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The Notebook keeps members up-to-date on the latest health care industry news – and internal news from association staff and members. If you'd like to become a subscriber, sign up  by customizing your email preferences at the Email Preferences Center.

Click any of the linked issue dates below to access a message from the last six months. If you're looking for an earlier edition, please feel free to contact our Director of Communications, Ashley Warren, at awarren@arkhospitals.org.

2020

September 25
Arkansas Hospitals and AHA: Partners in the Ongoing Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic  |  Important Dates this Election Season  |  Resources Available to Support AHA Members in Interpreting CMS Medicare FFY 2021 IPPS Final Rule  |  AmHA Video: How the U.S. Supreme Court Vacancy Could Affect Health Care Cases  |  Attend a Special Session of COVID-19 CLINICAL ROUNDS

September 18
Save the Date: Member Webinar on IPPS Final Rule Sept. 30  |  AHA Analytics Discharge Data Reports Updated  |  AHA Analytics System Scheduled Maintenance Sat. 9/26  |  United Against the Flu Public Messaging Resources  |  AHRQ Releases "Safer Together" National Action Plan to Keep  |  Patients and Health Care Workers Safe  |  CISA Releases Joint Advisory on Approaches to Uncovering and Remediating Malicious Activity  |  HHS Rural Action Plan

September 11
US Supreme Court Sets Date for ACA Oral Arguments  |  District Court Strikes Down DOL Rule  |  Non-Partisan Voting & Election Resources for Hospitals  |  Reminder! 340B Advocacy Meeting September 16  |  ADH Partners with Baptist Health to Increase Testing Capacity

August 28
Reminder! AR CARES Act Attestation Due Monday, August 31 | CMS Makes Daily COVID-19 Reporting Mandatory | AHA Connectivity Consortium Connects Non-Profit Hospitals to Broadband Subsidies | AHA Services Introduces: VOYCE Interpretation Services

August 21
HRSA Announces $35M in Grants to Support Rural Hospitals and Health Care; $1.9M to Arkansas | HRSA Releases NOFO for the Rural Health Network Development Planning Program | CMS Extends Deadline to Apply for Area Wage Index Reclassification | CMS Resumes Routine Inspection, Survey, and Enforcement Practices | NY Federal District Court Blocks HHS Changes to ACA Non-Discrimination Rule | New CDC Reports Examine COVID-19 Hotspots and Racial and Ethnic Disparities 

August 14
CMS Extends Appropriate Use Criteria Testing Period Until 2022 | Administration Announces New Payment Model for Rural Communities | NLRB Modifies Standard for Offensive Speech | Supreme Court Hearing on Arkansas PBM Law Rescheduled | Discharge Data due to AHA Analytics by August 10 | AONL Announces 2020 Virtual Conference | AHA Services Announces New Partner for Third-Party Liability and Workers' Compensation Claim Recovery | 340B Webinar: Innovation in Contract Pharmacy

August 7
Discharge Data due to AHA Analytics by August 10 | HRSA Recertification Webinar | Judge Bars Enforcement of Public Charge Rule During COVID-19 Emergency | ASHRM Releases White Paper for Behavioral Health Care in EDs | American Hospital Association Releases Issue Brief on Housing Access During COVID-19

July 31
Governor Hutchinson Announces Directive on Resuming Elective Procedures, Phase IV | AHA Analytics Medicare Home Health PPS Proposed Rule Analysis Available | Updated Private Hospital Access Payment and Assessment Calculations Distributed to Hospitals | Appeals Court Upholds Payment Cut for 340B Hospitals | Second Round of ASPR Grant Funding Available through the AHA – Apply by August 10th | AHA Announces Winners of 2020 Diamond Awards

July 17
HHS Announces Additional Distribution of Funds to Hospitals with High COVID-19 Admissions | New HHS Daily Reporting Requirements | IRS Extends Deadline for CHNAs | Salary Planning Survey Open | American Hospital Association Annual Survey Due July 31 | AHA 2020 Annual Meeting Canceled

July 10
HHS Announces Expanded Distribution of Funds to Rural Hospitals and Hospitals Serving High Numbers of Medicaid and Uninsured Patients | Federal Officials Issue Warning About Scammers Posing As COVID-19 Contact Tracers | NIH Launches COVID-19 Clinical Trial Network | Resource: Inpatient Medical Director Toolkit from the National Forum of ESRD Networks

July 3
Submit COVID-19 Hospitalization Data for Next Remdesivir Allocation by Monday | Submit Comment Letters on CMS Medicare FFY 2020 IPPS Proposed Rule by July 10 | CMS Reinstates Reporting Requirements for its Quality Reporting and Value Programs

June 26
AHA Launches Daily Snapshot Tool from ArkPrepare and AHA Analytics | American Hospital Association to Host Virtual Advocacy Day | CMS Clarifies Pause on LTCH Policy | NQF Task Force Report Provides Roadmap to Advance Health Care Quality Priorities | House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hears Testimony on Coronavirus Response | CDC Expands List of Those at Risk of Severe COVID-19 Illness

June 21
Arkansas Legislative Council Approves AHA and DHS Proposal for $110M Allocation to Hospitals from AR CARES Act | American Hospital Association Annual Survey Deadline Extended | AHA Analytics Discharge Data Reports Updated | U.S. Supreme Court Hands Down Decision Prohibiting Workplace Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity | FDA Updates Authorization Templates for Asymptomatic, Pooled Testing | IRS outlines Telehealth Spending Flexibilities Under CARES Act

June 12
Department of Health and Human Services Announces Additional Distributions from CARES Act Provider Relief Fund | Monday is the Last Day to Submit Hospital Direct & Non-Direct Care Worker Payment Requests to DHS | Register Now for the Executive Leadership Virtual Summit: FREE to AHA Members | Regional COVID-19 Support Groups Available to Health Care Workers | Minority Health Research Funding Available to Support Health Conditions Secondary to COVID-19

May 22
Arkansas Blood Institute Seeks Help from Hospitals  |  ADH Announces Online Ordering Process for COVID-19 Testing Supplies  |  HHS Awards Contract to Make Essential Medicine Ingredients and Generics in U.S.  |  FDA Provides Promised Transparency for COVID-19 Antibody Tests  |  AmHA Informational Calls on IRF and LTCH Proposed Rules  |  Cybersecurity Threat: Website Impersonations  |  New Resource Links  |  Hospitals in the News  |  Learning & Networking Opportunities

May 15
Happy Hospital Week from AHA!  |  AHA Information and Resources on COVID-19  |  AHA Urges Supreme Court to Reverse Appeals Court Ruling on ACA  |  Call for Speakers: 2021 AmHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference  |  FY 2021 Inpatient and LTCH Proposed Payment Rules: AmHA Summaries  |  Hospitals in the News  |  AHA Offers FREE Resiliency Webinar  |  Virtual Learning Opportunities in May

April 30
AHA Information and Resources on COVID-19  |  Links to COVID-19 Resources  |  Report: "Confronting America's Rural Health Care Crisis"  |  CMS Hosts Calls Featuring "Lessons From the Front Lines"  |  AHA Offers Free Telehealth Webinar: WEDNESDAY, MAY 6  |  Virtual Learning Opportunities from AHA

April 21
AHA Information and Resources on COVID-19  |  Governor Hutchinson Assembles Economic Recovery Task Force  |  Governor Hutchinson Awards $10M in Block Grants to Rural Hospitals  |  American Hospital Association Annual Survey Deadline Extended to July 1  |  Arkansas Hospital Association Salary Survey Results Are In  |  2020 Diamond Awards Deadline Extended to June 15  |  Virtual Learning Opportunities from AHA

April 13
AHA Information and Resources on COVID-19  |  100 Million Mask Challenge and HealthEquip Supercharge Efforts to Meet PPE Demand During COVID-19 Pandemic  |  “Protect the Heroes” Campaing Facilitates Direct Donation Support to Local Hospitals  

March 17
AHA Information and Resources on COVID-19  |  Arkansas Department of Health Influenza Weekly Report  |  Declaration of National Emergency and CMS Waivers Update  |  American Hospital Association Annual Survey is Open  |  Changes to AHA Education Calendar

March 9
COVID-19 Testing Update  |  AHA Hosts Weekly Calls with COVID-19 Outbreak Updates for Members  |  March 8th-14th is Patient Safety Awareness Week  |  CMS Suspends Survey Activities Due to COVID-19 Response  |  Arkansas Department of Health Influenza Weekly Report

March 2
Arkansas Hospitals Prepare for COVID-19  |  State Hospital Associations File Amicus Brief in Support of AmHA's Motion for Summary Judgement Against HHS Price Disclosure Final Rule  |  Supreme Court Will Review ACA Case  |  2020 Census Outreach Resources: Spread the Word in Your Community  |  Arkansas Department of Health Influenza Weekly Report

February 24  
Arkansas PBM Case Will Be Heard April 27 by U.S. Supreme Court  |  ADH Forms Arkansas Maternal Mortality Review Committee  |  Discharge Data Due to AHA Analytics on March 1  |  Plan to Attend the March Rural Hospitals Executive Leadership Meeting  |  USDA-Rural Development Distance Learning/Telemedicine and Broadband Workshops for Funding Opportunities  |  KEPRO Update: Hospital Discharge Appeal Notices  |  ADH Arkansas Trauma System Rules and Regulations Revision Update  |  Update to HospitalCareers.com Includes New Features for Employers  |  Register to Attend AmHA Webinar on COVID-19 Response
 
February 18
Appeals Court Upholds Decision Blocking AR Medicaid Work Requirement  |  COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates & Resources  |  Arkansas Department of Health Influenza Weekly Report  |  Deadline Extended: Still Time to Participate in the Salary Survey  |  AHA Analytics Static Reports Updated
 
February 10
Marcy Doderer Joins AHA Board of Directors  |  AHA Salary Survey Responses Due This Friday, February 14  |  Reminder from CMS: Inpatient Hospital Wage Index Timeline  |  Reminder from USP: New and Revised Compounding Standards for USP Chapters <797> and <800>  |  Funding Opportunity from HRSA: Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Implementation  |  CMS Proposes Changes to Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D  |  Save the Date: 18th Annual Mid-South Critical Access Hospital Conference  |  Save the Date: Qualivis Roundtable

February 04
Call for Nominees: 2020 AHA Diamond Awards  |  Federal Court Vacates HIPAA Guidance  |  CMS Issues Guidance to States on Medicaid Block Grants, Gov. Hutchinson Responds  |  Arkansas BCBS Funds Digital Upgrade for Members of ARHP  |  Arkansas Department of Health Interim Guidance on Coronavirus  |  Create Safe Environments Through Workplace Violence Prevention Training

January 27
CDC Offers Guidance to Providers on Novel Coronavirus  |  Notice: Protect Your Workers' Compensation Claims  |  AFMC Updates Inpatient Stay Prior Authorization Request Process  |  Report Spotlight

January 21
AHA Salary Survey Live, Additional Tools Provided  |  Resource Spotlight: Care Coordination Canvas Guide by Rural Health Innovations  |  2020 Governor's Quality Award Healthcare Seminar  |  2020 Joint Commission Resources CSR Spring and Fall Workshops  |  Cardinal Health Alerts Customers to Product Quality Issues  |  KEPRO Announces Transition Back to QMARS  |  Hospital Compare January Refresh Includes Update of Star Ratings

January 13
AHA Analytics Interactive Quality Reports Available  |  AHA Salary Survey Now Live  |  Support Available to Members in Interpreting CMS Medicare CY 2020 OPPS Rule  |  New Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice (MOON)  |  AmHA Releases Model Comment Letter on Proposed Rule Requiring Health Plans to Disclose Negotiated Rates and Personalized Cost-sharing Information  |  Appeals Court Upholds Nationwide Preliminary Injunction on DHS Rule  |  TRENDWATCH Report on Hospital and Health System Workforce Strategic Planning (from AmHA)
 


AHA STAFF CONTACT



Ashley Warren
Director of Communications
(501) 224-7878
Click to Email

2019