Policy & Advocacy

Northeast Ohio hospitals and healthcare providers deliver quality care to patients and support healthier communities. Our health systems continue to face unprecedented challenges, including workforce shortages, soaring costs of providing care, severe underpayment by Medicare and Medicaid, delays in payment by third-party insurers, and overwhelming regulatory burdens.

The Center for Health Affairs amplifies the voice of Northeast Ohio healthcare institutions to protect access to quality care and services for the communities we serve.

Our priorities:

Reject funding cuts and extend policies to ensure access to care.

• Reject harmful site-neutral payment policies.
• Prevent Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payment cuts.
• Protect the 340B Drug Pricing Program.

Support and strengthen the healthcare workforce.

• Support legislation that protects healthcare workers from workplace violence and promotes safe environments.
• Mitigate healthcare provider shortages.
• Support behavioral health programs for front-line healthcare workers.

Hold insurers accountable for practices that delay, deny and disrupt care.

• Streamline prior authorization to support timely access to care and reduce burden and administrative costs.
• Urge timely payment by insurers who delay and deny payment to providers.

Bolster support to enhance cybersecurity of hospitals and the entire healthcare system.

• Support voluntary performance goals for implementation across the entire healthcare sector.
• Strengthen coordination and help providers and business associates prepare for and respond to cyber threats.

The Center for Health Affairs has joined forces with The Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare to strengthen patients’ access to high-quality, life-saving healthcare — 24/7/365.