Laws & Regulations

About Laws & Regulations

Navigating the vast network of health care laws and regulations is difficult. To help hospitals, CHA produces manuals and guidebooks, including the Consent Manual, a one-stop resource for all legal requirements related to patient consent for medical treatment, release of medical information, reporting requirements and more; the Model Medical Staff Bylaws and Rules, which outline the framework for working relationships among medical staff, hospital administrators and governing bodies; and the California Hospital Compliance Manual, which covers high-risk compliance issues. CHA also represents California hospitals’ interests in court on issues, including reimbursement, labor and employment, and more.

Summary: FFY 2025 Inpatient Psychiatric Facility PPS Final Rule

What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its federal fiscal year (FFY) 2025 inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS) final rule.  

What else to know: Finalized payment rates are slightly higher than proposed, but still insufficient relative to input cost inflation.     

Summaries Available: FFY 2025 Post-Acute Care Payment Final Rules

What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its final payment rules for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs), skilled-nursing facilities (SNFs), and hospices for federal fiscal year (FFY) 2025. CHA has issued members-only summaries of each rule.   

What else to know: In general, the payment updates were slightly higher than proposed, but still inadequate relative to input price inflation.  

CMS Finalizes Inadequate Inpatient Payment Update

What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) finalized fiscal year (FY) 2025 inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) rule falls short of what hospitals need to keep up with rising costs and health care needs.   

What else to know: The rule includes a net market basket update of 2.9%. As a result of all changes, CMS estimates that hospital inpatient payments will increase by $2.9 billion in FY 2025.  

CMS Releases Post-Acute Care, Psych Payment Final Rules

What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the federal fiscal year (FFY) 2025 inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) prospective payment system (PPS), skilled-nursing facility (SNF) PPS, inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) PPS, and hospice wage index final rules. 

What else to know: The policy and payment provisions in the final rules will be effective for FFY 2025 discharges, beginning Oct. 1.   

Summary: CY 2025 Home Health PPS Proposed Rule

What’s happening: A members-only summary, prepared by Health Policy Alternatives, Inc., of the calendar year (CY) 2025 home health prospective payment system (PPS) proposed rule is available. 

What else to know: Comments on the proposals are due to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services by Aug. 26. 

Summary: CY 2025 ESRD PPS Proposed Rule

What’s happening: A members-only summary, prepared by Health Policy Alternatives, Inc., of the calendar year (CY) 2025 end-stage renal disease (ESRD) prospective payment system (PPS) proposed rule is available.  

What else to know: Comments on the proposals are due to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services by Aug. 26.