News & Updates

We support the work that USPSTF has undertaken to better understand the relationship between food insecurity and health outcomes. Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the Draft Recommendation. We are providing comments related to implementing routine screenings, integrating with community resources, and future study recommendations.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the proposed Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities Fiscal Year 2025 rule. We are providing comments on the proposal to collect four new items as standardized resident assessment data elements beginning with the FY 2027 Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP).

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule. We are providing comments primarily on the request for information on services addressing health-related social needs. 

AFH applauds CMS’s use of payment policies to drive improvements in health equity. The OPPS rule governs how Medicare reimburses hospitals and outpatient facilities for services, and CMS is increasingly recognizing that factors like socioeconomic status, access to care, education, and environment (SDOH) directly impact patient health outcomes.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 proposed Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems (IPPS) for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Prospective Payment System rule. We are providing comments on several elements of the proposal, including the proposed changes to the severity level designation for the diagnosis codes describing inadequate housing and housing instability, collection of four new items as standardized patient assessment data elements beginning with the FY 2028 LTCH Quality Reporting Program (QRP), and more.

AFH applauds ONC’s commitment to leveraging health IT strategies that address electronic health information (EHI) access, exchange, and use that improves health equity and whole person care delivery through the connection of human services data. We appreciate ONC’s inclusion of health equity in the four goals of promoting health and wellness, enhancing the delivery and experience of care, accelerating research and innovation, and connecting the health systems with health data. Overall, we encourage ONC to continue to work closely with private organizations like payers, hospitals, health information management companies, community-based organizations (CBOs), and others to collect strategies and best practices in support of each of these goals.

We support the many steps that ASTP has taken to prioritize addressing health equity and SDOH. Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the Draft 2024-2030 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan. We are providing comments on the proposal related to the following goals: promote health and wellness, enhance delivery and experience of care, accelerate research and innovation, and connect the health systems with health data. We appreciate the effort ONC has taken to incorporate social determinants of health and health equity into their draft plan, ensuring the goals and anticipated outcomes are equitable and effective for all people and populations.