News

A study released Jan. 12 by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology analyzed the current state of heart health in the U.S., highlighting the burden of disease, quality of care and mortality trends of risk factors and conditions that can lead to heart disease.

As AHA chair, Dr. Boom acknowledges the challenges and opportunities ahead. He is optimistic about working with members to continue finding solutions and transforming the practice and delivery of medicine, providing “better care for humankind and for people in the United States.”

A Senate Judiciary Committee report released Jan. 12 found that UnitedHealth Group used “aggressive strategies” to maximize its Medicare Advantage risk-adjustment scores and collect higher payments from diagnoses of MA enrollees.

Tina Eden, R.N., CEO of Virginia Gay Hospital, and Jacinda Bunch, Ph.D., R.N., assistant professor at the Iowa College of Nursing and senior advisor to Simulation in Motion-Iowa, or SIM-IA, dive into how this mobile clinical education program is delivering high-impact simulation training directly to rural hospitals and EMS teams.

Several health care groups, including the AHA, Jan.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released a request for information seeking input on replacing its Medicare claims processing system with a real-time, cloud-based platform.

The FBI Jan.

The House Jan.

The AHA Jan. 9 urged the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to consider, during its next meeting Jan. 15-16, higher payment updates for the inpatient and outpatient prospective payment systems than those discussed in December and to examine Medicare Advantage’s role in access to care and provider financial stability.

A study published Jan. 7 by the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center examined the availability of hospital-based obstetric services in the U.S. by county from 2010-2023. It found 293 counties (8.6%) nationwide lost all hospital-based obstetric services during that period.

An AHA blog published Jan. 8 highlights an EY analysis prepared for the AHA on the ways nonprofit hospitals and health systems contribute to their communities and deliver community benefits, as reported in the IRS Schedule H, that far outweigh the value of their tax exemption. 

Congress returned to Washington this week with a full plate of issues to contend with in the short term as it defines its legislative agenda for the remainder of 2026.

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing (https://energycommerce.house.gov/posts/chairmen-guthrie-and-griffith-announce-legislative-hearing-on-improving-medicare-payment-policies-for-seniors) Jan. 8 to discuss legislation on Medicare payment policies for seniors, including the AHA-supported Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services Act (H.R. 5269) (https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5269).

The AHA Guide 2026 Edition is now available, providing comprehensive hospital directory information on more than 6,200 hospitals and 400 health care systems.

The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Jan. 7 denied the government’s motion for a stay in a lawsuit filed by the AHA, the Maine Hospital Association and four safety-net health systems challenging the Department of Health and Human Services’ 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program. This means that the program remains on hold.

The application period has opened for hospitals to apply for the latest allocation of Medicare-funded graduate medical education residency slots under Section 126 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.

Stephanie Calcasola, R.N., chief quality officer and vice president of quality and safety at Hartford HealthCare, unpacks the programs, technology and cultural shifts that drove measurable and nationally recognized results in patient safety.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has implemented an online form for providers to submit complaints regarding Medicare Advantage plans.

The Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture Jan. 7 released updated dietary guidelines for Americans.

The Food and Drug Administration today released two guidance documents; one related to low-risk wellness products (including certain wearable devices) and the other related to clinical decision sup