Members: Apply for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Grant
March 18, 2024 ||The members-only learning collaborative will offer peer learning and expert training to enhance access to opioid use disorder treatment.
view more »The members-only learning collaborative will offer peer learning and expert training to enhance access to opioid use disorder treatment.
view more »This policy brief discusses how HHS has leveraged its authority under Medicaid and Medicare to advance policies aimed at addressing social determinants of health and health-related social needs.
view more »The accelerator will provide technical assistance to states implementing health-related social needs services through Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program.
view more »CMS will select eight organizations to test the eight-year behavioral health care integration model; applications will open in spring 2024.
view more »The waiver funds health-related social needs services, workforce development, and matching funds for Medicare beneficiaries with substance use disorder.
view more »Carilion Clinic, in Roanoke, Va., seeks to strengthen its community identity and serve as a friendly, accessible neighborhood resource.
view more »By targeting social determinants of health and leveraging remote patient monitoring and electronic health records, three essential hospitals have reduced racial disparities in cardiovascular disease outcomes.
view more »In a new report, Essential Hospitals Institute presents findings from initiatives at three hospitals to reduce racial disparities in cardiovascular disease outcomes.
view more »CMS released guidance outlining opportunities under Medicaid and CHIP for supporting efforts to address health-related social needs.
view more »Examine how Erie County Medical Center (ECMC), in Buffalo, N.Y., improved transitions to specialty and primary care services and reduced readmission rates through its Hospital Comprehensive Transition of Care program.
view more »More than 300 of the nation’s largest safety net providers and about 5 percent of all U.S. acute-care hospitals, provided more than a quarter of all charity care nationally in 2021, a new report from America’s Essential Hospitals shows.
view more »The Affordable Connectivity Program provides low-income households with up to $75 a month to pay for internet service plans.
view more »The rule includes changes to the calculation of Medicare disproportionate share hospital payments and payment and quality reporting provisions.
view more »Washington's renewed Section 1115 waiver introduces prerelease services for incarcerated individuals, social needs services, and continuous coverage.
view more »The project, supported by a grant from CVS Health Foundation, will continue through March 2024 and fits within a framework of association initiatives to combat structural racism and promote equity.
view more »The proposal includes numerous policy and payment changes to Medicare’s Inpatient Prospective Payment System for fiscal year 2024, including a 2.8 percent increase in inpatient payment rates.
view more »The three-year Collaborative will leverage data, analytics, assessments, and peer learning to help hospitals and health systems improve community health.
view more »Hospitals that fill a safety net role need targeted funding to remain on the front lines of public health emergencies and serve the nation’s most underrepresented patients and marginalized communities.
view more »As Congress continues to consider legislation during and after the pandemic, it should make permanent policies that allow providers to expand access to care, including telehealth and hospital-at-home, to improve the health of their communities.
view more »Learn how essential hospital Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, in San Francisco, reduced non-acute emergency department visits and inpatient days through its Social Medicine program.
view more »Discover how association member The MetroHealth System, in Cleveland, is meeting pediatric patients where they are with school-based health clinics through its Institute for H.O.P.E.
view more »The amendment establishes "Life360 HOMEs" coordinating care for rural residents, pregnant individuals, and young adults at risk for long-term poverty.
view more »Examine how two historically siloed organizations partnered to establish a closed-loop referral system for housing and utility insecurity in the nation’s most uninsured county.
view more »The members-only learning collaborative will offer peer learning and expert training to enhance access to opioid use disorder treatment.
view more »Participants learned how health care, public health, and community organizations formed a structured, community-centric alliance to target social determinants, reduce disparities, and improve health outcomes in Harris County, Texas.
view more »Discover how association member The MetroHealth System, in Cleveland, takes a practical approach to targeting social determinants of health in the community with its Institute for H.O.P.E.
view more »America’s Essential Hospitals awarded Gage Awards to seven hospitals for quality improvement projects, population health initiatives, and COVID-19 response.
view more »The proposed rule includes numerous policy and payment changes for Medicare’s Inpatient Prospective Payment System for fiscal year 2023, including a 3.2 percent increase in inpatient payment rates.
view more »Although cases are declining nationwide, safety net hospitals have not recuperated from the effects of the pandemic on their finances and still need additional resources.
view more »Ensuring a reliable safety net, one ready to meet the moment in any crisis, means robustly protecting and bolstering the mechanisms and ideals that make the safety net function.
view more »In a new white paper, America's Essential Hospitals discusses essential hospitals' role in value-based payment models and makes recommendations to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation on improving equity through broader model participation.
view more »Association member RWJBarnabas Health's food equity challenge encouraged staff and community members to examine the intersection of structural racism, food insecurity, and health outcomes.
view more »As part of its final report and implementation plan, the Presidential Health Equity Task Force highlighted several states and communities that are improving equitable health care, including California's efforts to expand broadband services, the Cherokee Nation's vaccination efforts, and more.
view more »Hear how leaders at RWJBarnabas University Hospital Somerset went beyond the hospital walls to address social determinants of health and decrease health inequities in the Hispanic community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
view more »The use of Z codes to document social determinants of health in Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries increased slightly from 2017 to 2019 but remains low.
view more »Two CDC studies highlight the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines in preventing reinfection and hospitalization; CDC extends the eviction moratorium.
view more »The partnership with Voyce aligns with America’s Essential Hospitals’ long-standing and ongoing focus on social determinants of health, such as language and health literacy.
view more »The Essential Communities Resource Library now includes strategies to target structural racism as a social determinant of health.
view more »President Joe Biden announced initiatives to expand COVID-19 vaccine access; a CDC study shows mRNA vaccines are highly effective in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection.
view more »FDA alerts providers about monoclonal antibody–resistant SARS-CoV-2 variants; a new study examines vaccine rates in counties where residents experience a high number of social risk factors.
view more »People experiencing homelessness face barriers to vaccination, including lack of transportation, limited availability of technology, and no established connection to a health care provider. More than 30 states have specifically prioritized vaccinations for homeless populations.
view more »Essential hospitals rely heavily on a patchwork of federal financial support and resources to meet their mission. Congress must bolster the individual components that form the fabric of the health care safety net.
view more »This State Policy Snapshot summarizes actions states are taking to combat human trafficking through task forces, training programs, and protections for trafficked individuals.
view more »America's Essential Hospitals sent a letter to President Joe Biden and his administration detailing key priorities for essential hospitals, including issues related to structural racism, COVID-19, Medicaid, the 340B Drug Pricing Program, site-neutral payment policies, immigration, and other topics.
view more »In a recent letter to state health officials, CMS outlines opportunities for states to better address social determinants of health. The letter outlines flexibility under current law and includes examples from states already engaging in such initiatives.
view more »The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued new guidance to states on directed payments in Medicaid managed care programs. In conjunction with the guidance, CMS issued a revised version of the agency’s preprint application for directed payments.
view more »A new notice encourages states to improve health outcomes, reduce disparities, and lower costs within Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program. It describes how states might address social determinants of health using flexibility available under current law.
view more »The project will support coalition work to target social determinants of health outcomes related to chronic conditions.
view more »SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University students and faculty developed a tool to screen patients for social determinants of health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
view more »Hospital COVID-19 data is public on HHS Protect; FDA approves first treatment for hospitalized COVID-19 patients; CDC redefines "close contact."
view more »America’s Essential Hospitals and more than 20 other advocates and federal agencies today announced an action plan on patient safety. The plan recognizes that systemic racism and other societal inequities can cause harm to concentrate in certain populations, and it calls for using safety data to identify gaps related to social determinants of health.
view more »Hear association leaders share what’s happened, what’s new, and what’s next for the essential hospital response to COVID-19 and structural racism, and preview Virtual VITAL2020 programming.
view more »In this second report on the topic, the agency describes three findings: there is no systematic or standard collection of social risk data; dual enrollment in Medicare and Medicaid remains a predictor of poor outcomes; and there are limited efforts to identify effective and scalable interventions.
view more »A report highlights hospitalization risk factors for COVID-19, and GAO evaluates the National Disaster Medical System. FDA revokes emergency use authorizations for chloroquine phosphate and hydroxychloroquine sulfate.
view more »Screening tools and community partnerships are key to treating patients experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
view more »CDC recommends shelters plan for higher usage during the outbreak and consult with community leaders, local public health departments, and faith-based organizations about places to refer clients if a shelter space is full.
view more »HHS Secretary Alex Azar will discuss the president's proposed fiscal year 2021 budget at several congressional hearings. A bipartisan Senate letter calls for incorporating social determinants into star ratings. A new association work group focuses on the Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Regulation.
view more »Despite a growing awareness of the impact of social determinants of health on patient health outcomes, the CMS study found challenges to consistent data collection, including a lack of standardized screening tools and inconsistent use of electronic health record codes.
view more »A panel convened by the National Institutes of Health culminated in an evidence report that includes 26 recommendations for improving implementation of proven services to reduce disparities in preventable conditions.
view more »New research shows essential hospitals are building capacity for community-integrated health care — reaching outside their walls to partner with government, social services, and other sectors to improve social determinants of health.
view more »Two new resources share the Institute’s research on essential hospitals’ social determinants of health work and a set of milestones to aid in adopting community-integrated health care.
view more »In a new state policy brief, America’s Essential Hospitals examines the unique health care risks homeless individuals face, states leading the way to create long-term solutions, and the role essential hospitals play in providing care to homeless populations.
view more »Essential hospitals tackle social determinants of health while operating with limited means. Congress must act to preserve the federal support essential hospitals rely on to fulfill their mission of care for all and keep communities healthy.
view more »Registration for the eight-month food insecurity and housing insecurity cohorts, open to health care leaders and graduate students, closes Nov. 1.
view more »A new report from the National Association of County and City Health Officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explores how rural local health departments mitigate social determinants of health.
view more »America’s Essential Hospitals expressed concern that changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program could increase food insecurity and worsen health outcomes.
view more »While essential hospitals recognize the value of patient-centered outcomes research and comparative effectiveness research, social risk factors and limited resources can impede the use and development of these tools.
view more »Two rising quality leaders will work directly with National Quality Forum leadership to gain exposure to the federal quality improvement and policy realms.
view more »Eight states prohibit Medicaid coverage for gender reassignment services, while 22 states have policies explicitly prohibiting gender-based discrimination in health care.
view more »Proposals for projects to explore interest in social care and identify social risk screening and assistance strategies are due Sept. 30.
view more »Through community outreach and the Chicago Gun Violence Research Collaborative, Sinai Health System works to find place-based solutions to gun violence.
view more »The House advanced a federal budget and debt limit deal before leaving for August recess; the Senate will consider the measure this week. House and Senate committees consider legislation to reduce prescription drug pricing.
view more »Broadlawns Medical Center, in Des Moines, Iowa, recently received an America’s Job Honor Award for its TECH and TEACH workforce development programs.
view more »A Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services report to Congress details an action plan to assist states in providing housing-related support for Medicaid beneficiaries with substance use disorders.
view more »In a July 9 letter to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, America’s Essential Hospitals expressed concern that changes to federal housing assistance eligibility requirements could increase housing instability and worsen health outcomes.
view more »Registration is open for the July 11 webinar, hosted by the National Quality Partners Social Determinants of Health Data Integration Action Team.
view more »The state’s policy allows ride-sharing companies to provide non-emergency transportation services for beneficiaries to attend medical appointments.
view more »As essential hospitals target social determinants of health in their communities, it is crucial that the Medicaid program continues to evolve to ensure this vital work can continue.
view more »America’s Essential Hospitals encouraged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to consider the disproportionately negative financial effect on essential hospitals of certain quality reporting requirements and administrative burden in the Promoting Interoperability Programs.
view more »This new State Policy Snapshot summarizes the various ways states target social determinants of health, such as food insecurity and housing, to reduce avoidable costs and improve outcomes for people with medical and social needs.
view more »A new case study highlights association member NYC Health + Hospitals' partnership with LegalHealth to provide legal assistance to patients.
view more »A bipartisan group of 300 House lawmakers sent a letter to leadership calling for a two-year delay of Medicaid disproportionate share hospital cuts. The House will vote on a legislative package to expedite the availability of generic drugs and protect parts of the Affordable Care Act.
view more »Learn how StreetCred, a national free tax preparation program, can help families claim the Earned Income Tax Credit and improve health outcomes.
view more »Learn how Memorial Healthcare System promotes healthy, independent living for seniors in the community.
view more »Learn about University Health System’s initiative to reduce preventable asthma-related emergency department visits and hospital admissions.
view more »The new Care Coordination Toolkit showcases the work of accountable care organizations (ACOs) participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program and Next Generation ACO Model. The agency also released a set of case studies describing innovation ACO initiatives.
view more »Learn about Greenville Health System’s Patient-Centered Medical Neighborhood model, which works to improve access to quality care for residents of at-risk neighborhoods.
view more »A new toolkit from the Essential Hospitals Institute will help find and develop professionals who can lead population health initiatives. The toolkit details a core skill set for population health executives and includes a template job description and skill assessment worksheets.
view more »Communities served by essential hospitals experience a disproportionate prevalence of transportation barriers. This challenge creates an opportunity for essential hospitals, in conjunction with state policy levers, to help mitigate such barriers.
view more »A new Trust for America’s Health report spotlights 13 evidence-based policies state officials can use to promote health and well-being and lower health care costs.
view more »Join us to learn how a new association brief can help essential hospitals reduce transportation barriers, and hear how the University of Illinois Health & Hospital System’s PRONTO program provides Lyft rides to patients in need.
view more »Learn how a new toolkit from the Essential Hospitals Institute can help essential hospitals hire and optimize the role of population health executives.
view more »February is American Heart Month, and essential hospitals are leaders in prioritizing cardiovascular wellbeing, especially in vulnerable communities.
view more »At essential hospital Boston Medical Center, the Socially Responsible Surgery program educates and engages future generations of physicians about the importance of addressing the social determinants of health to provide holistic care.
view more »Each video spotlights a unique community program at an essential hospital dedicated to a specific social determinant of health.
view more »Essential Hospitals Institute seeks to partner with member hospitals that launched programs to adapt to climate change and improve community health.
view more »The association expressed concerns about two disparity methods developed to report readmission rates among patients with social risk factors; the deadline for comments has been extended to Dec. 14.
view more »America’s Essential Hospitals highlighted the unique role essential hospitals play in treating individuals with social risk factors.
view more »Coders, game designers, and data professionals joined health economists and health policy experts to create data-driven solutions for health care inequities during the inaugural National Health Equity Hackathon.
view more »The agency seeks stakeholder feedback on two disparity methods measuring patient outcomes based on social risk factors; comments are due Dec. 14.
view more »The association strongly encourages essential hospitals to submit individual comments with specific examples of how your institution addresses social risk factors among Medicare beneficiaries; comments are due Nov. 16.
view more »Discover how Henry Ford Health System forged community partnerships to pilot a program targeting food insecurity, and learn how the Essential Hospitals Value-Based Care Collaborative can help hospitals target social determinants of health.
view more »Essential hospitals improve population health through innovative approaches to address the social determinants of health and promote community-integrated health care. Several presentations on population health at VITAL2018, our annual meeting, highlighted key insights from population health leaders.
view more »Discover how essential hospitals are providing housing as health care to patients and their local communities to reduce housing instability and improve health outcomes.
view more »Learn how essential hospitals can use County Health Rankings & Roadmaps to assess community needs for population health initiatives.
view more »Einstein Medical Center and Temple University Health System zero in on social determinants of health through the North Philadelphia Health Enterprise Zone.
view more »The annual report offers county- and state-level information on health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors, and physical environment.
view more »JPS Health Network and Bon Secours Baltimore Health System recently visited Capitol Hill to tell their stories of innovative housing and care coordination programs to help the chronically homeless.
view more »Learn how essential hospital Hennepin County Medical Center targets the population health needs of teenagers and young adults through Aquí Para Ti, a program serving Latino teens and their families.
view more »Discover Memorial Healthcare System’s Healthy Youth Transitions program, which targets social determinants of health while propelling youth out of foster care and into productive, independent adulthood.
view more »Learn how to tackle social determinants of health through a medical-legal partnership approach, and hear the firsthand effects of these population health interventions at NYC Health + Hospitals.
view more »Learn about Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System’s initiative that connects uninsured, low-income patients to a medical home and a network of donated care.
view more »Purpose Built Communities and the East Lake Foundation have worked to transform this neighborhood to a place where individuals can achieve higher education, financial success, and better health outcomes.
view more »Two paid job training programs give low-income Des Moines, Iowa residents the opportunity to earn a certified nursing assistant license.
view more »Interpersonal violence is considered a social determinant of health; several association members have worked to reduce such violence as part of community-integrated health care.
view more »A new website launched by Essential Hospitals Institute can help hospitals evaluate their community’s greatest needs to determine where population health efforts will be most valuable.
view more »The new road map recommends policies and practices providers can adopt to promote health equity and eliminate disparities.
view more »Boston Medical Center’s contribution will help finance new housing, retail, and job creation in neighborhoods where its patients live and work.
view more »The campaign focuses on improving health equity, while acknowledging that environment and social factors play a large role in determining health outcomes.
view more »The Eliminating Health Disparities Act of 2017, introduced in April by Rep. Ben Ray Luján, would allow states to apply for Medicaid state plan amendments to establish a Health Disparities Elimination Program.
view more »Over a five-year period, CMS will test the three-track AHC model, which aims to support health-related social needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
view more »Under the “Better Way to Live” program, 62 “alternative level of care” patients have been successfully transitioned to a post–acute care facility.
view more »The report is the last in a series of five by an ad hoc committee focused on social risk factors that affect the health outcomes of Medicare beneficiaries.
view more »The report finds that dual enrollment status was “the most powerful predictor of poor outcomes” on many quality measures.
view more »Essential hospitals can turn to a new resource for prescribing physical activity and time outdoors: Park Rx, or Park Prescriptions.
view more »The campaign of online and print advertisements and media outreach calls on Congress to pass legislation to risk adjust the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program.
view more »The hospital and its community partners have transformed lives and achieved significant savings in health care costs by giving the homeless a place to live.
view more »The Accountable Health Communities Model aims to close a gap in the health care delivery system between clinical care and community services.
view more »This project, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, will help essential hospitals develop, implement, and evaluate population health programs, overcome barriers, and collaborate with community partners.
view more »ONC is requesting feedback particularly on interoperability as it relates to social determinants of health and collection of gender identity data.
view more »The report aims to identify social risk factors that affect beneficiaries' health outcomes and methods to account for these factors in payment programs.
view more »As a high priority for America’s Essential Hospitals, meeting patients’ social needs highlighted many educational sessions at VITAL2016, the association's annual meeting.
view more »This tax season, employees and volunteers at Boston Medical Center turned financial advisers, helping return more than $400,000 to low-income families.
view more »Updated: Annals of Surgery article covering the impact of patient socioeconomic status on operative mortality.
view more »Under new model, providers will screen Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries for unmet social needs and connect patients to community services. Applications are due May 18.
view more »Robert Wood Johnson Foundation supports America's Essential Hospitals work to survey member hospitals about programs to improve population health and to build a road map for nationwide adoption of successful programs.
view more »First of five consensus reports from National Academy of Medicine (NAM) ad hoc committee identifies social risk factors for Medicare payment and quality programs, and the measures they can impact.
view more »The youth empowerment project is one of many local safety initiatives run by Parkland Health & Hospital System’s Injury Prevention Center.
view more »Multidisciplinary teams at Truman Medical Centers developed two care transitions assessments and reduced hospital admissions, ED visits, costs.
view more »Brief summarizes essential hospitals' role caring for homeless patients, strategies for improving care, and recommendations for forming sustainable community partnerships.
view more »Top chefs put healthful spin on fast food as essential hospitals work to reduce food deserts in their communities
view more »Los Angeles County Department of Health Services is using county health funds to house and care for the homeless. California wants to with Medicaid funds.
view more »Whether as part of community benefit requirements or in addressing the social determinants of health, hospitals can engage in community development initiatives to encourage health improvements beyond the hospital walls.
view more »Tool supports collaboration between hospitals, other stakeholders to improve community health
view more »Socioeconomic inequalities at root of civil unrest in Baltimore and similar incidents over the past year
view more »Learn more about what essential hospitals can do to improve care for homeless patients.
view more »Association researcher concludes web series by describing the web-like effect of social factors on health and treatment
view more »Essential hospitals partner with local schools to foster healthy kids who can complete their education, leading to better health outcomes.
view more »Association researcher Janelle Schrag explores insights from APHA's annual meeting, which targeted neighborhood factors as important health indicators.
view more »A recent Health Affairs article explores how Hennepin Health uses ACO savings from decreased ED visits, better primary care to help the homeless, mentally ill.
view more »These two prominent social factors directly affect health outcomes. Essential hospitals are supporting patients in these areas with PCMHs, medical respite programs, and employment and housing programs.
view more »Food insecurity may be the most significant social determinant of health for essential hospital patients. Read how BMC is prioritizing this issue.
view more »Recent work by National Quality Forum to adjust quality and performance measures for social determinants of health of particular significance to essential hospitals, which disproportionately care for sicker, more complex patients
view more »This literature review explores how social connections impact health outcomes and overutilization and offers responsive strategies by essential hospitals.
view more »NQF board adopts recommendation to assess sociodemographic risk adjustment of certain quality measures during a trial period.
view more »The social determinants of health are a critical topic for essential hospital providers - learn more from this avid researcher's perspective.
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