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.
CHA Comments on Proposed Payment Model to Expand Kidney Transplant Access
What’s happening: CHA submitted comments in response to the proposed Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model, which aims to improve access to kidney transplants.
What else to know: CHA raised significant concerns about the model and requested it be made voluntary.
CHA Member Alert: Invite Congressional Representatives to Your Hospital This Summer
What’s happening: CHA is urging hospitals to build relationships with members of Congress by inviting them for a visit or tour during summer recess. Invitations should go out soon because schedules fill up quickly.
What else to know: These visits will help educate and inform lawmakers ahead of critical health care policy votes in December.
With a Month Left in Session, Positive News on Many Bills
Next month, state legislators will return from their summer recess and finalize the outcome of hundreds of bills — including dozens that will have some bearing on hospital care — before concluding the 2024 session on Aug. 31.
Updates for the Week of July 15
HQR System Now Accepting THA/TKA PRO-PM Submissions FY 2026 IPFQR Program NHSN Enrollment and COVID HCP Measure Data Submission Due Aug. 15 SNF Provider Preview Reports Now Available First Snapshot of 2024 Qualifying APM Participant Status and APM Participation Data Now Available in QPP Participation Status Tool Physician Fee Schedule CY 2025 Proposed Rule Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System & […]
Summary: Finalized Provider Financial Penalties for Information Blocking
What’s happening: A members-only summary, prepared by Health Policy Alternatives, Inc., of the finalized provider disincentives for information blocking is available.
What else to know: The rule is effective July 31.
CMS Proposal Seeks to Mitigate Abnormal DME Billing in Medicare Shared Services Program
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule on abnormal billing activity within the Medicare Shared Savings Program.
What else to know: The proposed rule seeks to mitigate the impact of the billing activity on reconciliation of accountable care organization (ACO) payments in calendar year (CY) 2023.
CMS Proposes Reducing Medicare Payments to Physicians
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its calendar year (CY) 2025 physician fee schedule (PFS) proposed rule.
What else to know: The proposed CY 2025 PFS conversion factor is $32.36, a decrease of $0.93, or 2.8%, from CY 2024.
CMS Proposes Inadequate Outpatient Payment Update
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the calendar year (CY) 2025 outpatient prospective payment system proposed rule.
What else to know: The rule includes a net market basket update of 2.6%. As a result of all proposed changes, CMS estimates that hospital outpatient payments will increase by $1.8 billion in CY 2025, excluding changes in enrollment, case mix, and utilization.
CMS Issues CY 2025 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its calendar year (CY) 2025 proposed rule for the physician fee schedule (PFS).
What else to know: Comments on the proposed rule are due Sept. 9.
ONC Issues Additional Rule on Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability
What’s happening: The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) issued a proposed rule to advance interoperability and improve information sharing among patients, providers, payers, and public health authorities.
What else to know: The proposed rule builds upon a final rule published in January.