Taking care of patients and their communities is at the heart of what hospitals do, and that wouldn’t be possible without the clinical services that hospitals provide. These services touch all aspects of a hospital’s operations, ranging from the emergency department to behavioral health. Through its numerous area-specific groups, CHA provides advocacy and representation on all aspects of operations — guiding hospitals in meeting regulatory, legal, and licensing requirements.
About Clinical Care
Coyle Focuses on Nurse Staffing Crisis in CapRadio Interview
As COVID-19 continues to surge in some parts of the state and hospitals gear up for a busy end of year, CHA President & CEO Carmela Coyle spoke to Vicki Gonzalez of CapRadio’s Insight (available at 24.50 mark) about the nurse staffing crisis that could threaten care.
FDA Announces Approval of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced its full approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine — under the name Comirnaty — for individuals 16 and older, making it the first COVID-19 vaccine to go beyond emergency use authorization (EUA) in the U.S.
CDC Announces COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters for All, CMS Updates Coding Guidance
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced plans to begin offering COVID-19 booster shots to all individuals beginning the week of Sept. 20 and starting eight months after an individual’s second dose, pending authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and a review by the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee.
CMS Formally Rescinds Most Favored Nation Part B Drug Model
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that would formally rescind its November 2020 Most Favored Nation model interim final rule (IFR).
State Issues Public Health Officer Order on Hospital and SNF Visitation
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a public health officer order on Aug. 5 requiring general acute care hospitals, skilled-nursing facilities, and intermediate care facilities to either: (1) verify that indoor visitors are fully vaccinated, or (2) verify documentation of a negative COVID-19 test. The health order includes the following requirements:
DHCS Announces Medi-Cal Rx Will Go Live on Jan. 1, 2022
Given the ongoing challenges associated with the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has decided to delay the full implementation of Medi-Cal Rx until April 1, 2021.
Blue Shield Transitions from Third-Party Administrator to Advisory Role for State’s COVID-19 Vaccine Program
On July 21, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced that it will transition Blue Shield of California from its role as third-party administrator to an advisory role as needed.
CHA Submits Concerns About White Bagging to Department of Consumer Affairs
CHA has submitted a letter of concern to the Department of Consumer Affairs about quality-of-care issues inherent in the payer practice known as white bagging.
Medical Certification Needed for Medical Baseline Programs
In 2020, the major power utilities in California waived the requirement for medical practitioners to certify a patient’s request to enroll in their medical baseline programs. However, this temporary waiver allowing customers to self-certify their eligibility to enroll ended on June 30, and a signature from a qualified medical practitioner is now required.
BRN’s Nurse Practitioner Full Practice Authority Regulations Begin
Assembly Bill (AB) 890 (Wood, D-Santa Rosa), which was signed into law on Sept. 29, will authorize a nurse practitioner who meets certain requirements to practice without physician supervision. The new law will improve access to health care by allowing nurse practitioners greater freedom and flexibility to practice in communities with insufficient primary care services. Details about the changes that will be implemented with AB 890 are available here.