News Release

Dignity Health California President Julie Sprengel Elected 2026 Chair of CHA Board of Trustees

SACRAMENTO (January 13, 2026) — Julie Sprengel, President of Dignity Health California, a member of CommonSpirit Health, has been elected 2026 chair of the California Hospital Association’s Board of Trustees. Sprengel, who joined Dignity Health in 2016 as the then-Southern California Service Area SVP, now leads one of California’s largest not-for-profit health systems. In her role as head of the largest region within CommonSpirit, Sprengel oversees 45,000 employees and 15,000 physicians working at 29 acute care hospitals and more than 250 ambulatory care sites across the state.

OHCA Violated State Law, Ignored Mandate to Consider Impact of Decisions on Health Care Access, Workers, and More: Hospital Association Lawsuit

SACRAMENTO (Oct. 15, 2025) — California’s Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) has violated state law by setting caps on the resources hospitals have available to care for patients, as it ignored a clear legislative mandate to safeguard access to care, protect health care workers, improve health equity, and preserve or enhance the quality of care. 

Hospital Association Files Lawsuit Against Anthem Blue Cross for Violating Patient Protection State Laws 

SACRAMENTO (April 23, 2024) — Anthem Blue Cross, one of California’s largest health insurance companies, consistently leaves thousands of its patients stranded in hospital beds long after they have been medically cleared for discharge, a violation of California law. These victims of discharge delays are forced to stay in hospitals longer, are deprived of timely post-hospital health care services, and cause backlogs for other patients who have to wait longer for hospital beds.  

Legislators to Consider Bill to Preserve Rural Health Care Services

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SACRAMENTO (April 18, 2024) — Nearly 2 million people live in California’s rural communities, while many millions more visit these areas for relaxation and exploration. Yet, the lifesaving and life-changing hospital care residents and visitors alike count on is at risk of being lost.  

Survey: Insurance Company Red Tape Leaves Thousands of Patients Stranded in CA Hospitals Every Day

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SACRAMENTO (February 6, 2024) — Every day, an estimated 4,500 Californians are left stranded in hospital beds long after they have been medically cleared for discharge, many of them victims of insurance companies’ bureaucratic red tape or failure to have enough care providers available to help patients recover after their hospital stay. This startling statistic is among the key findings of a recent survey of hospitals conducted by the California Hospital Association (CHA).

Adventist Health CEO Kerry L. Heinrich Elected 2024 Chair of California Hospital Association Board of Trustees 

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SACRAMENTO (January 18, 2024) — Kerry L. Heinrich, President & CEO of Adventist Health, has been elected 2024 chair of the California Hospital Association’s (CHA) Board of Trustees. Heinrich, who has served in the top leadership position at Adventist Health since 2022, oversees the integrated health system that serves more than 90 communities on the West Coast and Hawaii with over 400 sites of care, including 26 acute care facilities. The organization, headquartered in Roseville, has a team of 37,000 employees, medical staff physicians, allied health professionals, and volunteers.

New Report Shows Patients Served by One in Five California Hospitals Are at Risk of Losing Their Hospital Due to Closure

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This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.SACRAMENTO (April 12, 2023) — The latest report from national health care management consulting firm Kaufman Hall shows that one in five California hospitals — dozens throughout the state — is at risk of closure. Hospitals have faced a perfect storm of […]

Valley Children’s Healthcare CEO Todd Suntrapak Elected 2023 Chair of California Hospital Association’s Board of Trustees

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SACRAMENTO (January 12, 2023) — Todd Suntrapak, President and CEO of Valley Children’s Healthcare in Madera, has been elected 2023 chair of the California Hospital Association’s Board of Trustees. Suntrapak, who has been with Valley Children’s for more than 25 years, was named CEO in 2012 after serving in various leadership positions. He has championed the organization’s commitment to providing highly specialized and comprehensive pediatric care to 1.3 million children throughout California’s Central Valley.

New Report: California Hospitals Face Massive Financial Losses Due to COVID-19 Pandemic; 2021 Shortfall Triple Previous Projections

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SACRAMENTO (April 19, 2022) — Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, California hospitals continue to face massive financial losses, with the 2021 shortfall triple initial projections, according to a new report by Kaufman Hall, a nationally respected consulting firm with extensive health care expertise. These losses mean that for the first time in recent history, more than half of California’s hospitals are now operating in the red — losing money on the patients they care for.

Sarah Krevans Elected 2022 Chair of CHA Board of Trustees

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This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.SACRAMENTO (December 8, 2021) — Sarah Krevans, President & CEO of Sutter Health, has been elected 2022 chair of the California Hospital Association’s Board of Trustees. Krevans, who has served in her current role since 2016, leads the health system’s 23 hospitals, […]

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