault and intimidation against aircraft and airport workers. Vigorous enforcement of these federal statutes has helped create a safer traveling environment, deter violent behavior and ensure that offenders face severe consequences for their actions.</p><p>Your bipartisan legislation, modeled after the federal statute protecting aircraft and airport workers, would make it a federal crime to assault a hospital employee, with enhanced penalties applicable to acts that involve the use of a deadly or dangerous weapon, result in serious bodily injury to the health care worker, or are committed during an emergency declaration. Your bill would also direct the Government Accountability Office to study the effect of these provisions on workplace violence in health care settings. </p><p>Ensuring a safe and secure environment for our workforce is essential to providing quality care to the patients and communities we serve. America’s hospitals and health systems are pleased to support your legislation and stand ready to work with you to ensure its passage. </p><p>Sincerely, </p><p>/s/ </p><p>Richard J. Pollack <br>President and Chief Executive Officer</p> Thu, 08 May 2025 09:36:18 -0500 SAVE Act /news/perspective/2025-04-04-protecting-health-care-workers-and-communities-violence <p>America’s hospitals and health systems are places of healing, hope and health. They strive to deliver quality care every hour of every day for everyone and do so in the safest possible environment for patients and care teams.</p><p>However, we have seen an increase in violent actions and threats against health care workers and in health care settings. Federal data shows that health care workers are five times more likely to experience workplace violence than workers overall. Just last month a social media post alleged active planning of a coordinated, multi-city terrorist attack targeting hospitals; thankfully the FBI last week said after an extensive investigation and intelligence review, they did not identify “any specific credible threat targeted against hospitals in any U.S. city.”</p><p>For nearly a decade, the <a href="/hospitals-against-violence-havhope" target="_blank" title="AHA's Hospitals Against Violence Initiative">AHA’s Hospitals Against Violence</a> initiative has shone 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 collaborates with partner organizations to develop and share many resources for hospitals to use to address community and workplace violence.</p><p>Because violence can compromise access to and delivery of care, create a difficult work environment, and impact the overall safety and quality of the health care experience,  the AHA worked with the FBI to share a <a href="/mitigating-targeted-violence-health-care-settings" target="_blank" title="Mitigating violence in health care settings resource">resource on mitigating targeted violence in health care settings</a>. Other resources include podcasts and webinars, as well as issue briefs focused on providing trauma support for hospital and health system team members and exploring how violence mitigation efforts can fit effectively into an organization’s culture of safety.</p><p>In addition, the Hospitals Against Violence initiative has shared examples from hospitals and health systems across the country of how they are addressing workplace violence using both best practices and individual solutions that can be tailored based on an organization’s size, resources and culture. Strategies 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 decreasing incidents of workplace violence by upgrading their incident reporting system, boosting prevention education and meticulously tracking data to help prevent future incidents.</p><p>While hospitals and health systems continue to enhance efforts to keep patients, caregivers and communities safe, the AHA continues to advocate for Congress to pass legislation that would provide health care workers federal protections from violence, similar to those that apply to aircraft and airport workers. The AHA spearheaded the introduction of bipartisan, bicameral legislation during the last Congress and is working to have legislation introduced in this Congress.</p><p>Violence has no place in our communities or in health care settings. 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 — advancing health for patients and communities.</p> Fri, 04 Apr 2025 08:19:44 -0500 SAVE Act <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p>Following the elections, lawmakers are returning to Washington, D.C., to tackle key funding issues, including Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payment reductions and support for rural programs. They also will consider site-neutral payment proposals, oversight of health plans, continuation of telehealth and hospital-at-home waivers, and the prevention of violence against health care workers.</p><p>Before the lame-duck session ends and the 118th Congress adjourns, it is essential that federal lawmakers understand the challenges hospitals and health systems face and what is at stake for the patients and communities they represent. With several programs facing expiration at the end of this year, quick action is needed to preserve necessary funding and support for the nation’s health care organizations.</p><p>Here are the issues AHA leaders are <a href="/2024-11-12-aha-urges-congress-act-key-priorities-lame-duck-session" target="_blank" title="Issues AHA Leaders are calling on Congress to reinforce">calling on congressional leaders</a> to reinforce. Following is an overview of the issues and what you can do to assist these advocacy efforts.</p><h2>SUPPORT MEDICAID DSH DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER</h2><p>At the beginning of the year, billions of dollars will be cut from the Medicaid DSH program, severely jeopardizing hospitals’ finances and threatening communities’ access to care. Contact your representative(s) and ask them to sign on to the bipartisan <a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/11/congress-dear-colleague-letter-to-stop-medicaid-disproportionate-share-hospital-dsh-payment-cuts-11-13-2024.pdf" target="_blank" title="House Dear Colleague Letter">House Dear Colleague letter</a> being circulated by Reps. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., and Diana DeGette, D-Colo., calling for Medicaid DSH cuts to be addressed. <a href="https://www.votervoice.net/AHA/Campaigns/118959/Respond">Click here</a> to send a message to your representatives.</p><h2><strong>LEGISLATIVE ACTION NEEDED</strong></h2><p><strong>Address the Medicaid</strong> <strong>DSH Payment Reductions. </strong>The <a href="/fact-sheets/2023-03-28-fact-sheet-medicaid-dsh-program" target="_blank" title="Medicare DSH Program Information">Medicaid DSH program</a> provides essential financial assistance to hospitals that care for our nation’s most vulnerable populations — children, impoverished, disabled and elderly. The fiscal year 2025 Medicaid DSH payment reductions are scheduled to be implemented on Jan. 1, 2025, when $8 billion in reductions take effect. The AHA calls on Congress to continue to provide relief from the Medicaid DSH cuts.</p><p><strong>Protect Rural Communities’ Access to Care.</strong> The AHA urges Congress to continue the <a href="/advocacy/advocacy-issues/2024-10-31-advocacy-issue-rural-mdh-and-lva-programs" target="_blank" title="Medicare-dependent Hospitals and Low-volume Adjustment programs">Medicare-dependent Hospitals and Low-volume Adjustment programs</a>. These programs provide rural, geographically isolated and low-volume hospitals additional financial support to ensure rural residents have access to care. These programs expire on Dec. 31, 2024. Congress should also enact a technical correction to remove barriers for Rural Emergency Hospitals to receive hospital-level reimbursement for outpatient services under Medicaid<strong>.</strong> </p><p><strong>Reject Site-neutral Payment Proposals.</strong> The AHA strongly opposes efforts to expand <a href="/advocacy/advocacy-issues/2023-09-11-advocacy-issue-site-neutral-payment-proposals" target="_blank" title="Site-neutral payment cuts information">site-neutral payment cuts</a> to include essential drug administration services furnished in off-campus hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). Current Medicare payment rates appropriately recognize that there are fundamental differences between patient care delivered in HOPDs compared to other settings. HOPDs have higher patient safety and quality standards, and, unlike other sites of care, hospitals take important additional steps to ensure drugs are prepared and administered safely for both patients and providers. </p><p>The AHA also calls on Congress to reject legislative efforts requiring each off-campus HOPD to be assigned a separate unique health identifier from its provider as a condition of payment under Medicare or group health plans. Hospitals are already required to be transparent about the location of care delivery. This requirement would be duplicative and impose unnecessary and onerous administrative burdens and costs by needlessly requiring the overhaul of current billing practices and systems.</p><p><strong>Hold Commercial Health Plans Accountable.</strong> Certain health plan practices, such as inappropriate care denials and delayed payments, threaten patient access to care. These practices also contribute to clinician burnout and add excessive administrative costs and burdens to the health care system. The AHA urges Congress to pass the<a href="/lettercomment/2024-06-12-aha-support-house-improving-seniors-timely-access-care-act" target="_blank" title="Improving seniors timely access to care"> Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act</a> (H.R. 8702/ S. 4532), bipartisan legislation supported by more than half of the members of the House and Senate. The bill would streamline the prior authorization process in the Medicare Advantage program by eliminating complexity and promoting uniformity to reduce the wide variation in prior authorization methods that frustrate both patients and providers.</p><p><strong>Extend </strong><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/05/fact-sheet-2024-telehealth-advocacy-agenda.pdf" target="_blank" title="Telehealth information"><strong>Telehealth</strong></a><strong> and </strong><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/07/Fact-Sheet-Extending-the-Hospital-at-Home-Program-20240719.pdf" target="_blank" title="Hospitals-at-home information"><strong>Hospital-at-home</strong></a><strong> Waivers.</strong> During the COVID-19 public health emergency, Congress established a series of waivers expanding access for millions of Americans and increasing convenience in caring for patients. Telehealth provides a tremendous ability to leverage geographically dispersed provider capacity to support patient demand. The AHA calls on Congress to permanently adopt telehealth waivers and expand the telehealth workforce. </p><p>The AHA also urges Congress to pass the <a href="/lettercomment/2024-05-23-aha-support-house-bill-hospital-inpatient-services-modernization-act-2024" target="_blank" title="Hospitals Inpatient Services Modernization Act">Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act</a> (H.R. 8260/S. 4350), extending the hospital-at-home waiver for five years through 2029. Congressional action will reassure hospitals and health systems that are interested in developing such programs for their communities. </p><p><strong>Prevent Reimbursement Cuts for Physicians. </strong>Congress should take action to mitigate the scheduled physician reimbursement cuts for 2025 and to continue its work on broader reform for sustainable physician payment. Physicians have dealt with over two decades of conversion factor decrements, as well as significant staffing shortages and rising inflation in recent years. The scheduled 2.8% payment reduction in the 2025 Physician Fee Schedule would result in a significant risk to patients’ access to care.</p><p><strong>Protect America’s Health Care Workers.</strong> The AHA calls on Congress to enact the <a href="/system/files/media/file/2022/09/Fact-Sheet-Workplace-Violence-and-Intimidation-and-the-Need-for-a-Federal-Legislative-Response.pdf" target="_blank" title="SAVE Act information">Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act</a> (H.R. 2584/S. 2768). This bipartisan bill would provide federal protections from workplace violence for hospital workers, similar to the protections in current law for airport and airline workers.</p><h2>FURTHER QUESTIONS</h2><p>Visit the <a href="/advocacy/action-center" target="_blank" title="AHA Action Center">AHA Action Center</a> for more resources on these issues and other priorities important to hospitals and health systems.</p><p>If you have further questions, please contact AHA at 800-424-4301.<br> </p></div><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/11/aha-asks-congressional-leadership-to-fund-hospitals-protect-health-care-workers-alert-11-13-2024.pdf"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/cover-aha-asks-congressional-leadership-to-fund-hospitals-protect-health-care-workers-alert-11-13-2024.png" data-entity-uuid="40f68d4b-dfe5-4e56-af78-6f8af97f13ca" data-entity-type="file" alt="Action Alert Cover Image" width="640" height="834"></a></div></div><p> </p></div> Wed, 13 Nov 2024 14:05:33 -0600 SAVE Act /news/headline/2024-11-12-aha-urges-congress-act-key-priorities-hospitals-end-year <p>In <a href="/2024-11-12-aha-urges-congress-act-key-priorities-lame-duck-session" target="_blank">comments</a> Nov. 12 to majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate, the AHA requested that Congress act on key priorities for hospitals and health systems before the end of 2024. AHA urged Congress to continue providing relief from Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital Payment cuts; continue the Medicare-dependent Hospitals and Low-volume Adjustment programs that expire Dec. 31; reject site-neutral payment proposals; and pass the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 8702/ S. 4532), legislation that would reduce the wide variation in prior authorization methods in the Medicare Advantage program. <br> <br>"Hospitals and health systems are experiencing significant financial pressures that challenge their ability to provide 24/7 care for the patients and communities they serve," said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack. "Increased expenses for drugs and supplies, inflation and the mounting burden due to certain commercial health insurer denial and delay practices continue to strain hospitals and health systems. At the same time, underpayments in reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid do not keep pace with these mounting costs and exacerbate the problems hospitals are having."  <br> <br>AHA also urged Congress to extend the hospital-at-home waiver for five years through 2029; mitigate scheduled physician reimbursement cuts for 2025; and pass the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees Act (H.R. 2584/S. 2768), legislation that would provide federal protections from workplace violence for hospital workers, similar to protections for airport and airline workers.</p> Tue, 12 Nov 2024 15:48:16 -0600 SAVE Act /2024-11-12-aha-urges-congress-act-key-priorities-lame-duck-session <p>November 12, 2024</p><table><tbody><tr><td>The Honorable Mike Johnson<br>Speaker<br>U.S. House of Representatives<br>Washington, DC 20515</td><td>The Honorable Hakeem Jeffries<br>Democratic Leader<br>U.S. House of Representatives<br>Washington, D.C. 20515</td></tr><tr><td>The Honorable Charles E. Schumer<br>Majority Leader<br>United States Senate<br>Washington, DC 20510</td><td>The Honorable Mitch McConnell<br>Republican Leader<br>United States Senate<br>Washington, DC 20510</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br>Dear Speaker Johnson, Leader Schumer, Leader Jeffries, and Leader McConnell:</p><p>On behalf of our nearly 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, our clinician partners — including more than 270,000 affiliated physicians, 2 million nurses and other caregivers — and the 43,000 health care leaders who belong to our professional membership groups, the ���������� Association (AHA) writes regarding the forthcoming government funding deadline.</p><p>Hospitals and health systems are experiencing significant financial pressures that challenge their ability to provide 24/7 care for the patients and communities they serve.  Increased expenses for drugs and supplies, inflation and the mounting burden due to certain commercial health insurer denial and delay practices continue to strain hospitals and health systems. At the same time, underpayments in reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid do not keep pace with these mounting costs and exacerbate the problems hospitals are having.</p><p>As Congress begins to focus on its end-of-the-year work, America’s hospitals and health systems respectfully request that you consider the following priorities.</p><p><strong>Address the Medicaid</strong> <strong>Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) Payment Reductions. </strong>The Medicaid DSH program provides essential financial assistance to hospitals that care for our nation’s most vulnerable populations — children, impoverished, disabled and elderly. The fiscal year 2025 Medicaid DSH payment reductions are scheduled to be implemented on Jan. 1, 2025, when $8 billion in reductions take effect. Congress should continue to provide relief from the Medicaid DSH cuts.</p><p><strong>Protect Rural Communities’ Access to Care.</strong> We urge Congress to continue the Medicare-dependent Hospitals and Low-volume Adjustment programs. These programs provide rural, geographically isolated and low-volume hospitals additional financial support to ensure rural residents have access to care. These programs expire on Dec. 31, 2024. Congress should also enact a technical correction to remove barriers for Rural Emergency Hospitals to receive hospital level reimbursement for outpatient services under Medicaid<strong>.</strong></p><p><strong>Reject Site-neutral Payment Proposals.</strong> We strongly oppose efforts to expand site-neutral payment cuts to include essential drug administration services furnished in off-campus hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). Current Medicare payment rates appropriately recognize that there are fundamental differences between patient care delivered in HOPDs compared to other settings. HOPDs have higher patient safety and quality standards, and, unlike other sites of care, hospitals take important additional steps to ensure drugs are prepared and administered in a safe manner for both patients and providers.</p><p>HOPDs provide care for Medicare patients who are more likely to be sicker and more medically complex than those treated at physicians’ offices. This is especially true in rural and other medically underserved communities. Additional cuts will directly impact the level of care and services available to vulnerable patients in these communities.</p><p>We also call on Congress to reject legislative efforts requiring each off-campus HOPD to be assigned a separate unique health identifier from its provider as a condition of payment under Medicare or group health plans. Hospitals are already required to be transparent about the location of care delivery. This requirement would be duplicative and impose unnecessary and onerous administrative burdens and costs by needlessly requiring the overhaul of current billing practices and systems.</p><p><strong>Hold Commercial Health Plans Accountable.</strong> Certain health plan practices, such as inappropriate care denials and delayed payments, threaten patient access to care. These practices also contribute to clinician burnout and add excessive administrative costs and burdens to the health care system. We urge Congress to pass the Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 8702/ S. 4532), bipartisan legislation supported by more than half of the members of the House and Senate. The bill would streamline the prior authorization process in the Medicare Advantage program by eliminating complexity and promoting uniformity to reduce the wide variation in prior authorization methods that frustrate both patients and providers.</p><p><strong>Extend Telehealth and Hospital-at-home Waivers.</strong> During the public health emergency, Congress established a series of waivers expanding access for millions of Americans and increasing convenience in caring for patients. Telehealth provides a tremendous ability to leverage geographically dispersed provider capacity to support patient demand. Congress should permanently adopt telehealth waivers and expand the telehealth workforce.</p><p>Hospital-at-home programs are a safe, innovative way to care for patients in the comfort of their homes. With over 300 hospitals with hospital-at-home programs, many other hospitals and health systems indicate they are interested in developing programs for their communities but are reluctant to do so without congressional action. We urge Congress to pass the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act (H.R. 8260/S. 4350), extending the hospital-at-home waiver for five years through 2029.</p><p><strong>Prevent Reimbursement Cuts for Physicians. </strong>Congress should take action to mitigate the scheduled physician reimbursement cuts for 2025 and to continue its work on broader reform for sustainable physician payment. Physicians have dealt with over two decades of conversion factor decrements, as well as significant staffing shortages and rising inflation in recent years. The scheduled 2.8% payment reduction in the 2025 Physician Fee Schedule would result in a significant risk to patients’ access to care.</p><p><strong>Protect America’s Health Care Workers.</strong> Congress should enact the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act (H.R. 2584/S. 2768). This bipartisan bill would provide federal protections from workplace violence for hospital workers, similar to the protections in current law for airport and airline workers.</p><p>We appreciate your leadership and look forward to working together to ensure patients continue to have access to quality care in their communities.</p><p>Sincerely,</p><p>/s/</p><p>Richard J. Pollack<br>President & Chief Executive Officer</p> Tue, 12 Nov 2024 14:38:12 -0600 SAVE Act /advocacy/advocacy-issues/2024-10-31-advocacy-issue-save-act <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p>For the past several years, the health care field has experienced a sharp increase in workplace violence. The COVID-19 pandemic placed significant stress on the entire health care system, and in some situations, patients, visitors and family members have attacked health care staff and jeopardized our workforce’s ability to provide care. Five years after the pandemic began, this rise in workplace violence has shown no indication of subsiding. Hospitals, health systems and their staff support enactment of a federal law that would protect health care workers from violence and intimidation, just as current federal law protects airline and airport workers.</p><h2><span>AHA Position</span></h2><p>Despite the incidence of workplace violence and its harmful effects on our health care system, no federal law protects health care employees from workplace assault or intimidation. By contrast, there are federal laws criminalizing assault and intimidation against airline employees; vigorous enforcement of these federal laws creates a safe traveling environment, deters violent behavior and ensures that offenders are appropriately punished. Our nation’s health care workers who have tirelessly helped care for and treat the sick and dying while facing increased violence deserve the same legal protections as airline workers. Congress should enact the bipartisan Save Healthcare Workers Act (SAVE) (<a href="/lettercomment/2025-05-09-aha-supports-house-save-healthcare-workers-act-hr-3178">H.R. 3178</a>/<a href="/lettercomment/2025-05-08-aha-supports-senate-save-healthcare-workers-act-s-1600">S. 1600</a>), which provides protections similar to those for flight crews, flight attendants and airport workers.</p><h2><span>Key Resources</span></h2><ul><li><a href="/fact-sheets/2023-04-19-fact-sheet-workplace-violence-and-intimidation-and-need-federal-legislative-response">Fact Sheet: Workplace Violence and Intimidation, and the Need for a Federal Legislative Response</a></li><li><a href="/costsofviolence">Report: The Burden of Violence on U.S. Hospitals</a></li><li><a href="/infographics/2024-02-07-infographic-save-health-care-workers-workplace-violence">Infographic: Save Health Care Workers from Workplace Violence</a></li></ul></div><div class="col-md-4"><p><div class="views-element-container"> <section class="top-level-view js-view-dom-id-91f5be7f650abdfbd5c1c546aa3015ea9432c2269b30539ec1c541dc81851200 resource-block"> <h3>Latest SAVE Act Advocacy and News</h3> <div class="resource-wrapper"> <div class="resource-view"> <div class="article views-row"> <div class="views-field views-field-field-access-level"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="meta custom-lock-position"> <div class="views-field-access-level access-type-public" data-toggle="tooltip" data-placement="bottom" title="Members only"><a href="/taxonomy/term/278" hreflang="en">Public</a></div> </div></div> </div><div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="/fact-sheets/2023-04-19-fact-sheet-workplace-violence-and-intimidation-and-need-federal-legislative-response" hreflang="en">Fact Sheet: Workplace Violence and Intimidation, and the Need for a Federal Legislative Response</a></span> </div><div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content"><time datetime="2025-05-28T14:49:00-05:00">May 28, 2025</time> </span> </div></div> <div class="article views-row"> <div class="views-field views-field-field-access-level"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="meta custom-lock-position"> <div class="views-field-access-level access-type-public" data-toggle="tooltip" data-placement="bottom" title="Members only"><a href="/taxonomy/term/278" hreflang="en">Public</a></div> </div></div> </div><div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="/lettercomment/2025-05-09-aha-supports-house-save-healthcare-workers-act-hr-3178" hreflang="en">AHA Supports House Save Healthcare Workers Act (H.R. 3178)</a></span> </div><div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content"><time datetime="2025-05-09T09:54:28-05:00">May 9, 2025</time> </span> </div></div> <div class="article views-row"> <div class="views-field views-field-field-access-level"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="meta custom-lock-position"> <div class="views-field-access-level access-type-public" data-toggle="tooltip" data-placement="bottom" title="Members only"><a href="/taxonomy/term/278" hreflang="en">Public</a></div> </div></div> </div><div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="/lettercomment/2025-05-08-aha-supports-senate-save-healthcare-workers-act-s-1600" hreflang="en">AHA Supports Senate Save Healthcare Workers Act (S. 1600) </a></span> </div><div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content"><time datetime="2025-05-08T09:36:18-05:00">May 8, 2025</time> </span> </div></div> <div class="article views-row"> <div class="views-field views-field-field-access-level"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="meta custom-lock-position"> <div class="views-field-access-level access-type-public" data-toggle="tooltip" data-placement="bottom" title="Members only"><a href="/taxonomy/term/278" hreflang="en">Public</a></div> </div></div> </div><div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="/news/perspective/2025-04-04-protecting-health-care-workers-and-communities-violence" hreflang="en">Protecting Health Care Workers and Communities from Violence </a></span> </div><div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content"><time datetime="2025-04-04T08:19:44-05:00">Apr 4, 2025</time> </span> </div></div> <div class="article views-row"> <div class="views-field views-field-field-access-level"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="meta custom-lock-position"> <div class="views-field-access-level access-type-member" data-toggle="tooltip" data-placement="bottom" title="Members only"><a href="/taxonomy/term/279" hreflang="en">Member</a></div> </div></div> </div><div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="/action-alert/2024-11-13-aha-asks-congressional-leadership-fund-hospitals-protect-health-care-workers" hreflang="en">AHA Asks Congressional Leadership to Fund Hospitals, Protect Health Care Workers</a></span> </div><div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content"><time datetime="2024-11-13T14:05:33-06:00">Nov 13, 2024</time> </span> </div></div> </div> </div> <div class="more-link"><a href="/topics/save-act">More on the SAVE Act</a></div> </section> </div> </p></div></div></div>.meta.custom-lock-position { position: relative; top: 0px; right: inherit; display: block; float: right; } Thu, 31 Oct 2024 08:21:40 -0500 SAVE Act /special-bulletin/2024-10-22-aha-partners-fbi-mitigating-targeted-violence-health-care-settings <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p>The AHA in partnership with the FBI today released a new resource and webpage on mitigating targeted violence in health care settings.</p><p>Targeted violence in health care refers to intentional and harmful acts in which care teams, patients and health care facilities are specifically singled out. Such acts of violence can take many forms, including physical assaults, verbal threats, harassment, and even large-scale attacks. Targeted violence compromises access and delivery of care, creates difficult work environments, and impacts the overall safety and quality of health care delivery.</p><p>To assist in addressing these concerns, the AHA partnered with the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit to promote violence prevention strategies and address the escalating threats and acts of targeted violence against health care facilities and the workforce.</p><p>Through this partnership, the AHA will offer a full suite of resources for hospitals and health systems to implement threat assessment and threat management principles or enhance their existing efforts.</p><p><strong>The first resource is an </strong><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/10/mitigating-targeted-violence-in-health-care-setting-2-pager.pdf" target="_blank" title="Issue Brief"><strong>issue brief</strong></a><strong> examining threat assessment and threat management and steps to take should one identify a potential threat. We also have a new dedicated webpage, </strong><a href="/mitigating-targeted-violence-health-care-settings" target="_blank" title="Mitigating Targeted Violence in Health Care Settings"><strong>Mitigating Targeted Violence in Health Care Settings</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p><p>On the webpage, you also can access these resources from AHA’s Hospitals Against Violence and the FBI:</p><ul><li><a href="/system/files/media/file/2023/04/Building-a-Safe-Workplace-and-Community-Mitigating-the-Risk-of-Violence.pdf" target="_blank" title="Issue Brief: Mitigating the Risk of Violence">Issue Brief: Mitigating the Risk of Violence</a></li><li><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/10/fbi-making-prevention-a-reality-report_0.pdf" target="_blank" title="• FBI Resource: Making Prevention a Reality: Identifying, Assessing, and Managing the Threat of Targeted Attacks ">FBI Resource: Making Prevention a Reality: Identifying, Assessing, and Managing the Threat of Targeted Attacks</a></li><li><a href="/advancing-health-podcast/2023-09-20-fbi-violence-prevention-strategies-assess-and-manage-threats-against-health-care" target="_blank" title="• AHA Podcast: FBI Violence Prevention Strategies to Assess and Manage Threats Against Health Care ">AHA Podcast: FBI Violence Prevention Strategies to Assess and Manage Threats Against Health Care</a></li></ul><p>Watch for additional resources from the AHA and FBI, including a resource guide for hospitals and health systems developed with input from AHA members, case studies and podcasts.</p><h2>FURTHER QUESTIONS</h2><p>If you have further questions, please contact AHA at 800-424-4301 or email <a href="mailto:HospitalsAgainstViolence@aha.org" target="_blank" title="Hospitals Against Violence Email">HospitalsAgainstViolence@aha.org</a>.</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/10/aha-partners-with-the-fbi-on-mitigating-targeted-violence-in-health-care-settings-bulletin-10-22-2024.pdf"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/cover-aha-partners-with-the-fbi-on-mitigating-targeted-violence-in-health-care-settings-bulletin-10-22-2024.png" data-entity-uuid="5d199958-0e14-4758-b706-16326e5dd19b" data-entity-type="file" alt="Cover Special Bulletin" width="665" height="866"></a></div></div></div> Tue, 22 Oct 2024 15:36:38 -0500 SAVE Act <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p>Lawmakers have returned to their districts for October after passing a continuing resolution that will keep the government funded through Dec. 20. Following the November election, lawmakers will return to Washington for a busy lame-duck session when key funding issues, including Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) and rural programs, will be on the agenda.</p><p>Now, while lawmakers are in their district, it is important for the field to engage with members of Congress to remind them of the importance of preserving access to care by continuing to fund vital programs and avoiding harmful policies such as site-neutral payments. It is essential that federal lawmakers understand the challenges hospitals and health systems face and what is at stake for the patients and communities they represent.</p><p>While AHA makes the case in Washington, D.C., we also continue to increase our efforts to engage the field with their lawmakers. It is important that hospital and health system leaders reinforce these messages back home. Your legislators listen to you because you live, work, vote and provide care in their communities. Lawmakers need to hear how congressional support is necessary to ensure hospitals can provide the 24/7 access to care patients and communities depend on.</p><h2>WHAT YOU CAN DO</h2><ul><li><strong>Contact</strong> your lawmakers and arrange conversations about the challenges your organization is facing and why additional support is needed.</li><li><strong>Invite</strong> your elected officials to visit your organization to show them firsthand the important service you provide to their communities.</li><li><strong>Explain</strong> to your elected lawmakers how government funding programs such as Medicaid DSH, enhanced low-volume adjustment (LVA) and Medicare-dependent hospitals (MDH), and others impact your ability to provide care in your community, and what would happen if those programs were not extended.</li><li><strong>Share</strong> this alert with your government affairs and media relations staff, leadership team and governance board to ensure a cohesive narrative around issues impacting hospitals and health systems. Be prepared to give specific examples of what services could be at stake.</li></ul><h2>AREAS OF FOCUS</h2><p><strong>Prevent damaging cuts to hospitals. </strong>The <a href="/fact-sheets/2023-03-28-fact-sheet-medicaid-dsh-program">Medicaid DSH program</a> provides essential financial assistance to hospitals that care for our nation’s most vulnerable populations — children, impoverished, disabled and elderly. The Medicaid DSH payment reductions are scheduled to be implemented on Jan. 1, 2025, when $8 billion in reductions take effect. <u>Congress should provide relief from the Medicaid DSH cuts.</u></p><p>In addition, <a href="/fact-sheets/2022-08-30-fact-sheet-rural-hospital-support-act-s4009-assistance-rural-community">MDH and LVA programs</a> provide rural, geographically isolated and low-volume hospitals additional financial support to ensure rural residents have access to care. These programs are set to expire Dec. 31, 2024. <u>Congress should extend or make these critical rural programs permanent.</u> AHA member hospitals participating in the MDH and/or LVA programs received an Alert with data on the impact on their organization if these programs expire.</p><p><a href="/issue-landing-page/2023-09-11-advocacy-issue-site-neutral-payment-proposals"><strong>Reject so-called site-neutral payment proposals.</strong></a><strong> </strong>When Congress returns from recess, AHA expects to see continued efforts to push proposals that would enact additional site-neutral payment cuts. <u>Urge your lawmakers to oppose any site-neutral payment proposal</u> as they would impose billions of dollars in additional Medicare payment cuts for services provided by hospital outpatient departments. It’s important to emphasize that these proposals would reduce patient access to vital health care services, particularly in rural and other medically underserved communities.</p><p><strong>Hold commercial health plans accountable. </strong>Certain health plan practices threaten patient access to care, contribute to clinician burnout and add excessive administrative costs and burden to the health care system. Regulators should increase their oversight of health plans<strong> </strong>and implement a comprehensive simplification agenda, beginning with streamlining prior authorization requirements and processes and monitoring for abusive payment delays and denials. <u>Urge Congress to pass the </u><a href="/lettercomment/2024-06-12-aha-support-house-improving-seniors-timely-access-care-act">Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act</a><u> — bipartisan legislation that would streamline the prior authorization process in the Medicare Advantage program.</u></p><p><strong>Permanently adopt </strong><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/05/fact-sheet-2024-telehealth-advocacy-agenda.pdf"><strong>telehealth</strong></a><strong> and </strong><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/07/Fact-Sheet-Extending-the-Hospital-at-Home-Program-20240719.pdf"><strong>hospital-at-home</strong></a><strong> waivers. </strong>During the public health emergency, Congress established a series of waivers expanding access for millions of Americans and increasing convenience in caring for patients. Telehealth holds tremendous potential to leverage geographically dispersed provider capacity to support patient demand. <u>Congress should permanently adopt telehealth waivers and expand the telehealth workforce</u>.</p><p>Hospital-at-home programs are a safe, innovative way to care for patients in the comfort of their homes. With over 300 hospitals with hospital-at-home programs, many other hospitals and health systems indicate they are interested in developing programs for their communities but are reluctant to do so without congressional action. <u>Urge</u> <u>Congress to pass the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act (</u><a href="/lettercomment/2024-05-23-aha-support-house-bill-hospital-inpatient-services-modernization-act-2024">H.R. 8260</a><u>/</u><a href="/lettercomment/2024-05-23-aha-support-senate-bill-hospital-inpatient-services-modernization-act-2024">S. 4350</a><u>), extending the hospital-at-home waiver for five years through 2029.</u> The current waiver is set to expire Dec. 31, 2024.</p><p><strong>Protect America’s health care workers. </strong>Enactment of the <a href="/action-alert/2024-06-07-urge-congress-protect-health-care-workers-violence-passing-save-act">Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act</a> (H.R. 2584/S. 2768) is a top priority for the AHA and the hospital field. This bipartisan bill would provide federal protections from workplace violence for hospital workers, similar to the protections in current law for airport and airline workers. <u>Urge your lawmakers to cosponsor the bipartisan SAVE Act.</u></p><h2>RESOURCES</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/resources/pdf/2024_calendar.pdf">Senate</a> and <a href="https://www.majorityleader.gov/uploadedfiles/2024_house_calendar_-_one_page_-_revised_april_2024.pdf">House</a> 2024 calendars.</li><li><a href="/2024-03-01-congressional-site-visits-during-and-after">Congressional Site Visits</a>: Before, During and After — AHA’s comprehensive resource to help you and your staff plan a lawmaker’s visit.</li><li><a href="https://youtu.be/T-RlDRPzJCE">Video </a>of Bruce White, CEO of Knox Community Hospital in Ohio, describing his experience hosting a site visit.</li></ul><p>See AHA’s additional tips and best practices to enhance your advocacy <a href="/advocacy/2023-03-07-advocacy-tips-and-best-practices">here</a>.</p><h2>FURTHER QUESTIONS</h2><p><strong>To support your efforts to communicate effectively with lawmakers and their staff, visit the </strong><a href="/advocacy/action-center"><strong>AHA Action Center</strong></a><strong> for more resources on these issues and other priorities important to hospitals and health systems. </strong></p><p>If you have further questions, please contact AHA at 800-424-4301.</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/09/action-needed-contact-lawmakers-on-important-issues-facing-hospitals-and-health-systems-9-30-2024.pdf" target="_blank" action alert><img src="/sites/default/files/2024-09/cover-action-needed-contact-lawmakers-on-important-issues-facing-hospitals-and-health-systems-9-30-2024.png" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Cover Action Alert: ACTION NEEDED: Contact Lawmakers on Important Issues Facing Hospitals and Health Systems" width="NaN" height="NaN"></a></div></div></div> Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:20:55 -0500 SAVE Act