EO Proposes Accreditation Reforms for Higher Ed, Including Med Schools and Residency Programs
On April 23, President Donald Trump issued an
Executive Order (EO) directing the U.S. Secretary of Education to investigate and hold accountable accreditors of institutions of higher education (IHEs) that engage in unlawful discriminatory practices through diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and to reform and streamline the accreditation process to ensure that accredited IHEs offer high-quality, high-value education.
Among the entities that this EO will affect are the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and other accreditors of graduate medical education which, if suspended or terminated as accrediting agencies under federal law, could seriously impact healthcare providers.
Click here to view IHA’s overview of key provisions in this new EO and the potential implications for health facilities in Illinois and nationwide.
Medicaid IMPACT Revalidations Due TOMORROW for April Cohort
The Illinois Dept. of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) is currently conducting IMPACT Medicaid provider revalidations.
Providers in the April cohort must complete IMPACT revalidations by TOMMORROW, April 30.
IHA urges all providers to check their revalidation cycle due date, as well as servicing providers affiliated with their hospital, and submit necessary information to complete their revalidation. To check your revalidation due date, search the basic information page of your IMPACT enrollment. HFS has provided IHA with step-by-step instructions to check the status and due date of servicing providers that you can access
here.
If you are in this revalidation cycle and do not submit your revalidation information by April 30 you will be disenrolled from the IMPACT system and cannot receive retroactive enrollment.
If you are disenrolled from IMPACT, providers can no longer bill for services provided to Illinois Medicaid enrollees, including those enrolled in managed care organizations. Completing this information is necessary to continue receiving Medicaid reimbursement.
Click here to access step-by-step instructions on the IMPACT Provider Revalidation website, as well as a frequently asked questions document and a townhall webinar recording.
Showcase Your Hospital’s Commitment to Community Health
Does your organization improve community health and well-being through leadership and community partnerships? You are invited to showcase your commitment to community health by applying for the American Hospital Association’s (AHA) 2026 Foster G. McGaw Prize. The prize honors health delivery organizations that demonstrate alignment between community health needs and co-designed programs. Honorees forge effective collaborations with a broad range of community organizations to improve access to care and address societal factors influencing health.
Award winners have co-created mental health crisis clinics, expanded housing options to help people transition out of homelessness and used strategic investments to expand capacity in vital community benefit organizations. Like you, they make a difference in their communities.
This annual award will honor one winner and up to three finalists, who will be recognized at the 2026 AHA Leadership Summit in Denver. AHA is accepting applications through May 6.
Early Safety Alert: Intravascular Catheter Issue
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an
Early Alert highlighting a potentially high-risk device issue involving certain BD PowerPICC Intravascular Catheters. The devices affected are 4 Fr. Single Lumen PowerPICC catheters, both SOLO and non-SOLO versions, manufactured by BD and its subsidiary Bard Access Systems. The warning follows reports of material fatigue leaks in the catheters attributed to a resin issue in the tubing. This has led to cracking in the catheter body. The risks associated with material fatigue leakage include infiltration, extravasation, discomfort, phlebitis, bleeding, air embolism, foreign body embolism, infection and interruption to therapy. Consult the Early Alert to access a list of affected devices.
BD issued a recall notice to healthcare providers March 11, advising all unused affected catheters be destroyed, and recommended a review of the updated usage instructions for those already in use. For catheters in use, BD advises clinicians to monitor for signs of damage such as infusion pain, swelling or leakage at the insertion site.
Ten serious injuries have been reported as a result of the recall.
