About Hospital Fee Program
The Hospital Quality Assurance Fee (HQAF) Program and all of its statutory provisions were made permanent through the passage of CHA’s ballot initiative, the Medi-Cal Funding and Accountability Act (Proposition 52), in the November 2016 general election. While this provides the framework for all future hospital fee programs, future iterations must adhere to federal regulations related to health-care provider taxes. Further, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) must obtain all necessary federal approvals. View the hospital fee program federal approvals received to date, for the programs beginning on or after January 2014.
State Resubmits Hospital Fee Program 9, Draft Model Available for Members
What’s happening: On May 15, the state submitted the payment policies for the next iteration of the Hospital Fee Program (Program 9) to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This is the final piece needed for CMS to review the full application.
Hospital Fee Program: Updates and Next Steps
CHA Presses Newsom on Fee Program 9
What’s happening: In a letter sent Tuesday to Gov. Newsom, CHA pressed for expedited submission of the final payment policies for the next iteration of the Hospital Fee Program. As a reminder, the revised tax model was submitted in mid-March.
Hospital Fee Program 9 Payment Policies Likely to Be Finalized in Early May
What’s happening: The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has indicated that payment policies are likely to be finalized in early May for the revised Hospital Fee Program tax model for calendar year 2025 (Program 9), which was submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) last month. Soon after finalization, a model will be...
Medicaid Provider Taxes Protect Californians’ Access to Care
Medicaid provider taxes are a cornerstone of the Medicaid financing structure. Without federal revenue generated from these taxes, reimbursement for care provided to patients covered by Medicaid would be woefully insufficient and health care access would be at grave risk. For many hospitals, losing this revenue would mean closure of service lines; for others, it...
Hospital Finance Week: Medi-Cal Updates/Hospital Fee Program
Get intel on the latest changes to the Hospital Fee Program and CHA’s perspective on recent Medi-Cal updates. Topics to be covered include:
Review of the new Hospital Fee Program (Program 7)
Medi-Cal Reform (CalAIM)
Medi-Cal Managed Care Changes