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.
Summaries Available for CY 2026 Home Health, End-Stage Renal Disease Payment Final Rules
What’s happening: Summaries of the calendar year (CY) 2026 home health prospective payment system (PPS) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) PPS final rules are available for CHA members.
Summary of CY 2026 PFS Final Rule Includes Impact Analysis for 100+ Medicare Specialties
What’s happening: A summary of the calendar year (CY) 2026 physician fee schedule (PFS) final rule is available for CHA members.
CMS Proposes Changes to MA and Part D Star Ratings for Contract Year 2027
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the contract year 2027 proposed rule for Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D plans.
CHA Issues Summary of CY 2026 OPPS Final Rule
What’s happening: A detailed summary of the finalized provisions of the calendar year (CY) 2026 outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) final rule is available for members.
Register Now for Dec. 16 Webinar on New Quality Initiative
What’s happening: On Tuesday, the California Alignment for Hospital Quality (Cal HQ) will hold an informational session about the new collaborative’s work. Registration is required.
CMS to Decrease Home Health Payments 1.3% in 2026
What’s happening: On Nov. 28, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the calendar year (CY) 2026 home health prospective payment system final rule.
New State Initiative Aims to Lower Healthcare-Associated Infections
What’s happening: Covered California, Cal Healthcare Compare, and CalPERS — with support from state agencies, health plans, hospitals, and improvement organizations — have joined forces in a new collaborative that aims to create a statewide framework for quality alignment and improvement in hospitals across California.
Only 3 Weeks Left to Register for Behavioral Health Symposium
What’s happening: On Dec. 8-9, behavioral health care professionals and hospital leaders will gather in Sacramento for CHA’s 2025 Behavioral Health Care Symposium to hear from state and local leaders on behavioral health policies and best practices.
CMS Finalizes CY 2026 Payment Policies for Physicians
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the calendar year (CY) 2026 physician fee schedule final rule.
Hospitals Should Prepare for Major NHSN Data Rebaselining
What’s happening: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) has officially rebaselined standardized infection ratios (SIRs) from the 2015 national baseline to a 2022 baseline.