Rick Pollack

Access & Health Coverage, Advocacy & Public Policy, Medicaid DSH, Site-Neutral Payment Proposals

Keeping up the Pressure to Protect Access to Care

As we’ve seen from recent media reports, Congress — and especially the House right now — continues to struggle to put together a plan to keep the government funded and avoid a potential shutdown that few want to see.

Hospitals Against Violence, Workplace Safety, Workplace Violence

Protecting Health Care Workers Who Care for and Protect All of Us

Hospitals are places of healing, health and hope. They strive to create safe spaces for the patients and communities they serve and the dedicated team members who work there each and every day.

Advocacy & Public Policy, Leadership, Site-Neutral Payment Proposals, 340B Drug Pricing Program

Standing Up to Protect Patient Access to Care and Services

With only 11 days that the House and Senate are in session together before the fiscal year concludes, much of the attention in Washington is on how Congress will fund the government and whether there will be a government shutdown.

Physician Self-Referral Law/Stark law, Physician-owned Hospitals

Keeping the Brakes on Physician-owned Hospitals is Best for Patients

Fair competition has always been the driving principle of our nation’s economy. This includes health care, and it’s the reason the Ethics in Patient Referrals Act, more commonly known as the “Stark Law,” has been on the books for decades to protect the Medicare program from the inherent conflict of interest created when physicians self-refer their patients to facilities and services in which they have a financial stake.

Access to Behavioral Health, Substance Use Disorder, Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), Commercial Insurer Accountability

A Strong Step on Enhanced Mental Health Parity Regulations

For years, many commercial health insurers treated coverage for mental health or substance use disorders (SUD) very differently than for medical and surgical benefits.

Advocacy & Public Policy, Site-Neutral Payment Proposals

Make August Count: Host Your Lawmakers at Your Hospital

Legislators need to be aware of the work that hospitals and health systems do now more than ever because the House and Senate are considering so-called site-neutral legislation that would further reduce Medicare funding for patient services provided by hospitals.

Innovation, Innovation/New Models of Care

Innovating to Lead the Way to a Healthier America

In recent years, the dedication to innovation has been fueled in part by advancements in technology. Patients right now — and in the future — can expect more care delivery that is driven by 3D modeling; predictive analytics; advanced robotics for surgeries and treatments; and personalized therapies based on genomics.

340B Drug Pricing Program

AHA Statement on Proposed 340B Remedy

After more than five years of litigation and a unanimous Supreme Court victory, the AHA is extremely pleased that 340B hospitals will finally be paid back what they deserve so they can continue providing care to their patients and communities. We are especially gratified that HHS agreed with the AHA’s position that these hospitals must be promptly repaid in full with a single lump-sum.

Medicare, Access & Health Coverage, Access to Care in Vulnerable Communities

Proposed Medicare Cuts Jeopardize Access to Care for Patients and Communities

Congress is considering several pieces of legislation that would impose billions of dollars in additional Medicare payment cuts for services provided by hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs).

Leadership

Developing the Next Generation of Health Care Leaders

The late American economist and author Peter Drucker observed that "management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things."

That’s never been truer than in health care right now. Every day leaders face many serious challenges at once and make difficult decisions that will impact their organizations, patients and communities.