IHA Daily Briefing: October 31

CISA Issues Advisory on Hospital Software Security Issue

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a medical advisory warning hospitals about two security issues in Vertikal Systems' Hospital Manager Backend Services that could allow cyber attackers to access and disclose sensitive system information. CISA said that Vertikal Systems fixed both issues by Sept. 19, but emphasized users should update their systems and take extra steps to protect them. Recommended mitigations include using firewalls, keeping networks separate and making sure virtual private networks are up to date.

DEADLINE TODAY: Medicaid IMPACT Revalidations Due

The Illinois Dept. of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) is currently conducting IMPACT Medicaid provider revalidations. Providers in the October cohort must complete IMPACT revalidations by TODAY, Friday, Oct. 31, in order to receive Medicaid reimbursement. IHA urges all providers to check their revalidation cycle due date-including physicians and physician groups affiliated with your hospitals-and to check for any incomplete revalidations. HFS has provided IHA with step-by-step instructions to check the status and due date of servicing providers that you can access here. The IMPACT Provider Revalidation website includes step-by-step instructions, a frequently asked questions document and a townhall webinar recording.

Research: H-1B Visa Fee Increase Could Exacerbate Doctor Shortage

According to research published in JAMA this week, the proposed increase in the fee for new H-1B visa applications could exacerbate the shortage of doctors in high-poverty and rural areas and increase disparities in care. Study authors found that when looking at data across 3,240 counties, those counties with the highest poverty level had a significantly higher percentage of H-1B-sponsored physicians. Similar patterns were observed in those same counties among H-1B-sponsored advanced practice providers, including physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives, and other healthcare workers, such as podiatrists, chiropractors, and optometrists.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has released updated guidance regarding the $100,000 fee for H-1B visas that was announced in September. Although the American Hospital Association (AHA) and other stakeholders have petitioned the federal administration to include an exception for healthcare workers from the new H-1B fees, to date no such exception has been created. An exception process has been established to grant approvals on a case-by-case basis as opposed to categorical exceptions. IHA will continue to work with AHA to advocate for an exception for H-1B visa holders serving U.S. hospitals.

Daylight Saving Ends Sunday, Nov. 2 at 2 a.m.

Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. this Sunday, Nov. 2. The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) issued a recommendation that, as you turn your clocks back, take a moment to test, inspect, and replace any broken or expired smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in your home. Each year, hundreds of people across Illinois are treated in emergency rooms due to CO exposure, and over the past decade, an average of 20 people per year have died from accidental CO poisoning. In 2024, Illinois fire departments responded to 9,860 CO-related incidents. OSFM also noted that in 2024, there were 89 residential fire deaths in Illinois with a majority of these deaths occurring in homes without smoke alarms.

Flu, COVID-19 Temporarily Raise Risk of Heart Attack, Stroke

A study published this week by the American Heart Association (AHA) found that acute and chronic viral infections are linked to both short- and long-term risks of cardiovascular disease, including strokes and heart attacks. In its news release, AHA said people are four times more likely to have a heart attack and five times more likely to have a stroke in the month after having the flu. Following a COVID-19 infection, people are three times more likely to have a heart attack or a stroke 14 weeks after, with an elevated risk remaining for a year.

Additionally, the study found chronic infections such as HIV, hepatitis C and varicella zoster virus-which causes shingles-can increase long-term elevated risks of cardiovascular events. Study authors said the findings suggest that increased vaccination rates for influenza, COVID and shingles have the potential to reduce the overall rate of heart attacks and strokes, and that preventative measures are particularly important for adults who already have cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular disease risk factors.