New Resources Provide Updates, Insight into Health Insurance Trends

February 15, 2019

The Commonwealth Fund recently released a survey assessing the extent and quality of coverage for U.S. working-age adults, and an interactive map that lays out states' efforts to access adequate health insurance.

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Supreme Court Committee Postpones Consideration of Venue Rule Change

February 14, 2019

Following significant outcry from the hospital community, health care leaders, business leaders, and policymakers, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Civil Procedural Rules Committee today announced that it will delay making changes to a key medical liability rule until it has reviewed the results of a legislative study.

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Newly Introduced Federal Legislation Would Offer Flexibility for Rural Hospitals to Meet the Needs of Rural Communities

February 13, 2019

Two new legislative proposals introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would provide flexibility for rural providers to appropriately manage the length of stay of patients served by critical access hospitals and better leverage the clinical workforce to provide care to patients in underserved communities.

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PA Health System Honored with Foster G. McGaw Prize for Excellence in Community Health Improvement

February 12, 2019

Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health has been named the 2018 Foster G. McGaw Prize Winner, recognizing the system’s work to address Lancaster County’s social determinants of health and wellness needs.

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House State Budget Hearings Begin with Independent Fiscal Office

February 11, 2019

Today, the state House Appropriations Committee began its series of Pennsylvania state budget hearings, with testimonies from the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO), Department of Revenue, and Department of Aging.

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HAP Achievement Award Spotlight: St. Luke’s University Hospital—Improving the Safety of Joint Replacements

February 08, 2019

St. Luke’s University Hospital was awarded HAP’s “In Safe Hands" 2018 Achievement Award for its success in reducing post-operative complications for patients undergoing elective total knee and hip replacement.

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HAP Convenes Health Care Talent Task Force; Efforts Align with Governor’s Budget Priorities

February 07, 2019

HAP has convened a Health Care Talent Task Force to guide the development of strategies that will help attract and retain the health care talent pool needed to provide quality, patient-centered care for Pennsylvania communities. The goals of the workforce align with the Governor’s dedication to developing Pennsylvania’s workforce as expressed during his recent budget address.

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New AHA and HHS Roadmaps for Sustainable Rural Health Care Align with HAP Initiatives

February 06, 2019

The American Hospital Association (AHA) this week released a new report, “Challenges Facing Rural Communities and the Roadmap to Ensure Local Access to High-quality Affordable Care,” outlining the challenges that threaten rural hospitals’ ability to maintain access to health care services in their communities.  Also this week, in remarks at the National Rural Health Association’s meeting in Washington, D.C., Alex Azar II, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) unveiled three strategies for making rural health care affordable, accessible, and high quality.

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Governor Wolf’s Budget Proposal Protects Hospital Supplementals and Tobacco Funds and Spotlights Workforce Development

February 05, 2019

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HAP Statement: Governor’s Budget Plan Protects Key Hospital Funding Lines, Spotlights Workforce Development

February 05, 2019

Andy Carter, President and CEO of The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP), released the following statement regarding Governor Tom Wolf's state budget address, which was delivered today.

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State Senate Passes Senate Judiciary Chair Baker’s Resolution Calling for Study on Venue Rule Change

February 05, 2019

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne) secured Senate approval for her resolution to study the Supreme Court Civil Procedural Rules Committee’s proposed rule change to venue.

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Jim Redmond, HAP Senior Advocate and Strategist, Loses Battle to Cancer

February 04, 2019

Pennsylvania has lost a leading hospital and health care champion. James M. Redmond, former senior advocate and strategist for HAP, lost his battle with cancer this morning.

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AHA Court Filing Calls for Full Restoration of 340B Cuts

February 04, 2019

In a court-ordered brief filed late last week, the American Hospital Association (AHA) and others demanded that hospitals that received payment cuts of almost 30 percent for their 340B prescription drug claims be “made whole.” 

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HAP Achievement Award Spotlight: St. Luke’s Hospital – Quakertown Campus

February 01, 2019

St. Lukes Hospital - Quakertown Campus was awarded HAP’s Optimal Operations 2018 Achievement Award for its multidisciplinary approach to improving operating room procedure start times.

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Legislation Introduced to Remove Last Name on Health Care Worker Identification

January 31, 2019

Representative Pam Snyder reintroduced her legislation to remove the last name of a health care worker from the facility identification badge. HAP supports this effort to ensure hospital and health system employees are safer. 

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