About Finance & Reimbursement
Vulnerable Californians who rely on the care provided by California hospitals are at risk. Driven by skyrocketing costs for labor, pharmaceuticals, regulatory mandates, and more, 53% of all hospitals statewide lose money every day to deliver patient care.
That isn’t sustainable. And California is already seeing the frightening result: rural health care services being cut to the bone, severe behavioral health care needs not being met, and more.
DHCS Releases Private Hospital-Directed Payment Encounter Files
What’s happening: On July 31, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) uploaded two new hospital data sets that hospitals must download before the files are deleted on Sept. 14.
Hospitals’ High-Stakes Game — and What It Means for Patient Care
During last week’s CHA Board meeting, members were joined by Ken Kaufman, founder of the nationally renowned health care financial consulting firm Kaufman Hall, for a candid and enlightening conversation about the future of hospital care.
CMS Proposes Changes to Medicaid Provider Tax Rules
What's happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a proposed rule implementing the provider tax provisions included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), while also proposing additional policy changes that would strengthen federal oversight of Medicaid provider taxes.
CHA Formally Supports Measure to Increase CA’s Rainy Day Fund
What’s happening: This week, CHA’s Board of Trustees voted to formally support Proposition 2, the Save for California’s Future Act.
DHCS Releases Hospital Fee Program 9 Draft Fee & Payment Schedule
What's happening: With the major federal approvals of Hospital Fee Program 9 on June 26, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) can begin assessing the fee and implementing the managed care portion of the program. While federal approval of the fee-for-service (FFS) payment components is still pending and expected to be received in the coming weeks,...
Q1 2026 Inpatient Quality Program Measure Trends Analysis Released
What’s happening: CHA DataSuite has issued a hospital-specific analysis of the inpatient quality program measure trends with updated Care Compare data released in first quarter 2026. What else to know: The analysis is designed to provide hospitals with a comparative review of the quality data collected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and published over time on Care Compare. The measures updated...
CMS Approves Hospital Fee Program 9
What’s happening: Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved the most critical components of California’s 2025 Hospital Fee Program (Program 9).
CHA, Hospital Advocacy Stalls Bill Prohibiting Facility Fees
What’s happening: This week, Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) pulled Assembly Bill (AB) 225, her authored bill that would have prohibited hospitals from charging facility fees for certain services provided in off-campus outpatient departments, from the July 1 Senate Health Committee agenda.
DHCS to Host July 9 Webinar on Value Strategy
What's happening: The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) will host a public webinar on July 9 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. (PT) to discuss its long-term vision for advancing value in Medi-Cal.
Financial Indicator Analysis Now Available
What’s happening: CHA DataSuite has issued hospital-specific financial indicator analysis using first-quarter 2026 data from the Healthcare Cost Report Information System.