Quality

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 Comments on CY 2025 OPPS Proposed Rule

What’s happening: CHA has submitted comments on the calendar year 2025 outpatient prospective payment system proposed rule.  What else to know: Comments were due to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Sept. 9. In the letter, CHA urges CMS to: 

CHA Comments on CY 2025 Home Health Payment Rule

What’s happening: CHA submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to the calendar year 2025 home health prospective payment system proposed rule.  

What else to know: CHA thanks members for their feedback, which helped to inform comments. 

CHA Issues Summary of FFY 2025 LTCH PPS Final Rule

What’s happening: CHA has issued a summary of the finalized payment updates and policies for long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) for federal fiscal year (FFY) 2025.  

What else to know: The policy and payment provisions are generally effective for FFY 2025 discharges, beginning Oct. 1.   

Summary: FFY 2025 Inpatient Psychiatric Facility PPS Final Rule

What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its federal fiscal year (FFY) 2025 inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS) final rule.   What else to know: Finalized payment rates are slightly higher than proposed, but still insufficient relative to input cost inflation.      In the final rule, CMS:  

Summaries Available: FFY 2025 Post-Acute Care Payment Final Rules

What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its final payment rules for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs), skilled-nursing facilities (SNFs), and hospices for federal fiscal year (FFY) 2025. CHA has issued members-only summaries of each rule.   

What else to know: In general, the payment updates were slightly higher than proposed, but still inadequate relative to input price inflation.  

HQI to Hold Virtual Forum on Peer Support After Workplace Violence in Hospitals

What’s happening: Individuals leading and supporting hospital efforts to eliminate workplace violence are invited to the Aug. 29 virtual forum on hospital workplace violence at noon (PT). Registration is open

What else to know: The forum will discuss establishing hospital-based programs of peer support aimed at providing emotional first aid to staff who have been affected by workplace violence. ChristianaCare, a mid-sized hospital system with an influential and innovative approach to workforce well-being, will be a featured speaker.   

CMS Finalizes Inadequate Inpatient Payment Update

What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) finalized fiscal year (FY) 2025 inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) rule falls short of what hospitals need to keep up with rising costs and health care needs.   

What else to know: The rule includes a net market basket update of 2.9%. As a result of all changes, CMS estimates that hospital inpatient payments will increase by $2.9 billion in FY 2025.  

CMS Releases Post-Acute Care, Psych Payment Final Rules

What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the federal fiscal year (FFY) 2025 inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) prospective payment system (PPS), skilled-nursing facility (SNF) PPS, inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) PPS, and hospice wage index final rules. 

What else to know: The policy and payment provisions in the final rules will be effective for FFY 2025 discharges, beginning Oct. 1.