What’s happening: On Nov. 11, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released a health advisory on a recent multi-state outbreak of infant botulism linked to ByHeart Whole Nutrition infant formula. As CDPH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other state departments continue to investigate the outbreak, the manufacturer has expanded its voluntary recall to all ByHeart formula nationwide.
Congressional votes to end the federal government shutdown have brought several pieces of good news for health care. Other developments out of Washington, D.C., have more mixed results.
What’s happening: At the 2025 Hospital Finance & Reimbursement Conference, hospital finance experts discussed myriad policy challenges on the horizon, most notably stemming from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s impact to Medi-Cal financing, the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA), and potential changes to the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
What’s happening: CHA has been working closely with the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to develop Hospital Fee Program 10 — a one-year program that would utilize 2023 data and start on Jan. 1, 2026. With each Hospital Fee Program renewal, DHCS retrieves the requisite hospital data and updates the fee and payment model as directed under the authorizing legislation found under...
What’s happening: On Dec. 8-9, behavioral health care professionals and hospital leaders will gather in Sacramento for CHA’s 2025 Behavioral Health Care Symposium to hear from state and local leaders on behavioral health policies and best practices.
What’s happening: From Nov. 15- 18, the Medi-Cal Treatment Authorization Request (TAR) system will be unavailable as it is migrated to a new platform.
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the calendar year (CY) 2026 physician fee schedule final rule.
What’s happening: This week, CHA distributed the 2025 Report on State Legislation, designed to help hospitals navigate the many health care-related bills the governor has signed into law.
This week, the state submitted its application for California’s share of $50 billion in funding available through the new federal Rural Health Transformation Program.
What’s happening: Last week, CHA submitted comments to the Respiratory Care Board of California (RCB) expressing concerns about new regulations that restrict the tasks licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) may perform, therefore limiting hospitals’ and other care providers’ ability to meet their patients’ needs.
