General News
2005 - 2006

Letter to the Editor
December 28, 2006

Hospital rules face changes - Atlanta Business Chronicle
December 8, 2006

Hospital Wars
December 7, 2006

Legislative Update
December 6, 2006

Idaho Specialty Hospital Moratorium Blocked
December 6, 2006

FY 2007 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule
November 6, 2006
By Centers for Medicare & Medicade Services

AHA MD Owned Ambulatory Settings
October 31, 2006

Grassley Press Release on Nonprofits
September 13, 2006

AHA Report on Nonprofit Charity Care Study
September 12, 2006

CMS Issues Specialty Hospital Reports
August 10, 2006

Crapo Lauds Ruling on Specialty Hospitals
August 8, 2006

AHA Letter to CMS
June 12, 2006

ASHA White Paper
April 18, 2006

FAH Comments to CMS Study
March 31, 2006
By Charles N. Kahn III, President of Federation of American Hospitals

AMA Comments to CMS Study
March 3, 2006

Galen Institute Hosts Congressional Staff Briefing on Specialty Hospitals
July 28, 2005
ASHA would like to congratulate the Galen Institute for hosting a very successful luncheon briefing for Congressional staff on the specialty hospital debate last week. See below for the briefing agenda. ASHA would also like to thank Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) for his opening remarks. ASHA's lead lobbyist Randy Fenninger produced a summary (see below) of the meeting. The speakers were: Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) Regina Herzlinger, Harvard Business School Al Dobson, the Lewin Group David Hyman, University of Illinois College of Law Harvey Yamplosky, Arent Fox Kelby Krabbenhoft, Sioux Valley Hospitals Bios and presentations are available as PDF's below.

ASHA Sends Response Letter to CMS Regarding Definition of Specialty Hospital
June 29, 2005

ASHA Welcomes Expiration of Moratorium on Specialty Hospitals
June 8, 2005

ASHA Sends Response Letter to Senator Grassley Regarding Georgetown Public Policy Report
May 4, 2005

ASHA Challenges Recent Report Claiming Link Between Physician
April 2, 2005

HECG reports on lack of threat by Specialty Hospitals
February 23, 2005
ASHA commissions HECG to report formally what the association has known for years. Ever since the 18 month moratorium was set in place ASHA has continually advocated for patients right to choose and that specialty hospitals are not a threat to general hospitals.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting
February 4, 2005
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) will be holding its annual meeting in Washington, DC from Feb. 23-27. Some of your orthopedic surgeons may be attending the meeting. While Congress will be in recess that week, it is still a good opportunity to meet with their staff to discuss the importance of surgical hospitals and present the ASHA arguments against continuation of the moratorium. We understand that AAOS is not organizing any Hill visits because of the Congressional recess. If any of your doctors would like to participate in a meeting with Hill staff, please have them contact ASHA's Washington Representative, Randy Fenninger, directly at 202-833-0007 or at randy@marcassoc.com. He will need to know the name of their Member of Congress and times when the physician could be available during the week of the meeting. His office will arrange the appoinment with the doctor's Representative's office, as well as the Senate offices. He will provide confirmation to the physician, as well as talking points and background materials for the meeting. Should you or any of your physicians have further questions, please contact Randy directly.