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Connection Newsletter
By AzHHA Communications ● Jan. 30, 2025
Smart Brevity® count: 5.5 mins...1417 words
This week, read about:
- Week three happenings at the legislature.
- Immigration enforcement in hospitals.
- The AHA Annual Membership Meeting in May.
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Updates from the Health and Human Services committees and what’s next for our priority bills

We are 18 days into the legislative session, with 1,069 bills and 76 memorials/resolutions introduced.
Both health committees were in full swing this week.
- Under new leadership, the House Health and Human Services Committee dusted off its cobwebs and held its first meeting of this session, which lasted nearly four hours. During this meeting, six bills were heard.
- The Senate Health and Human Services Committee also met on Wednesday, hearing six bills on its agenda.
AzHHA opposed HB2132 (hospitals; outpatient surgical centers; nurses), which mandates that an RN serve as the circulator nurse for their assigned case without the ability to rotate between surgical suites or involve other medical professionals in that role.
- While our hospital members already follow this standard due to national accreditation requirements, we expressed concerns to the bill’s sponsors and stakeholders about unnecessary regulatory burdens.
- Despite these discussions, hospitals remained included in the bill, prompting our opposition. During the hearing, several testimonies highlighted challenges in outpatient surgical centers, and one RN even acknowledged that this is not an issue for hospitals.
- The bill has passed out of committee for now, though several members raised concerns—this will be an issue to watch. You can watch the testimony here.
On Tuesday evening, AzHHA also addressed HB2197 (certificate of necessity; repeal) before the newly formed Regulatory Oversight Committee.
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Our position was neutral, but we took the opportunity to highlight concerns with the current Certificate of Necessity (CON) system, particularly regarding interfacility transportation. You can watch our testimony here.
Our priority bill, HB2124 (hospitals; interfacility transport), seeks to exempt hospitals from the CON process for interfacility transportation.
- It was assigned to the House Commerce Committee this week.
- Following feedback from hospitals and fire districts holding interfacility CONs, we are working on an amendment to address their concerns. More details to come!
What’s next: The Senate Health and Human Services Committee agenda has yet to be released, but we are gearing up for a busy Monday in the House Health and Human Services Committee. Two of AzHHA’s priority bills will be heard:
AzHHA will sign in support of these bills and testify on behalf of its members. You can watch the hearing on Monday at this link.
The session is now in full swing, and things are moving quickly. As always, if you have any concerns or questions, please contact Damien Johnson, director of government relations.
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Immigration enforcement in hospitals

On Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, President Donald Trump signed several executive orders including a policy to allow the arrests of individuals without legal status who are in or near “sensitive locations” such as schools, places of worship, the site of a religious event and hospitals.
- It is worth noting that a proposal to formalize such protections died in Congress in 2023.
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Read the statement from the Department of Homeland Security.
Why it matters: The change in immigration enforcement could potentially lead to patients avoiding seeking necessary care due to fear of deportation.
Our take: Arizona hospitals are here to take care of patients, and we do this in compliance with the law.
- Hospitals and healthcare workers are here to provide exceptional patient care and are not required to determine any patient’s immigration status, nor are healthcare workers immigration enforcement officers.
What’s next: At this time, it is unclear how ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection enforcement actions will unfold here in Arizona. AzHHA’s policy team will continue to monitor the latest developments.
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Attend the AHA Annual Membership Meeting in Washington, D.C.
The American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Membership Meeting will be held from May 4-6, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
Why it matters: Join AzHHA at the event and on our Arizona delegation Hill visits. This is an important way we can make sure our collective voice is heard at the federal level.
The big picture: The meeting will feature insightful conversations with policymakers, legislators and thought leaders on our most pressing issues.
- You’ll connect with decision makers who create, shape and implement healthcare policy and influence the political landscape.
What’s next: Save with early-bird registration pricing until Monday, March 3, 2025.
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Last chance to register: 2025 AzCHER medical response surge exercise
The 2025 Arizona Coalition for Healthcare Emergency Response (AzCHER) medical response surge exercise is from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
- The deadline to register is tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025.
Who should attend:
- Acute care hospitals
- Long-term care facilities
- Public health stakeholders
- County and tribal emergency management professionals
The bottom line: Participation will enhance your organization’s preparedness level, identify and address gaps and build stronger partnerships.
Next steps: If you are interested in attending, please reach out to your AzCHER regional manager or Jamie Beauvais.
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Meeting patients’ perinatal mental health needs

Last week, the American Hospital Association posted an article about the prevalence of perinatal mental health conditions and how hospitals can optimize postpartum mental health support.
Why it matters: You’ll find resources including:
- A webinar recording featuring a panel discussion on providing maternal mental healthcare.
- An overview of the programming and practice at Women’s Hospital in Baton Rouge La., and the University of Colorado Hospital.
- Resources such as training and certificate programs and the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline.
By the numbers:
- One in eight women report symptoms of postpartum depression after birth.
- One in five pregnant or postpartum women experience anxiety.
- Sixty-five percent of pregnancy-associated morbidity and mortality happens during the postpartum period and are primarily caused by mental health conditions.
What’s next: AzHHA and ADHS are in the process of launching two new key AIM bundles to tackle maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorder in Arizona. Stay tuned for more information.
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AzHHA releases DataGen reports
In relationship with DataGen, AzHHA distributes reports to hospitals based on information submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. DataGen generates hospital-specific reports which are sent to AzHHA hospital members as part of their membership.
Why it matters: This data helps hospitals understand the financial impact of proposed changes and annual updates.
- The reports can also assist in preparing budgets or benchmarking results with other similar organizations.
The below reports were recently sent to members:
- 3Q2024 Value-based purchasing analysis (sent on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024)
- 3Q2024 Inpatient Quality Program measure trends analysis (sent Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025)
- Post acute care transfer analysis (sent Friday, Jan. 24, 2025)
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Feb. 5-6 - Medical Leadership in Disaster Preparedness and Response Virtual Conference This two half-day virtual conference will bring together individuals who have a medical direction role during disasters to discuss the spectrum of medical leadership responsibilities and some of the specific challenges of the role. Medical education credits will be available through ACEP for attendees. Learn more and register.
Wednesday, Feb. 12 - Introduction to POLST Join physician orders for life-sustaining treatment paradigm (POLST) for their one-hour virtual workshops equipping healthcare professionals with knowledge and resources to begin using POLST in Arizona. Register here.
Tuesday, March 11 - Health Equity Roadmap Workshop: The Waypoint The Institute for Diversity and Health Equity (IFDHE) will convene hospitals and health systems engaged in the Health Equity Roadmap. Attendees may earn one or two ACHE Qualified Education Hours toward initial certification or recertification of the Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) designation. Learn more and register.
April 15-16 - 2025 Arizona Immunization Conference This one-of-a-kind event provides education and resources so you can better understand the challenges around vaccine confidence and leave the conference encouraged by the success stories from around the state. Join over 500 attendees at the 2025 conference. Learn more and register.
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