About Affordability
Health care is a basic human need, one that Californians rely on to live, grow, and prosper. Unfortunately, the cost of care has become too high for many working families. For years, California’s hospitals have made headway toward controlling costs. To ensure care for every Californian, the entire health care field must tighten its belt — insurance companies, physicians, labor unions, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and more. California’s hospitals stand ready to tackle this challenge through engagement with the Office of Health Care Affordability
CHA Pushes Back on Misleading Information Shared at August OHCA Board Meeting
What’s happening: CHA has submitted a letter to the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA), setting the record straight on misleading, incomplete information shared during the OHCA board’s August meeting in Monterey.
What else to know: CHA’s letter also urges OHCA to renew its commitment to inclusivity and balance in the issues, perspectives, and information it explores in the future.
CHA Presses Quality, Access, Equity Perspective During Capitol Weekly Panel on OHCA
What’s happening: During a panel discussion last week, CHA shared hospital perspectives on how the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) can make care more affordable while protecting access to high-quality, equitable care.
What else to know: CHA participated in a four-person panel on OHCA hosted by Capitol Weekly during the publication’s annual conference focused on health care.
Financial Assistance Policies: Mandatory Changes by Year-End
Transition on OHCA Board as Hospital Spending and Measurement Workgroup Wraps for the Year
What’s happening: Mark Ghaly, MD, MPH, has resigned as secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS). His seat on the OHCA board will transition to the newly appointed secretary, Kim Johnson, or her designee.
What else to know: Since April, the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) has been convening a workgroup to obtain stakeholder input on how hospital spending growth will be measured against the spending target.
Regional Differences in Health Care Spending, Options to Address High Costs Discussed at OHCA Monterey Board Meeting
What’s happening: The Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) board meeting yesterday focused on high costs in the Monterey region from a consumer and purchaser perspective. Ahead of the meeting, CHA submitted comments urging the office to look closely at the factors driving regional differences in health care spending.
What else to know: Separately, last week, OHCA finalized changes to the state cost and market impact review regulations, with immediate effect.
New OHCA Educational Resources Available
As the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) continues its efforts to curb growth in health care spending following its setting of a 3.5% growth target in April (ramping down to 3% in 2029), CHA has released a series of brief presentations to help hospital leaders understand both the process and potential implications of OHCA decisions.
CMS Update on 2025 OPPS and PFS Proposed Rules
On July 10, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its calendar year (CY) 2025 outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) proposed rule and physician fee schedule (PFS) proposed rule.
CHA is hosting this members-only webinar to discuss key proposals in these proposed rules ahead of the comment deadline.
Letters to OHCA Board Highlight New Data, Caution Against Overly Broad Review Process
What’s happening: Last week, CHA submitted two letters to the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) — one responding to the May OHCA board meeting, and another addressing the office’s proposed changes to the cost and market impact review (CMIR) regulations.
What else to know: The board met June 26 to approve the alternative payment model (APM) standards and discuss the proposed CMIR regulations, the draft workforce stability standards, and the draft primary care investment benchmark.
OHCA On-Demand Webinar Series Now Available
What’s happening: CHA has released a series of on-demand webinars that provide background and implementation updates on the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA).
What else to know: The current release provides an overview of OHCA, goes deep on data collection and reporting, and gives a status update on the spending target and its enforcement.
OHCA Proposes Revisions to Cost and Market Impact Review Regulations
What’s happening: Regulatory changes proposed by Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA), including the ability to withdraw information for which a request for confidentiality was denied, largely aim to clarify existing rules.
What else to know: Public comment on the proposal released last week is due June 20. The proposal will be discussed at the OHCA board meeting on June 26.