What’s happening: Governor Gavin Newsom will release his proposed budget for 2026-27 tomorrow, kicking off the state budget process and legislative budget hearings that will continue until the budget is finalized this summer.
What’s happening: On Dec. 29, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the much-anticipated Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) award announcements. While all 50 states were awarded RHTP funds, California earned an award of $233.6 million in the first year, the third-highest dollar amount award of any state.
What’s happening: DataSuite has issued two hospital-specific analyses of calendar year (CY) 2026 final rules on the outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and Medicare home health. The OPPS analysis is intended to show providers how Medicare outpatient fee-for-service payments will change from CY 2025 to 2026. The home health analysis is intended to show home health agencies how Medicare fee-for-service payments may change from CY 2025 to CY 2026.
What’s happening: Last week, CHA submitted a letter to the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) Center for Health Care Quality to recommend several changes to the draft regulations on acute psychiatric hospital staffing, which are proposed to take effect on Jan. 31.
What’s happening: On Dec. 29, 2025, the U.S. District Court of Maine blocked implementation of the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program from going into effect nationwide on January 1, 2026, pending further orders from the court.
What’s happening: The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has until March 13 to submit a revised 2025 Hospital Quality Assurance Fee Program application to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), following questions CMS raised about the program’s size.
Federal lawmakers are back in Washington, D.C., this week with just over three weeks left to finish funding the government before current spending laws run out on Jan. 30.
What’s happening: Summaries of the calendar year (CY) 2026 home health prospective payment system (PPS) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) PPS final rules are available for CHA members.
What’s happening: The Medical Board of California has distributed its annual notice reminding prescribers that, under federal law, certain authorized practitioners may dispense a three-day supply of Schedule II medications in emergency situations in order to initiate maintenance or detoxification treatment.
What’s happening: A summary of the calendar year (CY) 2026 physician fee schedule (PFS) final rule is available for CHA members.
