Committees
Those who know the tax-paying hospital industry best – the health care professionals who manage and operate our high-quality hospitals – constitute the Federation of American Hospitals (FAH) membership and its committee structure, which long has been the backbone of our organization. The active involvement of our members is even more essential as political and regulatory issues facing the industry have grown in complexity, importance and political sensitivity.
The members who voluntarily serve on FAH committees consist of top executives from various management areas of operations including: finance, government relations, public affairs, quality assurance, and materials management.
The Federation of American Hospitals’ key committees are:
Audit, Ethics, Compliance and Administrative Affairs Committee
Exposition Advisory Committee
Health Financing Committee
Legal and Operational Policy Committee
Legislative Committee
Managed Care Committee
Nominating Committee
Public Relations Committee
Quality Committee
Rural Hospital Committee
Emergency Preparedness Task Force
Federal Tax Task Force
Health Information Technology Task Force
Pharmacy Task Force
Audit, Ethics, Compliance and Administrative Affairs Committee
The Audit, Ethics, Compliance and Administrative Affairs Committee reviews all controls, systems initiated, and accounting policies; evaluates recommendations of the independent auditing firm pertaining to the annual financial audit and recommends appropriate action; approves new members and bad debt “write-offs” and works with the Federation of American Hospitals (FAH) treasurer and the Board of Directors to effect an efficient management of FAH’s business affairs. It also oversees and coordinates all internal administrative affairs of FAH including membership services, publications, meetings and FAH Conference and Exhibition.
| Chair: | David Dill Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Lifepoint Health |
| FAH Staff: | Kerry Price Katie Tenoever Chip Kahn Letitia Faison, CPA |
Exposition Advisory Committee
The Exposition Advisory Committee assists the Federation of American Hospitals (FAH) staff in planning, promoting and evaluating the business exposition and educational workshops held in conjunction with the Annual Public Policy Conference and Business Exposition. The Committee serves as a liaison between FAH, Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) and Integrated Delivery Networks (IDNs).
| Chair: | Joey Dickson AVP, Strategic Sourcing – Purchased Services, Chief Diversity Officer HealthTrust |
| FAH Staff: | Kerry Price Christine Choi |
Health Financing Committee
The Federation of American Hospitals’ (FAH) Health Financing Committee, which analyzes and comments on federal legislation, rulemaking by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and policy proposals by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission for their effects on acute hospital reimbursement and payment policies, is at the core of FAH’s operation. It also focuses on legislative and regulatory issues related to rehabilitation, psychiatric and long-term care hospitals.
| Chair: | Bob Halinski Vice President, Reimbursement Universal Health Services |
| FAH Staff: | Steve Speil Donald May |
Legal and Operational Policy Committee
The Legal and Operational Policy Committee serves a vital role in advising the Federation of American Hospitals on legal, operational and regulatory issues. The committee is involved with issues related to the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), antitrust, health care liability, HIPAA, regulatory reform, fraud and abuse, and compliance issues. The committee interacts closely with the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HHS Office of Inspector General and other regulatory agencies.
| Chair: | Jason Pinkall Senior Counsel Tenet Healthcare Corporation |
| FAH Staff: | Katie Tenoever |
Legislative Committee
Since hospitals are one of the most highly regulated industries in the country, the Federation of American Hospitals’ (FAH) Legislative Committee is one of the most active. In developing strategy and advocating FAH’s legislative agenda, committee members are able to lend their health care expertise to Washington and offer sensible, realistic input on legislation. In addition, members work within their companies and hospitals to develop alliances with like-minded associations and other providers. By coordinating constituent contacts and framing our advocacy message, the committee serves as a valuable resource for FAH’s grassroots program.
| Chair: | Kara Townsend Director of Policy and Federal Affairs HCA Healthcare, Inc. |
| FAH Staff: | Char MacDonald Rebecca Heilig |
Managed Care Committee
The Managed Care Committee plays an important role in advising the Federation of American Hospitals on a broad set of policy, regulatory and legislative matters related to Medicaid, managed care and delivery system reform. In Medicaid, the Committee reviews, analyzes and discusses all hospital-related Medicaid issues. The Committee also provides analysis and input on all managed care issues impacting hospitals including those with Medicare Advantage and private market insurance. Finally, the Committee is involved in advising on delivery system reform issues including those models developed and implemented by CMS’s Innovation Center.
| Chair: | Carol Han Vice President, Managed Care Tenet Health Corporation |
| FAH Staff: | Donald May Steve Speil Katie Tenoever |
Nominating Committee
The purpose of the Federation of American Hospitals (FAH) Nominating Committee is to select a slate of officers and directors for FAH and to review and verify eligibility of the nominees for the Board of Governors.
| Chair: | David M. Dill Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Lifepoint Health |
| FAH Staff: | Chip Kahn Katie Tenoever |
Public Relations Committee
The Federation of American Hospitals’ (FAH) advocacy role is supported by its Public Relations Committee, which works closely with other committees to craft the association’s message on legislative, regulatory and industry developments. It also serves as an educational resource for the public and the media focusing on (with regard to) the benefits and contributions FAH member hospitals bring to the communities they serve. Committee members include FAH member company (some of the industry’s) senior public affairs, government relations and communications professionals.
| Interim Chair: | Rebecca Kirkham Vice President, Media & Communications Ardent Health Services |
| FAH Staff: | Adam Broder Hallie Fuchs |
Quality Committee
The Quality Committee addresses patient safety and quality-related issues as they impact the nation’s hospitals. Specific duties include guiding Federation of American Hospitals’ participation in the Hospital Quality Alliance, the review of federal quality-related legislation and regulations, as well as the work of The Joint Commission (TJC), the National Quality Forum, the Leapfrog Group, and other quality-related organizations. The committee also works closely with the Legal and Operational Policy Committee on areas of mutual interest and the Health Financing Committee regarding pay for performance initiatives.
| Chair: | Joanne Hardin, RN, BSN, MBA VP, Clinical Outcomes Ardent Health Services |
| FAH Staff: | Tilithia McBride Donald May Steve Speil |
Rural Hospital Committee
The Federation of American Hospitals (FAH) membership includes nearly 400 rural hospitals and health systems. With nearly one-in-four Medicare beneficiaries living in rural America, FAH’s Rural Committee serves as not only a focal point for rural hospital issues, but also as an educational tool for congressional members and their staffs on rural issues in their communities. Through this committee -and in conjunction with the Legislative, Health Financing and Public Relations Committees – FAH’s rural membership develops and advocates policies to increase the quality of health care delivery in rural America.
| Chair: | Doug Skrzyniarz Vice President, Government Relations Community Health Systems |
| FAH Staff: | Rebecca Heilig Char MacDonald |
Emergency Preparedness Task Force
The purpose of the Emergency Preparedness Task Force is to provide expertise to federal policy makers as they consider legislation and/or regulations concerning nuclear, biological, and chemical attacks and natural disasters, including hurricanes and pandemics, by creating an expert body of Federation of American Hospitals member personnel with a range of backgrounds and professional responsibilities. The Task Force will also provide direction to FAH staff on how the association can be helpful during future preparedness situations affecting its members.
| Chair: | Michael Wargo, N, BSN, MBA, PHRN, CMTE Assistant Vice President, Preparedness and Management – Clinical Services Group HCA Healthcare |
| FAH Staff: | TBD |
Federal Tax Task Force
| Chair: | Lee Grubbs Vice President Chief Tax Officer HCA Healthcare, Inc. |
| FAH Staff: | Katie Tenoever |
Health Information Technology Task Force
The Health Information Technology Task Force (HIT), which reports to the Quality Committee, identifies and prioritizes key hospital issues in HIT adoption, such as standards, incentives, tax-paying parity and funding.
| Chair: | Ann Addeo Manager, Regulatory Reporting and Data Analytics Lifepoint Health |
| FAH Staff: | Don May Katie Tenoever Tilithia McBride |
Pharmacy Task Force
The Pharmacy Task Force assists FAH in developing policy and advocacy efforts on hospital pharmacy issues. The Task Force will help guide FAH policy on issues such as drug shortages, compounding, the FDA drug approval process, pricing, disposal and the DEA’s narcotics regulation. It will also assist in comment on relevant chapters of the U.S. Pharmacopeia. The Task Force will work closely with the Quality Committee on areas of mutual interest.
| Chair: | TBD |
| FAH Staff: | Donald May |
