The Build Back Better Act, now under consideration in the Senate, contains damaging cuts to Medicaid disproportionate share hospital and uncompensated care pool payments and lacks critical infrastructure funding for essential hospitals.
view more »Essential Data: Our Hospitals, Our Patients
May 17, 2021 ||This annual snapshot of America's Essential Hospitals' membership tells a story about the essential people and communities our members serve.
view more »CMS Releases FY 2022 IPPS Proposed Rule
April 28, 2021 ||The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ proposed fiscal year 2022 Inpatient Prospective Payment System rule would increase operating payment rates by 2.8 percent, repeal market-based data collection, and add 1,000 new graduate medical education teaching slots, among other provisions.
view more »Findings from the association’s annual member survey show essential hospitals face high and growing uncompensated costs and care for patient groups that have suffered disproportionally during the COVID-19 pandemic.
view more »Public Charge Rule Threatens Immigrants’ Health, Access to Care
Aug. 12, 2019 ||The administration’s final rule on the public charge definition worsens the chilling effect that threatens the health of millions of people by making it more likely they forgo care for themselves and their families to avoid putting their legal immigration status at risk.
view more »CMS Issues FY 2020 IPPS Proposed Rule
April 24, 2019 ||A new proposed rule would increase inpatient operating payment rates by 3.2 percent and make other changes to Medicare payment and quality reporting policies. CMS is accepting comments on the proposed rule until June 24.
view more »New data from America’s Essential Hospitals show that persistently high levels of uncompensated and charity care pushed average margins down to one-fifth that of other hospitals in 2017, reflecting financial pressure that could deepen with federal funding cuts this year.
view more »Colorado Passes Bill to Increase Hospital Finance Reporting
April 2, 2019 ||The legislation requires the state’s hospitals to make more of their financial information publicly available and calls on the state Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to develop an annual report on uncompensated hospital costs and expenditures.
view more »On the Hill: Congress Reviews Trump’s Medicare, Medicaid Proposals
March 12, 2019 ||The president's fiscal year 2020 budget plan calls on Congress to significantly reform the two programs, including ending Medicaid expansion and changing Medicare uncompensated care payments.
view more »CMS Revises Medicare DSH Payment Amounts for FY 2019
Oct. 2, 2018 ||A new notice makes technical and typographical corrections to the fiscal year 2019 Inpatient Prospective Payment System final rule.
view more »The annual report from America's Essential Hospitals shows the association's members provided disproportionate levels of uncompensated care, charity care, and physician training in 2016.
view more »CMS Issues FY 2019 IPPS Proposed Rule
April 25, 2018 ||A new proposed rule for Medicare’s Inpatient Prospective Payment System for fiscal year 2019 would increase inpatient operating payment rates by 1.75 percent.
view more »Hospital Leaders Call on Congress to Halt Cuts to Safety Net
Jan. 10, 2018 ||The chief executives of 18 of the nation’s largest hospital systems that care for low-income patients asked congressional leaders for a two-year delay of Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payment cuts.
view more »CMS Releases Q&A Document on Worksheet S-10
Jan. 3, 2018 ||The guidance defines courtesy discounts, defines when a bad debt is "written off," provides clarity about unpaid coinsurance and deductibles, and more.
view more »CMS Approves Waiver Extensions for Texas, Mississippi
Jan. 2, 2018 ||The waiver extensions fund Texas' uncompensated care pool and delivery system reform incentive payment program and provide family planning services for low-income individuals in Mississippi for 10 years.
view more »CMS Extends Worksheet S-10 Deadline to Jan. 2
Nov. 2, 2017 ||The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services previously had extended the revision deadline to Oct. 31, following numerous changes to the worksheet S-10.
view more »CMS Revises Worksheet S-10, Extends Revision Deadline
Oct. 6, 2017 ||Hospitals use the worksheet S-10 to submit uncompensated care data to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; the agency will begin using the worksheet to calculate Medicare disproportionate share hospital payments in fiscal year 2018.
view more »America's Essential Hospitals appreciates the one-year delay of cuts to disproportionate share hospital payments and will continue to work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for a two-year delay to provide greater stability for hospitals and more time to find a long-term fix.
view more »This webinar explored how technology demands and a safety-net mission influence other measures of hospital quality, safety, cost, and value.
view more »CMS Issues FY 2018 IPPS Proposed Rule
April 17, 2017 ||The rule contains provisions on the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, Medicare DSH, the Inpatient Quality Reporting program, and more.
view more »It requires Medicare payments for beneficiaries dually eligible for Medicaid, and other third-party payments be included in uncompensated care calculations.
view more »Attendees heard about the current status of health care legislation, including efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
view more »CMS Revises Uncompensated Care Worksheet
Dec. 20, 2016 ||Of particular interest to essential hospitals, CMS revised the Worksheet S-10, which hospitals use to report uncompensated care data.
view more »Deadline Approaching To Amend FY 2014 Medicare Cost Report
Sept. 14, 2016 ||The deadline for hospitals to amend their Medicare cost report Worksheet S-10 for fiscal year 2014 is Sept. 30.
view more »Latest member profile from America's Essential Hospitals shows that, despite ACA coverage expansion, uncompensated costs remained high in 2014 at hospitals with many low-income and other vulnerable patients.
view more »Aggregate data collected by the association will help inform advocacy on disproportionate share hospital payments and other funding support.
view more »New group for members who want to take an active role in defending against Medicare disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payment cuts.
view more »Health Affairs Explores Financial and Political Aspects of Medicaid
July 30, 2015 ||Articles cover the ACA's Medicaid expansion, Medicaid shortfalls and community benefit funds, and the impact of recent Supreme Court decisions on Medicaid.
view more »CMS Will Fast-Track Certain Section 1115 Waiver Renewals
July 29, 2015 ||Proposed renewals must be for demonstrations that are working effectively and have no major or complex policy changes. Certain waivers that use the enhanced FMAP are ineligible.
view more »The association will use the information gathered to advocate to policymakers the need to continue to support essential hospitals’ mission and service to their communities. This survey focuses on the first quarter of calendar year 2015. We will use aggregate information only.
view more »This survey remains especially important in light of recent media coverage that has suggested the need for essential hospitals and the funding to support them may no longer be necessary. Responses due July 24.
view more »Association Urges CMS to Ensure Medicaid Payment Sustainability
April 28, 2015 ||In an April 28 letter, the association urged CMS to adopt a holistic view of how payment mechanisms impact essential hospitals, including sustainable base payment rates, Medicaid waivers to address uncompensated care, and DSRIP waivers.
view more »America's Essential Hospitals is conducting this member survey to capture the impact of the ACA coverage expansion on essential hospitals.
view more »The survey focuses on uncompensated care and utilization during the last two quarters of CYs 2013 and 2014. It aims to capture the impact of ACA coverage expansion on essential hospitals.
view more »America's Essential Hospitals' annual report also shows members maintain high-quality, patient satisfaction even with financial hurdles
view more »Agency reverts to position recommended by America's Essential Hospitals to define uninsured status at the service level for purposes of calculating DSH payments; sets Dec. 31 as start of new policy
view more »The association extended the survey deadline to continue to gather information on members' uncompensated care post-ACA.
view more »The association launched this survey Nov. 10 to capture the impact of the ACA coverage expansion on essential hospitals.
view more »The Complex Situation Surrounding Patients’ Immigration Status
Nov. 12, 2014 ||Essential hospitals face barriers in providing care to immigrant populations. They must find unique ways to address the complexity surrounding immigration status for their patients.
view more »Association to Survey Members on Uncompensated Care
Nov. 12, 2014 ||The survey aims to capture the impact of ACA coverage expansion and add to association advocacy efforts with timely information on members' uncompensated care.
view more »Uncompensated Care Report Encouraging, but Challenges Remain
Sept. 25, 2014 ||White House report a positive sign, but essential hospitals continue to face significant uncompensated care burden and looming cuts to disproportionate share hospitals payments
view more »Association Urges CMS to Finalize Medicaid DSH Uninsured Definition
Aug. 29, 2014 ||The definition would be used for determining Medicaid DSH costs. Association urges policy that accurately captures the actual burden of uncompensated care, particularly before DSH cuts and recoupment based on DSH audits begin.
view more »Study: ACA Savings Don’t Offset DSH Cuts
June 10, 2014 ||A recent study found that planned reductions in Medicaid DSH payments and ongoing inflation in health care costs will cause debilitating gaps in funding for essential hospitals. Expected system costs to states that do not expand Medicaid will be exacerbated by continued uncompensated care costs and no additional Medicaid funds to offset them.
view more »AHA Releases 2012 Data on Hospitals’ Uncompensated Care
Jan. 7, 2014 ||U.S. hospitals provided $45.9 billion in uncompensated care in 2012, survey shows
view more »Essential Hospitals Urge Congress to Protect Medicaid
Dec. 13, 2013 ||
Statement on House Action to Reduce, Delay Medicaid DSH Cuts
Dec. 12, 2013 ||Calls action "important step toward protecting access to vital health care and community services for millions"
view more »Millions of vulnerable patients "in a terrible bind" with no access to expanded coverage, billions less in funding for their care
view more »Oct. 28 letter notes that hospitals have faced more than $95 billion in cuts over the past three years
view more »More Than 5 Million People Will Fall Into Coverage Gap, According to Kaiser Analysis
Oct. 22, 2013 ||Providers that fill a safety net role will be stretched thin in states that do not expand Medicaid
view more »Medicaid Payments are On Hold for DC Providers
Oct. 16, 2013 ||Government shutdown prevented DC from making payments to Medicaid providers, managed care organizations
view more »Cited concerns that hospitals may be undercompensated for providing necessary services that do not meet new criteria
view more »Rule implements the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid DSH cuts for fiscal years 2014 and 2015
view more »CMS Releases Medicaid DSH Final Rule
Sept. 17, 2013 ||Rule outlines CMS' methodology for annual reductions to DSH payments
view more »Q&A about Medicaid disproportionate share hospital funds
Aug. 13, 2013 ||
Hospitals Call for Medicaid DSH Cut Delay as Policymakers Revisit Coverage Mandates
July 10, 2013 ||Payments even more important as prospects for full expansion dim
view more »Rule proposes implementation of the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid DSH cuts
view more »Statement on CMS Proposed Rule on Medicaid DSH Reductions
May 13, 2013 ||Renews call for Congress to delay Medicaid DSH cuts to allow time for informed, rational funding discussions
view more »Statement on CMS proposal to implement new payment adjustment methodology for Medicare DSH
April 26, 2013 ||FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 26, 2013 Statement attributable to: Beth Feldpush Senior Vice President for Policy and Advocacy National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems WASHINGTON – “NAPH is deeply disappointed with how CMS has proposed to calculate hospitals’ uncompensated care costs. While we share the agency’s concerns about the reliability of S10 data,
view more »Analysis show impact of Supreme Court decision on hospitals and vulnerable patients
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