CHA News

New Analysis Shares Potential Impact of FFY 2026 Value-Based Purchasing Program (Third Quarter 2024 Data Update)

What’s happening: CHA DataSuite issued a hospital-specific analysis of the Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program, which is based on the most recent publicly available data and program rules established by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The analysis is intended to give hospitals a preview of the potential impact of the federal fiscal year (FFY) 2026 VBP program. 

What else to know: Comparison to the FFY 2025 program performance is limited as CMS has not yet made final measure and domain level scores available. 

Beginning FFY 2026, hospitals will be awarded health equity adjustment (HEA) bonus points for excellent care of underserved populations based on their performance in the four evaluated domains, as well as their percentage of full-dually-eligible patients. An HEA estimate is included in this analysis. There will be winners and losers due to the HEA, as the program slope changes with the additional bonus points.  

Participant User Guide Assists Hospitals That Signed State’s Data Sharing Agreement

What’s happening: The Center for Data Insights and Innovation (CDII) has released a Participant User Guide for hospitals that have signed the California Data Exchange Framework’s (Dxf) Data Sharing Agreement. The guide explains the information exchange process of health and social services information and outlines how requests for information between Dxf participants — including admission, discharge, and transfer notifications — should occur. 

What else to know: CDII also released version 1.2 of the DxF Policy and Procedure “Data Elements to be Exchanged” document, which aligns the state requirement for exchanging health and social services information with the U.S. Core Data for Interoperability information required by the federal Office of the National Coordinator beginning Jan. 1, 2026. The same DxF Policy and Procedure version 1.1 document remains effective through Dec. 31.  

Correction Requests for Medicare Hospital FFY 2026 Wage Index, Occupational Mix Revised Data Due Feb. 18

What’s happening: CHA DataSuite issued a hospital-specific analysis of the Medicare hospital federal fiscal year (FFY) 2026 wage index and occupational mix revised data — and it is imperative that hospitals review these data, as they have until Feb. 18 to submit requests for either error corrections or revisions. 

What else to know: The data analyzed is revised and is the second of three wage and occupational mix data public use files (PUFs) that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued to develop the hospital wage index for FFY 2026. 

CHA Report Finds Labor and Delivery Closures Driven by Three Factors

What’s happening: Maternal health care is in the spotlight both nationally and in California, with a focus on declining birth rates and improving equitable outcomes. A new report from CHA centers on one aspect of access to maternity services: factors driving the decline in hospital-based labor and delivery unit availability. 

What else to know: The report, Maternity Care in California: An Environmental Scan, describes various approaches in California and other states to help policymakers understand that addressing this complex issue requires flexibility and consideration of a community’s unique needs — and that any path forward must prioritize mothers’ and babies’ safety and emphasize high-quality care.  

CHPSO Webinar Tackles Comprehensive Care Plans for High Utilizer Patients

What’s happening: The Collaborative Healthcare Patient Safety Organization (CHPSO) — a division of the Hospital Quality Institute (HQI) — is hosting a webinar on Feb. 19 at 11 a.m. (PT) to discuss empowering high utilizer patients through individualized comprehensive care plans, including partnership with the California Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. 

What else to know: HQI is an approved continuing education (CE) provider by the California Board of Registered Nursing and will provide CHPSO members who attend the webinar with an opportunity to earn CEs of 1 contact hour (Provider No. CEP16793). Registration is open. 

Upcoming Programs Support Your Advocacy on OHCA, Federal Policy

With the state Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) barreling toward singling out hospitals for even lower spending growth targets than the statewide goal — and federal legislators debating budget proposals that would decimate Medicaid and Medicare funding — CHA has developed two opportunities for hospitals to prepare for engagement on both of these critical issues.  

CHA Presentation Details Hospitals’ Role in Health Care Ecosystem

What’s happening: As part of CHA’s efforts to educate new and existing lawmakers on hospitals’ role in the health care ecosystem, Kathryn Austin Scott, senior vice president, state relations and advocacy, and vice presidents of advocacy Kalyn Dean, Mark Farouk, and Vanessa Gonzalez hosted a “Hospital 101” legislative staff briefing on Jan. 14.  

CHA Publishes New Advocacy Materials on Priority Issues

What’s happening: In December, CHA’s board approved three advocacy priorities for California hospitals in 2025: Insurer Accountability, Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA), and Securing Hospitals. New and updated advocacy materials on these priority issues are now available on CHA’s website.  

California Air Resources Board Seeks Feedback on Climate Disclosure Regulations

What’s happening: The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is working to implement Senate Bill (SB) 253 (2023) and SB 261 (2023), also known as the climate disclosure bills, and seeks feedback by March 21 on several technical questions related to implementation for regulatory development.  

What else to know: These climate disclosure bills aim to improve transparency via new reporting requirements for certain businesses in California. The requirements are related to the businesses’ greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks.