About Health Equity
Disparate health outcomes are often the result of historic and systemic inequalities and unequal access to health care. This is untenable in a just society. That’s why California’s hospitals are committed to ensuring every Californian receives equitable, high-quality care. Hospitals alone cannot eliminate health disparities; it will take systemic reform and broad partnerships to improve the status quo. View snapshots of health indicators for CA’s legislative and congressional districts.
CMS Finalizes Inadequate Outpatient Payment Update, Establishes New Conditions of Participation
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its calendar year (CY) 2025 outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) final rule, including a net market basket update of 2.9%.
What else to know: CMS also establishes new health and safety standards for obstetrical services to be phased in over two years.
CMS Delays Start Date for Proposed Payment Model to Expand Kidney Transplant Access
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) anticipates it will delay the proposed Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model start date until after Jan. 1, 2025.
What else to know: CMS anticipates a start date delay because it is still working to finalize the rule; the agency has not yet shared a new start date.
HCAI Releases Draft Regulations on AB 1204
What’s happening: The Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) released draft regulations to implement Assembly Bill (AB) 1204 (2021), which requires hospitals to submit annual reports for measures on patient access, quality, and outcomes by race, ethnicity, language, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and payer.
What else to know: The reports are also required to include a plan to prioritize and address disparities for vulnerable populations identified in the data submitted by hospitals.
CHA to Host Webinar on Preparing for Extreme Heat and Smoke Impact in Clinical Settings
What’s happening: CHA will host the members-only Preparing for Extreme Heat and Smoke Impact in Clinical Settings webinar on Aug. 19 at 1 p.m. (PT).
What else to know: The webinar addresses heat-related emergency response plans and protocols and leads into the 2024 Disaster Planning Conference on Sept. 10-11. Registration is open.
HQI Quality Quarterly Highlights Data-Driven Patient Safety Strategies
What’s happening: The July edition of Quality Quarterly explores why effective patient safety strategies are grounded in the timely collection and analysis of data and examines the rise in sepsis mortality rates in hospitals.
What else to know: Quality Quarterly is intended to support the work of patient safety professionals by providing information on clinical developments, new technologies, and peer learning opportunities.
Preparing for Extreme Heat and Smoke Impact in Clinical Settings
HQI Releases CHPSO Annual Report
What’s happening: The Hospital Quality Institute (HQI) has released its CHPSO Annual Report, an overview of the most significant work done on behalf of hospitals in 2023.
What else to know: HQI is dedicated to improving the quality and safety of patient care in hospitals and health care systems and oversees the Collaborative Health Care Patient Safety Organization (CHPSO). The focus of CHPSO is on improving patient safety and quality of care by collecting, analyzing, and sharing data on adverse events and near misses in health care.
Reminder: Supplier Diversity Reports Due July 1
What’s happening: The deadline to submit annual supplier diversity reports to the Department of Health Care Access and Information is July 1.
What else to know: If you are unable to submit on time, you can request a 30-day extension. A penalty of $100 per day is charged for each day the report is late.
CHA Comments on IPPS Proposed Rule
What’s happening: CHA asked the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to increase the payment update in comments on the federal fiscal year 2025 inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) proposed rule.
What else to know: Members are encouraged to use CHA’s letter as a template to submit comments, which are due on June 10.
CMS Proposes New Payment Model to Expand Kidney Transplant Access
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed the new Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model to improve access to kidney transplants.
What else to know: The IOTA Model would be mandatory for six years beginning Jan. 1, 2025.