About Medi-Cal
More than 15 million Californians rely on Medi-Cal, the state’s health care coverage safety net, for health insurance. Two-thirds of those on Medi-Cal are people of color and often live in communities with a lack of adequate health care providers. Without significant investments to support providers that deliver health care to California’s most vulnerable, millions living in rural and underserved areas are in jeopardy.
Medi-Cal is California’s version of the federal program known as Medicaid. To learn more about CHA’s work to protect Medicaid, visit our federal resource page.
CMS Responds to Congressional Letter Urging Adequate IRF Access
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure has responded to a congressional letter, signed by several members of the California delegation, that urged CMS to take steps that will ensure Medicare Advantage (MA) plan beneficiaries have access to medically necessary inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) care.
What else to know: In the letter, Ms. Brooks-LaSure notes several recent rules issued by CMS that seek to ensure that MA plans adhere to CMS requirements, including network adequacy, prior authorization, and data collection. Ms. Brooks-LaSure also agrees to take the writers’ comments into consideration for future policy development.
AHA Survey on 340B Rebate Model Closes Jan. 10
What’s happening: The American Hospital Association (AHA) is asking hospitals to complete a survey by Jan. 10 to help it understand how a 340B rebate model would impact 340B member hospitals.
What else to know: Completing this 10-question survey will help AHA understand the financial, operational, and patient impacts that a rebate model — such as the one Johnson & Johnson sought to implement this year — would have on your hospital or health system.
DHCS Releases Updated List of Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan Liaisons for Long-Term Care Providers
What’s happening: The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) requires Medi-Cal managed care plans (MCPs) to identify a liaison to serve as a single point of contact for long-term care providers. These liaisons are listed in an updated DHCS document.
What else to know: The long-term services and supports (LTSS) liaison provides support to LTC providers, including skilled-nursing facilities (SNFs) with addressing claims and payment inquiries and care transitions to support Medi-Cal members’ needs.
182 Members of Congress Sign Letter to Prevent Medicaid DSH Cuts
What’s happening: A bipartisan letter asking House leadership to prevent upcoming Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payment cuts gathered 182 signatures — including 36 from the California delegation. CHA thanks hospital leaders for their outreach on this critical issue.
What else to know: Reductions in Medicaid DSH payments to states are scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025. If these cuts go into effect, California’s hospitals would lose $1.2 billion in 2025.
Urge Congress to Support Patient Care in Year-End Legislation
What’s happening: CHA issued an alert asking members to urge their congressional representatives to support hospital priority issues in year-end legislation.
What else to know: Outreach is needed by Dec. 20 when Congress will wrap up the session.
CHA Member Alert: Urge Congress to Eliminate Medicaid DSH Payment Reductions
What’s happening: Reductions in Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments to states are scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1. If these cuts go into effect, California hospitals would lose $1.2 billion in 2025.
What else to know: CHA is urging members to contact their Congressional representatives before Dec. 6 and ask them to sign a bipartisan letter requesting that House leadership prevent the cuts.
CHA Outlines Year-End Federal Legislative Health Care Priorities
What’s happening: In a Nov. 18 letter to the California congressional delegation, CHA outlined legislative priorities for the remainder of the 118th Congress — which must act by Dec. 20 to fund the federal government.
What else to know: It is likely that some health care extensions and policies could be a part of Congress’ funding package.
CHA Presses for Elimination of Medicaid DSH Payment Reductions
What’s happening: On Nov. 13, CHA issued an alert urging hospital leaders to ask their U.S. representative to sign on to a bipartisan letter requesting House leadership to stop the pending Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payment cuts. Hospital leaders should contact their representatives to sign the bipartisan letter before the Dec. 6 deadline.
What else to know: CHA — along with our partners representing California’s public, private, children’s, and community safety-net hospitals — sent a letter asking the California congressional delegation to both join the letter and, once again, eliminate the reduction in Medicaid DSH allotments.
The Time to Act on Medi-Cal Funding Is Now
Earlier this week, CHA joined a coalition of hospital associations in California in sending a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom seeking expedited submission of proposed reimbursement programs that require federal approval.
Prop 35 Passage Means Historic Investment in Medi-Cal
California voters earlier this week overwhelmingly passed Proposition 35, a once-in-a-generation investment in the state’s Medi-Cal program and a permanent commitment to the vulnerable Californians who rely on it for health coverage.