About Quality
The mission of California hospitals is to deliver safe, quality care that is accessible to all. Hospitals participate in many activities to improve the quality and safety of the care they provide. California hospitals have a trusted partner in the Hospital Quality Institute, which helps them reduce errors and maximize patient safety. One of the ways in which HQI does this is by being a source of performance data and analytics. The data help focus improvement opportunities and scale best practices.
CHA Issues Summaries of IPPS, LTCH PPS Proposed Rule
What’s happening: Summaries of the federal fiscal year 2026 inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) and long-term care hospital (LTCH) PPS proposed rule are now available, and on May 21, CHA will host a complimentary, members-only webinar on the IPPS provisions.
HQI Makes Mandatory AB 1204 Reporting Easy
What’s happening: By Sept. 30, California hospitals are required to submit detailed health equity reports under Assembly Bill 1204 (2021) — a process that is daunting and tedious, with dozens of measures and hundreds of required fields. The Hospital Quality Institute (HQI) can help.
Upcoming Webinar to Detail IPPS Proposed Rule’s Impact
What’s happening: On May 21, CHA will host a members-only webinar to discuss the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) federal fiscal year (FFY) 2026 inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) proposed rule, which includes a net 2.4% payment rate increase — far below what hospitals need to keep up with rising costs and health care needs.
Members-Only Summaries Detail Post-Acute Care, Psychiatric Facility Payment Provisions for FFY 2026
What’s happening: Summaries of the inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) prospective payment system (PPS), skilled-nursing facility (SNF) PPS, hospice wage index, and inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) PPS proposed rules are now available.
CMS Issues FFY 2026 Inpatient Psychiatric Facility PPS Proposed Rule
What’s happening: On April 11, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its federal fiscal year (FFY) 2026 inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS) proposed rule.
What else to know: Comments on the proposed rule are due to CMS by June 10.
CMS Proposes Inadequate IPPS Update for FFY 2026
What’s happening: On April 11, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the federal fiscal year (FFY) 2026 inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) proposed rule — which falls short of what hospitals need to keep up with rising costs and health care needs.
What else to know: As a result of all proposed changes, CMS estimates that hospital inpatient payments will increase by $4 billion in FFY 2026. Comments on the proposed rule are due June 10.
Upcoming Webinar Shares Progress on HQI’s Health Equity Reporting Tool
What’s happening: The Hospital Quality Institute’s (HQI’s) fourth and final webinar on reporting hospital equity measures to the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) under Assembly Bill 1204 (2021) will take place April 23 from 10-11 a.m. (PT).
What else to know: This webinar will share essential updates on HQI’s tool to aid hospitals in creating their health equity report, due to HCAI by Sept. 30, and walk attendees through the submission portal. Registration is open.
CMS Issues Post-Acute Care Payment Proposed Rules
What’s happening: On April 11, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its proposed payment policies for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs), skilled-nursing facilities (SNFs), and long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) for federal fiscal year (FFY) 2026.
What else to know: Comments on the proposed rules are due to CMS by June 10.
Upcoming Webinar Explains HQI Solution to Hospital Equity Reporting Challenges
What’s happening: The Hospital Quality Institute (HQI) is offering a service that provides 95% of the information hospitals are required to report by Sept. 30 under Assembly Bill 1204. HQI is hosting a webinar on April 10 addressing the challenges hospitals encounter in equity reporting and how its Hospital Quality Improvement Platform (HQIP) can simplify this process.
What else to know: The webinar will share practical strategies and tools to assist hospitals in meeting the mandatory health equity reporting requirements. This is the third in a four-part series; more information can be found on HQI’s website.
HCAI Seeks Feedback on AB 1204 Technical Assistance by March 31
What’s happening: The Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) recently released a survey to the hospital field to ascertain hospitals’ needs in complying with Assembly Bill (AB) 1204 (2021), which requires that they submit annual health equity data reports. The first report is due Sept. 30.
What else to know: The survey will help HCAI identify areas where additional technical assistance will be needed. Responses to the survey are due by March 31.