CHA News

DMHC Issues All Plan Letter on Compliance with Mental Health and Substance Use Parity Law

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On Jan. 5, the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) issued All Plan Letter (APL) 21-002 to all commercial full-service health plans and specialized health plans offering behavioral health services that are regulated by the department. The guidance is designed to ensure health plans comply with amendments made to Senate Bill (SB) 855 (Wiener, D-San Francisco), the mental health and substance use parity law that took effect on Jan. 1.   

Data Reporting Updates Include ICU Surge Beds, Therapeutic Fields

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With the surge in COVID-19 cases and the decreasing ICU capacity across California, the state finds it necessary to track ICU surge beds. To capture this information, CHA will update the CHA COVID-19 Tracking Tool to include a new field called ICU Surge Beds (a subset of the Total Surge Beds field) on Jan. 8. 

CEO Message: Fighting a Surge on Top of a Surge

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While we all are grateful to leave 2020 behind us, the first several months of the new year will not provide any respite from the relentless spread of COVID-19, especially in these early weeks as the holiday gatherings transform into mass hospitalizations throughout California. 

The projections are frightening. As many as 15,000 new COVID-19 patients could need hospital care by the middle of this month, and the cases will continue to climb through late February before things might begin to level off. 

DMHC Issues All Plan Letters in Response to Public Health Order

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On Jan. 6, the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) released All Plan Letters (APL) 21-003 and 21-004 in response to the public health order issued and amended earlier this week by the California Department of Public Health. 

CHA Submits Comments on Prior Authorization, 1135 Waiver Process Proposals

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CHA recently submitted comments on a proposed rule by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) – in coordination with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology – intended to streamline and reduce the burden associated with health plan prior authorization processes through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).  

Updates for the Week of Jan. 4

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued the following updates this week:​​

Instructions to Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) on COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers for Medicare-Dependent, Small Rural Hospitals and Sole Community Hospitals
COVID-19 Vaccines: CDC Long-Term Care Facility Toolkit
CMS Provides Extension for Certain Medicare Cost Reports

Friday Webinar Will Detail State Health Order on Hospital Surge

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To help hospitals and health systems understand the State Health Order on Hospital Surge that was issued by the California Department of Public Health on Jan. 5 and amended on Jan. 6., CHA will host a webinar Jan. 8 from 8 to 9 a.m. (PT).  

Medicare Sequester Suspension Extended Through March

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The Consolidated Appropriations Act, signed into law on Dec. 27, extends the suspension of the 2% Medicare sequester until March 31. The suspension, which was included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, took effect on May 1, 2020, and was scheduled to expire on Dec. 31, 2020. 

Federal Court Blocks Implementation of Medicare Part B Drug Pricing Rule

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On Dec. 28, a federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted a preliminary injunction preventing the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) from implementing the Most Favored Nation (MFN) interim final rule.