Reminder: Documents that Create Medical Debt Must Include Specific Language
What’s happening: Beginning July 1, hospitals must include specific language on any document that indicates the patient agrees to pay the hospital’s bill, per Senate Bill (SB) 1061 (2024). Failure to include the required language means the hospital cannot enforce the debt.
Hospital Equity Reporting Regulations Now in Effect, Deadline for HQI’s Reporting Assistance Extended
What’s happening: The regulations to implement Assembly Bill (AB) 1204 (2021), which requires hospitals to submit annual reports to the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) on measures related to health equity, are effective as of June 4.
CHA Updates Amicus Tracker with Latest Appellate Activity
What’s happening: The CHA Amicus Activity Tracker has been updated to include 10 new amicus filings in 2025 and late 2024, as well as the outcome of CHA’s amicus efforts in previously reported cases.
Federal Agencies Issue New Guidance, RFIs on Price Transparency in Health Care
What’s happening: In response to President Donald Trump’s February executive order on price transparency, the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury, as well as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, have issued new guidance and requests for information (RFIs) on machine-readable files, prescription drug pricing, and more.
CDPH Issues New Guidance to Support Doula Access in Hospitals
What’s happening: The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released All Facilities Letter (AFL) 25-13 on March 24 that offers guidance to hospitals on supporting the Medi-Cal doula benefit — available since January 1, 2023 — and outlines recommendations for patient visitation policies and procedures.
2025 HR Conference Wraps, Planning for 2026 Begins
What’s happening: On Feb. 19-20, more than 100 human resources (HR) professionals gathered in Long Beach for the 2025 HR Conference — where experts offered sage advice, answered questions, and provided best practices on recruitment and retention, artificial intelligence (AI), and more.
What else to know: Co-hosted by CHA and the Hospital Association of Southern California, this was the first in-person HR Conference since 2019 — and planning for the 2026 HR Conference has already begun.
2025 HR Conference Offers Continuing Education Credits
What’s happening: In partnership with the Hospital Association of Southern California, CHA will host the two-day 2025 HR Conference in Long Beach, taking place Feb. 19 from noon to 5 p.m. and Feb. 20 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
What else to know: The conference will cover topics relevant to human resource (HR) professionals, and professional continuing education (CE) credits are available to registrants who complete certain requirements. Registration is open for CHA members.
CHA Encourages Members to Participate in the Vitality Index Payer Scorecard
What’s happening: CHA is endorsing member participation in the Vitality Index Payer Scorecard, which will provide critical information to support CHA’s advocacy to hold insurers accountable for timely and accurate reimbursement.
What else to know: The CHA Board of Trustees has endorsed this tool, which will automatically draw de-identified claims and remittance information from hospitals without requiring additional reporting or surveys.