Elaine Batchlor, MD, MPH, founding CEO of Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital in Los Angeles, has been honored with the Partners in Care Foundation’s Vision & Excellence in Healthcare Leadership Award. Dr. Batchlor received the award for her forward-thinking leadership in building a responsive model of community-wide care at the hospital.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has issued its final rule implementing the criteria for determining when covered veterans may elect to receive necessary hospital, medical, and extended care services from non-VA entities or providers under the Veterans Community Care Program. The final rule became effective June 6, when the Veterans Community Care Program replaced the Veterans Choice Program, as required by the MISSION Act of 2018.
On May 10, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) awarded Livanta a contract to continue to serve as California’s beneficiary and family centered care quality improvement organization (BFCC-QIO) for an additional five years, beginning June 8-May 30, 2024.
On May 28, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued new instructions for providers billing Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell therapy services for Medicare patients.
The California Department of Public Health’s Licensing and Certification Program has issued a reminder to health care facilities that, as the hot summer weather begins, they should have contingency plans in place to deal with the potential loss of air conditioning; ensure patients and residents are free of adverse conditions that may cause heat-related complications; and report extreme heat conditions that compromise patient health or require evacuation, transfer, or discharge of patients. More information and guidance are available in All Facilities Letter 19-21.
Over the weekend, the Legislature’s budget conference committee completed its work of negotiating the differences between the Governor’s, Assembly’s, and Senate’s budgets. The Senate and Assembly now need to approve the final budget bill and the accompanying trailer bills and send them to the Governor no later than June 15, for his approval by July 1.
The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) has released newly revised standards to assist health care practitioners in consistently producing high-quality compounded medicines that are the right strength and free of contaminants. The final USP 797, USP 825, and USP 795 and General Chapter 800 standards will take effect Dec. 1.
Every day, hospitals stand united to prevent and reduce violence. To support today’s Hospitals Against Violence national awareness day, Scripps Health CEO Chris Van Gorder speaks out on behalf of workplace and community safety in a new CHA-produced video clip.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will activate billing claims edits for outpatient providers with multiple service locations in July. Once CMS implements the July 2019 quarterly release, Medicare administrative contractors will be directed to permanently turn on edits and return claims that do not exactly match.
CHA has extended the deadline for its Advocacy Alert asking members to urge their assemblymembers to oppose Senate Bill (SB) 227, which would create an unreasonable, mandatory penalty system for hospitals that do not meet nurse staffing ratios. The deadline for letters is now 5 p.m. on June 11.