The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) recently released Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services Information Notice 19-026 to communicate to county mental health plans (MHPs) federal requirements related to the authorization of specialty mental health services (SMHS).
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that would establish two new mandatory payment models: the Radiation Oncology Model (RO model) and the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Treatment Choices Model (ETC model).
CHA is currently reviewing the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ calendar year (CY) 2020 proposed rule for the home health (HH) prospective payment system (PPS).
A recent campaign by Our Health California (OHC) resulted in extensive statewide engagement from the public, who took to multiple channels to urge California lawmakers to improve behavioral health services. The campaign goal was to provide the OHC community with an advocacy ask that they’ve taken action on before, while thanking legislative authors for their leadership in advancing mental health and addiction treatment.
Patients at Ridgecrest Regional Hospital and Bella Sera Skilled Nursing Facility are safe, and both facilities are fully operating except for minor repairs after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake on July 5 and a 6.4 magnitude tremor the day before, both centered near Ridgecrest. After the first quake on July 4, the critical access hospital’s patients were evacuated, but the Emergency Department continued to triage incoming patients, directing them to other facilities as needed. Following the even larger earthquake on July 5, Bella Sera Skilled Nursing Facility lost power and worked with local, regional and state partners to prepare for evacuation, which ultimately wasn’t necessary.
CHA’s upcoming Hospital Finance and Reimbursement Seminar will address significant, imminent changes to Medi-Cal and Medicare reimbursement. Over the past year, federal and state lawmakers and agencies have made changes that will directly impact how hospitals are reimbursed, ultimately transforming the way care will be delivered in the future.
The California Building Standards Commission has announced the availability of the 2019 California Building Standards Code, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2020. The 2016 Building Standards Code remains in effect until Dec. 31, 2019.
Covered California announced today that the preliminary average rate change for the 2020 individual market will be 0.8% — lower than the actual average increase over the past five years (7.9%), and the lowest rate change since Covered California first began offering coverage in 2014.
Tom Insel, MD, Gov. Newsom’s special advisor on mental health care, spoke on June 25 to the statewide Behavioral Health Action coalition — a group of more than 50 organizations that is co-founded and co-chaired by CHA and the National Alliance on Mental Illness, California. Dr. Insel shared with coalition members his ideas for how California can begin to transform its behavioral health system.
Last week, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) emailed hospitals requesting updates to their lists of contacts who receive information related to the hospital fee directed payment program. DHCS uses the list to update hospitals regularly as information becomes available for the current and future directed payment programs. Hospitals should complete and return the Excel file (download) to [email protected] no later than July 19.
