A CDC report shows promising COVID-19 vaccine safety profiles; the federal COVID-19 task force expands support for vaccination and testing.

CDC provides new vaccine demographic data and guidelines for ensuring close-fitting face masks; President Biden appoints two essential hospital leaders to a health equity task force.

The Joint Commission's latest Quick Safety newsletter offers recommendations to ensure equitable care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Janssen applied for emergency use authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine; a CDC report shows reporting gaps in ethnic and racial data of vaccine recipients.

In his first week in office, President Biden released multiple executive orders of note to essential hospitals, including those related to COVID-19, health equity and nondiscrimination, and immigration.

CDC announces target groups for phases 1b and 1c of COVID-19 vaccine allocation; a new brief recommends strategies for building vaccine trust.

CDC reports that airborne transmission is rare but possible; a framework includes recommendations for equitable vaccine allocation.

CDC releases a COVID-19 health equity strategy, and FDA shares options for screening substitutions amid supply issues.

HHS finalized a rule overhauling the ACA to remove some nondiscrimination protections for transgender individuals and requirements for treating people with limited English proficiency. In a statement, the association said the decision puts the health and safety of vulnerable populations at risk.

American Indian and Alaska Native populations have been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 public health crisis. America’s Essential Hospitals outlines the unprecedented challenges the pandemic has posed to these communities and the efforts Congress and providers have made to mitigate its effect.

The Department of Health and Human Services finalized a rule overhauling parts of the Affordable Care Act to remove nondiscrimination protections for transgender individuals and certain language access requirements for providing health care services to people with limited English proficiency.

HHS clarifies HIPAA rules for media; FDA tightens antibody testing rules and approves a home saliva test; the Missouri Hospital Association studies COVID-19 and race in St. Louis.

The court struck down parts of the law that explicitly prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and termination of pregnancy.

America’s Essential Hospitals expressed concern that changes to nondiscrimination protections will decrease access and worsen outcomes for vulnerable patients, including transgender individuals and individuals with limited English proficiency.

The rule would eliminate protection from discrimination in health care settings based on gender identity and roll back requirements to notify individuals with limited English proficiency of antidiscrimination policies and access to translation services.

A House letter calling for a delay of Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payment cuts has 178 bipartisan signatures; the deadline to sign is May 3. A House committee holds the first congressional hearing on the Medicare for All Act.

The bill is a step toward expanding Project ECHO, an innovative “hub and spoke” education model created at association member University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center.

Lawmakers are in recess this week following failure of the House to pass a bipartisan budget resolution. Last week, House and Senate committees tackled opioids, disparities, and mental health.

Lawmakers continue negotiations to respond to the president’s request for $1.9 billion in emergency funding. Also this week, an expert from association member The University of Chicago Medicine will participate in a Capitol Hill forum on minority health disparities.

The proposed rule extends nondiscrimination provisions to individuals based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The proposed rule also includes requirements for access for people with disabilities and limited English proficiency.

The CMS Equity Plan aims to reduce disparities in health care over the next four years for populations including racial and ethnic minorities, sexual and gender minorities, people with disabilities, and people living in rural areas.

Document, developed by association's policy advisory committee, demonstrates essential hospitals' commitment to and promotion of care equity, and supports risk adjustment for sociodemographic status in certain quality improvement measures