Action Center

Support the SAVE Act to Protect Health Care Workers

With Congress back in Washington, D.C., the AHA is asking hospital and health system leaders to contact their House members to cosponsor the bipartisan Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act of 2022.

The health care workforce needs Congress’ help to stop the increasing violence they face on the job. Recent studies indicate that 44% of nurses reported experiencing physical violence and 68% reported experiencing verbal abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Workplace violence has severe consequences for the entire health care system. Not only does violence cause physical and psychological injury for health care workers, workplace violence and intimidation make it more difficult for nurses, doctors and other clinical staff to provide quality patient care.

It is imperative that we deliver a strong, unified message: Congress should enact the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, which provides health care workers with similar protections to those currently provided to flight crews, flight attendants and airport workers.

In your conversations with your representatives requesting support of the SAVE Act, please:

Describe how violence against hospital employees has markedly increased since the pandemic and there is no sign of it receding. This surge in assaults on the health care workforce cannot continue, and we must do everything we can to protect them. See AHA’s new fact sheet on Workplace Violence and Intimidation, and the Need for a Federal Legislative Response.
Talk about your organization’s experience with increased violence against your nurses, doctors and clinical staff. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the health care field has experienced a marked increase in workplace violence. This violence causes severe consequences for the entire health care system. Nurses and doctors cannot provide attentive care when they are afraid for their personal safety. Increases in violence and intimidation exacerbates an already strained workforce.

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Working with Congress

Join an Alliance

AHA Advocacy Alliance were created to help you engage your legislators on specific issues that have a direct impact on your ability to continue providing quality health services in your community. Alliance activities include special briefing calls and emails to keep members up-to-date on key developments, breakout sessions at AHA Advocacy Days, direct member outreach and other issue-specific resources.

Support the Coalition to Protect America's Health Care

The Coalition to Protect America's Health Care was formed to protect access to the best quality health care for all Americans. We are a community of more than one million people who recognize the important role hospitals play in communities all over America, and advocate on their behalf to elected officials in Washington who too-often put funding for paitent care on chopping block.

Read about the Coalition

Learn about AHA's PAC

The AHA Political Action Committee (AHAPAC) allows eligible hospital leaders to make voluntary donations toward the support of federal candidates of both political parties who support the hospital policy agenda. AHAPAC is bipartisan, working with state hospital associations and others. AHAPAC raised more than $4 million for the 2018 elections, making more than 1,000 different contributions.

For more information, please email sdexter@aha.org.

Learn more about AHAPAC

The AHA Advocacy Alliancefor Coordinated Care

The AHA Advocacy Alliance for Coordinated Care focuses on ensuring adequate payment for the higher level of care capability that hospitals provide in the outpatient setting and for post-acute care providers. It also monitors payment reduction proposals for other care sites.

The AHA Advocacy Alliancefor Graduate Medical Education

The AHA Advocacy Alliance for Graduate Medical Education focuses on advocacy related to GME funding and ensuring an adequate supply of physicians. This alliance is a joint effort between the AHA and the Association of American Medical Colleges.

The AHA Advocacy Alliancefor Rural Hospitals

Building on the AHA's extensive work on behalf of small and rural hospitals, this alliance focuses on extending key Medicare provisions that would otherwise sunset, including the low-volume hospital payment adjustment, the Medicare-Dependent Hospital Program, Section 508 reclassifications and the outpatient hold harmless. In addition, the alliance will continue to work to protect Critical Access Hospitals and other rural hospital designations.

The AHA Advocacy Alliancefor the 340B Program

The AHA Advocacy Alliance for the 340B Program focuses primarily on promoting the value that the 340B program provides to hospitals, patients and communities, as well as preventing attempts to scale back this program. For more information, click here.

The AHA Advocacy Alliance for Rural Hospitals

The AHA Advocacy Alliance for Graduate Medical Education

The AHA Advocacy Alliance for Coordinated Care

The AHA Advocacy Alliance for the 340B Drug Pricing Program

The AHA Advocacy Alliance for the 340B Drug Pricing Program focuses primarily on promoting the value that the 340B program provides to hospitals, patients and communities, as well as preventing attempts to scale back this program. For more information, click here.