About Affordability
Hospitals — a key component of the health care system and often the largest employer in their communities — have been working for years to slow the rate of growth in health care spending. But making a real difference for Californians will take an equal effort from others: insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, doctors, government agencies, labor unions, and more. California’s hospitals stand ready to do their part and are eager to work with policymakers and other stakeholders to tackle this challenge through engagement with the Office of Health Care Affordability.
CHA Issues Advocacy Alert Ahead of Hospital-Focused Congressional Committee Hearings
Last week, CHA issued an advocacy alert targeted to hospital members with representatives on the following committees, which have scheduled hospital-specific hearings later this week:
New Report Shows Patients Served by One in Five California Hospitals Are at Risk of Losing Their Hospital Due to Closure
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 COVID-related losses, crippling inflation, and systemic underfunding by government payers — Medi-Cal and […]
Office of Health Care Affordability Accepting Applications for Advisory Committee
The Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA), which recently announced its eight board members, has opened the application process to serve on the advisory committee.
CHA Web Page on Office of Health Care Affordability Now Available
CHA has developed a web page that contains information and updates on the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA).
Size of Budget Deficit Remains Uncertain
Earlier this week, the governor released his January budget proposal for 2023-24, marking the opening of this year’s state budget process. The budget proposes revised spending of $240 billion in 2022-23 and $224 billion in spending for 2023-24 (the fiscal year beginning in July 2023).
Governor’s 2023-24 Budget Proposal Neglects to Meet Urgent Need for Support for Patients, Hospitals
“California’s hospitals commend Gov. Newsom for his ongoing commitment to increasing access to health care in his proposed January budget, despite the state facing a more than $22 billion budget shortfall,” said Carmela Coyle, President & CEO of the California Hospital Association. “The budget also must support the health care providers who care for patients day […]
Office of Health Care Affordability Will Play Key Role in California’s Health Care Future
In early July, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation establishing the Office of Health Care Affordability, a new, far-reaching agency that will hold significant sway over how health care is paid for and delivered in California in the future. Following his signature, California became the 10th state in the nation to have state agencies or oversight […]
State Budget Takes a Wide Variety of Health Care-Related Actions
In June 2022, the Legislature and governor approved a $308 billion budget for the state fiscal year spanning from July 2022 through June 2023. In late August, the Legislature passed and the governor is expected to approve revisions to the 2022-23 Budget Act, which generally redirect, build upon, or provide statutory parameters around actions previously […]
Hospital Finance Week
CHA will address five critical aspects of hospital finance during Finance Week – one topic per day, five days in a row, with experts offering guidance and answering questions each day. Five days, five webinars. This is where the information you need, dry or not, is delivered by people who understand why you need it […]
Revised State Budget Proposes Important Health Care Investments but Does Not Address Hospitals’ Inflationary Challenges
On May 13, Gov. Newsom released the May Revision with modifications to the proposed state budget he first presented in January. Tax revenue estimates have surged by $55 billion since the governor’s January budget proposal, creating a discretionary budgetary surplus of $49 billion and allowing the state to make new investments beyond what was proposed […]