Governor Corbett signed Senate Bill 5 into law as Act 10 of 2013. The HAP-supported legislation establishes the Community-Based Health Care Program in the Department of Health (DOH), and provides financial support for hospital and other health clinics. Act 10 establishes a Community-Based Health Care grant program under DOH; creates a methodology for the allocation of grant awards; requires a 25 percent matching commitment of cash or in-kind services by the grantee; and requires that grants to hospital clinics be administered by the Department of Public Welfare under a separate methodology. The effective date is 90 days upon enactment of the bill. Funding to implement the Act will need to be appropriated in the 2013-2014 state budget.

U.S. Senators Mark Pryor (D-AR) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) introduced a Senate companion bill to the Medicare Audit Improvement Act, legislation supported by the American Hospital Association (AHA) and HAP to improve the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program and other Medicare audit programs. This legislation provides much needed guidance for auditors while keeping them out of making medical decisions that should be between patients and their physicians. It also will improve recovery auditor transparency and allow denied inpatient claims to be billed as outpatient claims when appropriate. Representatives Sam Graves (R-MO) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced the legislation in the House.

Health care providers should not use any sterile products made and distributed by NuVision Pharmacy of Dallas due to concerns about a lack of sterility assurance, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced. FDA advises providers to immediately quarantine the products and report any adverse reactions or quality problems to its MedWatch program. During April, NuVision voluntarily recalled methylcobalamin and lyophilized injection products due to FDA concerns about sterility and quality control. FDA had received reports of fever, flu-like symptoms, and injection-site soreness associated with the methylcobalamin product.