Hospital Fee Program 8 Invoices Past Due
What’s happening: Payments for the Hospital Quality Assurance Fee program 8 fee-for-service were due to the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) on May 7.
DHCS Submits Hospital Fee Program 9 Fee and Payment Model, Draft Available for Members
What’s happening: On March 28, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) submitted a final draft of the Hospital Quality Assurance Fee (HQAF) program 9 fee and payment model to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). An internal, members-only version is available for members to review.
What else to know: The model should be considered a draft until the state receives official CMS approval, which is expected to take six to nine months. Learn more about the 2025 HQAF program 9 — including a brief history, a summary of changes, and the future landscape of the program — in our members-only webinar on April 7 at 9 a.m. (PT).
Hospital Fee Program 8 Invoices Due April 8
What’s happening: Payments for the Hospital Quality Assurance Fee program 8 directed payment are due to the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) by April 8.
Fee Program Proposal Submitted to CMS, Approval Typically Takes Up to Nine Months
Last week, and on schedule, the state Department of Health Care Services submitted the proposed model for the next iteration of the hospital fee program to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
DHCS to Submit Hospital Fee Program 9 This Month
What’s happening: The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) will submit the Hospital Quality Assurance Fee (HQAF) program 9 to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid no later than March 31. Once submitted, CHA will share a draft model for member hospitals to review that will include internal calculations to assist in their review.
What else to know: Shortly after the approved model is released, CHA will host a webinar to provide historical HQAF program context and share the changes specific to program 9. CHA News will share updates and information on program 9’s status, as well as related educational opportunities, as they become available.
Hospital Fee Program Fees Due March 7
What’s happening: Hospital Quality Assurance Fee (HQAF) program 8 fees for the Jan. 1-June 30, 2023, managed care directed payment cycle are due March 7 — and the invoice will be 15% higher than the modeled fee amount.
What else to know: The fee is increased because the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is repaying the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for inpatient upper payment limit (UPL) overages incurred in HQAF program 6 — and CMS directed DHCS to repay immediately without any flexibility.
As 2024 Winds Down, Federal Advocacy Heats Up
As 2024 begins to come to a close, CHA’s advocacy attention will be focused on advancing priorities in Washington, D.C. We’ll be pushing to ensure federal approval for two critical state issues while also focusing on some key federal issues likely in play in the lame duck session.