Reflection, Contemplation, and Gratitude
“We all get the exact same 365 days. The only difference is what we do with them.” — Hillary DePiano
CEO Message
Eyes on CMS as Fee Program Negotiations Continue
As California hospitals continue to face strong financial headwinds — soaring inflation, the pending effects of nearly $1 trillion in nationwide federal health care cuts, increased regulatory pressures, and more — all eyes are on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), where California’s submission for the next Hospital Fee Program is currently under review.
Health Care Worker Right to Vote Measure Heads to Signature-Gathering Phase
Earlier this week, CHA’s sponsored ballot measure — The Health Care Union Transparency, Accountability & Union Member Right to Vote Act — received its official “Title and Summary” from the state Office of the Attorney General.
Gratitude
Year after year, on the last Thursday of November, the country takes a breath.
D.C. Download: The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown
Congressional votes to end the federal government shutdown have brought several pieces of good news for health care. Other developments out of Washington, D.C., have more mixed results.
State Submits Application for Funding to Support Rural Health Transformation
This week, the state submitted its application for California’s share of $50 billion in funding available through the new federal Rural Health Transformation Program.
Key Priorities for 2026 Shaping Up
As your association looks to the coming year to advance policies that support the critical services California hospitals provide, three key areas are coming into sharper focus:
Looking to the Future with CHA’s Board
With just a couple of months left in 2025, last week’s meeting of the CHA Board of Trustees was an important opportunity to reflect and learn from all that’s happened this year — from monumental federal policy changes to a strong showing at the state level — and to look toward the work for next year and beyond
Courts Must Intervene to Protect Californians’ Health Care
Yesterday, CHA took a critical step to push back on actions taken by the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) that are threatening access to care, putting health care workers’ jobs in jeopardy, impeding efforts to improve health equity, and risking the quality of care Californians receive.
Giving Workers a Voice, a Vote, and a View
Efforts to give California’s health care workers a greater say in how their hard-earned dues dollars are spent are fully underway, with the filing last month of a statewide ballot initiative for the November 2026 election.
