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
Workplace Violence Prevention: Keeping Our Patients and Staff Safe
CHA is hosting a members-only webinar on December 15 that will review Cal/OSHA Workplace Violence Mitigation plan requirements. They will also discuss the American Hospital Association Hospitals Against Violence Initiative, featuring the Creating Safer Workplaces guide.
FDA Withdraws Exceptions for Laboratory-Developed COVID-19 Tests
The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has reversed the prior administration’s policy on pre-market review exception for COVID-19 laboratory-developed tests that allowed the tests to be offered prior to or without FDA authorization.
CMS to Host Webinar on Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule Private Payer Data Collection and Reporting Policies
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host a webinar on Nov. 10 at 12:30 p.m. (PT) to provide updates and key information on the Medicare clinical laboratory fee schedule (CLFS) private payer data collection and reporting policies. Registration is required. The next CLFS data reporting period for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests is Jan. 1 through March 31, 2022, and is based on the original data collection period of Jan. 1 through June 30, 2019.
CMS, OSHA Issue Regulations on COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued an interim final rule with comment period, requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for workers in most health care settings that receive Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement, including but not limited to hospitals, dialysis facilities, ambulatory surgical settings, home health agencies, and long-term care facilities.
New E-Prescribing Laws Take Effect Jan. 1, 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented in 2009 the Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program, which uses incentive payments and payment adjustments to encourage the use of qualified electronic prescribing systems. For questions regarding the eRx Incentive Program or eRx payment adjustments, or for assistance submitting a hardship exemption request, contact the QualityNet Help Desk at (866) 288-8912 (TTY 1-877-715-6222) or via [email protected] For additional information and resources, visit www.CMS.gov/ERxIncentive
CMS Releases Billing Codes for Johnson & Johnson, Moderna Booster Shots
On Oct. 20, the Food and Drug Administration amended the emergency use authorization for COVID-19 vaccines to allow booster doses for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released new billing coding for the Johnson & Johnson and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine booster shots. Current billing codes, payment allowances, and effective dates are available online.
CDC Issues Operational Planning Information to Prepare for Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccination
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued operational planning information to prepare jurisdictions for the eventual distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines to the pediatric population.
Hear about Medi-Cal Rx Transition During CHA Webinar
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.
FDA Revises Draft Guidance on Hospital and Health System Drug Compounding
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued revised draft guidance on hospital and health system compounding under section 503A, updating draft guidance released in 2016. As advocated for by CHA, the FDA has revised the 2016 guidance to remove a requirement that would have limited the distribution of compounded drugs to health care facilities located within a one-mile radius of the compounding pharmacy.
CMS to Pay for COVID-19 Booster Shots
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced will pay the full cost of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster shots to providers without cost-sharing for Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program beneficiaries.