What’s happening: Approximately 100 of California’s roughly 374 Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designations are currently "Proposed for Withdrawal" on July 1. This is largely due to a federal policy shift that requires all recertifications to be conducted simultaneously, as well as resource shortages within the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI).
What’s happening: In recent comments to California’s Health and Human Services Agency, CHA urges the state to mitigate the incredible impact of the impending staff ratio regulations for California’s psychiatric hospitals, the patients they serve, and already overcrowded emergency departments.
Discussions at this week’s American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board 9 meeting will delve into several timely and weighty issues for hospitals in California and nationwide.
What’s happening: The California Department of Finance has hired Boston Consulting Group — under a contract worth up to $20 million — to identify cost savings and operational improvements across several state programs, including oversight of Medi-Cal managed care plans, Medi-Cal fraud detection, and hospital payment policies.
What’s happening: On Wednesday, the Assembly and Senate Health Committees convened a joint hearing intended to focus on the impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) on California’s health care system, rising costs, coverage losses, and potential state-level responses.
What’s happening: This week, the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) held its inaugural patient and consumer forum, providing an opportunity for staff to directly engage with patients, consumers, and advocates.
What’s happening: Anthem Blue Cross of California announced in a provider bulletin that, on June 1, it will implement a controversial policy that applies a 10% payment penalty on facility claims when hospitals provide care to patients involving non-participating physicians or providers.
Am looking forward to joining CHA’s annual Rural Health Care Symposium — less than three weeks away — which provides a meaningful opportunity for California’s rural health leaders to connect, share, and learn from one another, key state lawmakers, and policy experts.
What’s happening: CHA DataSuite has issued a hospital-specific analysis for the third quarter 2025 Care Compare data update of the quality program trends.
What’s happening: The Future of Medi-Cal Commission meeting on Jan. 22 brought commissioners together for the first time, giving the group an opportunity to introduce themselves and start tackling the challenges facing Medi-Cal.