SHM's Letters to Policymakers

SHM supports the Senate reintroduction of the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act. This legislation will count all time spent under observation towards Medicare's three-day stay inpatient requirement for SNF coverage qualification.

The waiver allowing for the expansion of the Hospital at Home program is set to expire at the end of 2024. SHM joined a multi-stakeholder letter urging Congress to extend the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver program for at least five years.

SHM joins 170 other signatories urging the appropriations subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related agencies to allocate $500 million in funding for the Agency for Healthcare and Research and Quality (AHQR)

SHM joined other members of the Observation Coalition in commenting on the proposed appeals process for patients who were admitted as an inpatient and retroactively designated under outpatient.

CMS has submitted comments regarding the proposed appeals process in which patients, under limited circumstances, can appeal a retroactive classification as an outpatient.

SHM supports the reauthorization of this important legislation, which establishes grants that support training in strategies to reduce and prevent suicide, burnout, behavioral health conditions, and substance use disorders among healthcare professionals.

SHM supports the passage of the Directing Our Country's Transfer of Residency Slots (DOCTORS) Act. This legislation will help address nationwide physician shortages by reallocating unused waivers from the Conrad 30 waiver program to states that use their full allotment.

SHM supports the Reintroduction of the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act. This legislation will help address healthcare worker shortages by recapturing 40,000 unused employment-based visas and utilizing them to expedite processing for immigrant doctors and nurses.

SHM joined dozens of other medical societies urging Congress to take immediate action to stop the impending 3.7 percent payment reduction, slated to go into effect January 1, 2024.

SHM supports the reintroduction of the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Relief Act, which will remove the requirement that physicians in CAHs certify, with reasonable certainty, that an individual patients anticipated length of stay (LOS) will be 96 hours of less.

SHM supports the introduction of the SAVE Act, which will create legal penalties for individuals who intentionally assault or intimidate any hospital workers on-site, regardless of how they are employed.

SHM, alongside dozens of medical and specialty societies, support the GOP Doctor's Caucus budget neutrality reform proposal.

SHM and thirty three other organizations joined a multi-stakeholder effort in support of legislation that will count time spent in observation towards Medicare's three day inpatient stay requirement for SNF coverage.

SHM Submits Comments on 2024 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule.

SHM Supports the Conrad State 30 Physician Access Reauthorization Act.

SHM Joins Multi-Stakeholder Letter Supporting the Conrad State 30 Physician Access Reauthorization Act.

SHM submitted feedback on the Addressing Social Needs eQCM.

CMS submitted comments on the IPPS Proposed Rule. Our comments oppose the adoption of duplicative measures across in Medicare quality reporting programs.

SHM joined 408 national, state, and local medical, public health, and research organizations urging the House and Senate appropriations committees to provide funding for public health research into firearm morbidity and mortality.

SHM joins dozens of other medical and specialty societies, supporting the passage of legislation that will provide annual inflationary updates for Medicare physician payments.

SHM has submitted comments to the Senate HELP committee regarding the healthcare workforce shortage. Our comments address administrative burden, the medical school pipeline, and more.

SHM has submitted comments on a proposed rule regarding the prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. We support proposals to streamline the prior authorization process and to increase transparency.

SHM joined AMA and other medical societies on a letter urging CMS to develop the MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) as a model to improve quality, reduce burden, and advance value-based care.

SHM submitted comments on proposals requiring Medicare Advantage (MA) plans follow the Two-Midnight Rule when determining hospital admission status.