About Continuum of Care
Post-acute care — often provided at inpatient rehabilitation facilities, long-term care hospitals, skilled-nursing facilities, and at patients’ homes — is vital to the health care delivery system. These providers deliver essential medical and rehabilitative services following hospital care. Hospital case managers help support, and connect patients, families, and caregivers through communication and coordination with post-acute care providers and home and community-based services. This includes the development of a discharge or transition plan that addresses the patient’s goals, needs and treatment preferences, and prepares patients and caregivers for post-discharge care.
CHA Asks CMS to Revise LTCH Outlier Threshold
What’s happening: In recently submitted comments, CHA requested that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) revise the fixed-loss outlier threshold in the long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment system.
CDPH Expands Neurodegenerative Disease Reporting to Include ALS
What’s happening: After launching mandatory reporting of certain diseases through the California Neurodegenerative Disease Registry on July 1, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has now expanded the list of reportable diseases to include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
CMS’ Medicare Advantage Data Collection, Audit Proposals ‘Will Help Protect Beneficiaries,’ CHA Writes
What’s happening: On June 30, CHA submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in support of data collection and audit proposals that would increase Medicare Advantage Organization (MAO) transparency and accountability, ensuring appropriate and timely access to Medicare services.
CHA Supports the ‘Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act’
What’s happening: In a letter sent June 12, CHA urged all members of the California congressional delegation to support bipartisan legislation that would improve access to care for seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans.
CHA Comments on IPPS Proposed Rule
What’s happening: CHA submitted comments in response to the federal fiscal year 2026 inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) proposed rule, highlighting the inadequate proposed net payment update.
CDPH Issues SNF Discharge Notice Requirements
What’s happening: The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has issued All Facilities Letter 25-17, which reviews notice requirements for the transfer and discharge of skilled-nursing facility (SNF) residents.
Three New FFY 2026 Impact Analyses Cover Medicare SNF, IRF, IPF Proposed Rules
What’s happening: CHA DataSuite released three hospital-specific analyses intended to show how Medicare skilled-nursing facility (SNF), inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF), and inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment systems (PPS) payments would change from federal fiscal year (FFY) 2025 to 2026 based on policies set forth in the respective proposed rules.
Federal Agencies Will Not Enforce Mental Health Parity Final Rule
What’s happening: On May 15, the U.S. departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury announced that they will not enforce the 2024 mental health parity final rule that aimed to improve access to mental health services by requiring health plans to make changes when inadequate access is provided.
CHA Issues Summaries of IPPS, LTCH PPS Proposed Rule
What’s happening: Summaries of the federal fiscal year 2026 inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) and long-term care hospital (LTCH) PPS proposed rule are now available, and on May 21, CHA will host a complimentary, members-only webinar on the IPPS provisions.
DHCS Updates Community Services and Supports Guide
What’s happening: The Department of Health Care Services’ (DHCS’) revised Community Supports Policy Guide reflects extensive feedback from managed care plans, providers, and other stakeholders.