Other Key Agencies

Healthcare is one of the most-regulated businesses in the U.S. Click on one of the agencies listed below for more information on MHA’s education, outreach and advocacy work with these organizations.

03.09.2020  | COVID-19 Supplemental Funding Bill Enacted
On March 6, the president signed an $8.3 billion funding bill for COVID-19-related activities for the United States and abroad.
02.03.2020  | National Human Trafficking Training Features Brigham Health Expert
Through SOAR Training – Stop, Observe, Ask, Respond – healthcare and social service professionals are better able to recognize those who are at risk or who have experienced human trafficking.
01.20.2020  | Cardinal Health Surgical Gowns to Be Recalled
There is a “voluntary product hold” and pending nationwide recall of surgical gowns distributed by Cardinal Health of Dublin, Ohio.
01.13.2020  | ACA Proponents Ask for Quick Action; Justices Seem to Say, OK
The Supreme Court gave the Trump Administration and other parties opposing the ACA a quick timeline to file briefs.
11.11.2019  | PSOs Can Help Prevent Future Patient Safety Events
About 59% of U.S. hospitals participate in a patient safety organization (PSO) program, according to an analysis from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
10.21.2019  | Judges Put a Hold on Public Charge Rule
A series of federal judges on October 11 stayed a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) “public charge” rule.
09.23.2019  | McGovern & Clark Ask: Where’s the Drug Report?
Last week, a bipartisan Congressional letter, including signatures from Massachusetts Democrats James McGovern and Katherine Clark, asked the Interim FDA Commissioner when he expected the FDA to release its drug shortage report to Congress.
09.16.2019  | Massachusetts Healthcare Featured at Congressional Hearing
A Massachusetts patient, caregiver, and advocate were among those testifying last Wednesday before the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform about the Trump Administration’s termination of the deferred action program.
09.16.2019  | Hebrew SeniorLife & Brown to Lead National Alzheimer’s Project
Hebrew SeniorLife and Brown University have received a five-year $53.4 million grant from the National Institute on Aging to lead a nationwide effort to address Alzheimer’s disease.
09.09.2019  | State Receives Funding as Opioid-Fighting Efforts Continue
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week announced that it was distributing the first $301 million of a three-year $900 million grant to states to assist them in fighting the opioid crisis.
09.02.2019  | SAMHSA Proposes Revisions to Patient Record Guidelines
The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has released a proposed rule to revise the regulations which serve to protect patient records for the treatment of substance use disorder (SUD) patients.
08.26.2019  | Trump Administration Says it Will Fight Drug Pricing Ruling
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced last Wednesday that it would appeal a U.S. District Court judge’s ruling in July that struck down HHS’ plan to force pharmaceutical companies to disclose wholesale prices of their drugs
07.15.2019  | Streamlining Quality Measures
Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that it would convene a summit to streamline HHS’ quality programs.
06.10.2019  | Supreme Court Rules Against 2014 DSH Reimbursement Rule
The United States Supreme Court in a 7-1 decision last week determined that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) violated the law in 2014 when it changed a formula used to set Medicare reimbursements to disproportionate share hospit
05.13.2019  | TV Prescription Drug Ads Will Now Contain Cost Info
U.S. Health & Human Services has released a final rule requiring drug manufacturers to list the expected monthly costs to consumers of the prescription drugs they advertise on TV.
05.06.2019  | CBO Weighs in on Single-Payer
The Congressional Budget Office has released a new report that describes the primary features of a single-payer system as well as some design considerations Congress would have to take into account when creating one.
04.22.2019  | Boston Medical Center to Lead Large Opioid-Fighting Program
The National Institutes of Health has selected Boston Medical Center as one of four national sites that will receive a combined $350 million to combat the opioid crisis.
04.08.2019  | State Leaders Weigh in with the Feds on Opioid Issues
Despite the progress in Massachusetts fighting opioid use, the healthcare community and state political leaders are not letting up on the issue.
04.08.2019  | How Can Physician Practices Help Reduce Hospital Readmissions?
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has released a report that identifies primary care-based strategies for reducing hospital readmissions.
02.04.2019  | U.S. Attorney Lelling Says NO to SIFs
Last week the top federal law enforcement official in the state wrote a Boston Globe op-ed in which he essentially said, don’t even think about opening a SIF.

Resources

Click on the links below for easy access to information on important federal healthcare matters and MHA’s advocacy, outreach and other work on these issues.

Both of these include links to members list, committees, and legislation and records.
Click on the links below for easy access to information on important federal healthcare matters and MHA’s advocacy, outreach and other work on these issues.

Both of these include links to members list, committees, and legislation and records.