The newsroom includes access to CHA News, which provides timely information to members every Thursday and is at the core of CHA benefits. In addition, it is also home to resources such as toolkits and talking points designed to help member hospitals and health systems communicate with internal and external audiences on a range of current health care-related issues. Links to CHA media statements and press releases can also be found here.
Newsroom
Physician-Employment Bill Awaits Action
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CHA-supported SB 726 (Ashburn, R-Bakersfield) is one of three physician-employment bills introduced in the Legislature this year. SB 726 would revise and extend a pilot project created under SB 376 (Chapter 411, Statutes of 2003) authorizing the direct employment of physicians by qualified rural and district hospitals. The SB 376 pilot project will sunset Dec. 31, 2010.
Important Update Made to Privacy Manual Regarding Breaches
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
On Aug. 24, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) published its interim final rule regarding breach notification requirements for hospitals and other HIPAA-covered entities.
Briefing Held to Educate Congressional Staff on Geographic Variation Issues
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CHA in conjunction with the University of California, the University of Pennsylvania and other state hospital associations, hosted a briefing Sept. 29 in Washington, D.C., for congressional staff on regional variation in Medicare spending.
OIG Releases 2010 Work Plan
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) has posted its fiscal year 2010 Work Plan.
HHS Publishes Breach Reporting Forms
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has published web-based forms for hospitals to use to report breaches of patient privacy.
New Mental Health Law Manual
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CHA’s Mental Health Law manual has been expanded to address restraint and seclusion of mental health patients, and has been thoroughly updated to reflect all other changes in the law.
Still Time to Call on Governor to Sign Hospital Fee Bill
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
Responding to a Sept. 17 CHA Advocacy Alert, hospital leaders have sent numerous letters to the Governor urging him to sign the hospital fee bill, AB 1383 (Jones, D-Sacramento/Alquist. D-Santa Clara), which has been enrolled and delivered to the Governor for his consideration.
2009 Mental Health Law Manual
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CHA’s Mental Health Law manual has been updated to reflect changes in the law, and now includes a new chapter covering restraint and seclusion.
CHA Submits Comments on Proposed Measures for Quality, Payment Programs
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CHA attended the National Quality Forum Measures Application Partnership (MAP) meetings in December, where measures under consideration for future use in federal quality reporting and payment programs were reviewed.
CHA has submitted the attached comments on the draft recommendations for hospital and skilled-nursing facility measures, addressing several adverse drug event and mortality measures.
The Measures Application Partnership Coordinating Committee will meet Jan. 25-26 to review final recommendations from the partnership’s workgroups as well as comments received from the public and National Quality Forum members. CHA will attend and keep the membership informed of ongoing deliberations and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services measure development.
HHS Takes Steps to Increase Conscience Protections for Health Care Workers
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently established the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division in its Office for Civil Rights to enforce existing federal conscience and religious protections.
In addition, HHS issued the attached proposed rule that would protect health care workers who refuse to participate in services — such as abortion, sterilization and assisted suicide — that run counter to their religious beliefs or moral convictions. This proposed rule is similar to regulations released by the Bush Administration in 2008 and rescinded in 2011 by the Obama Administration. The new proposed rule appears to both reinstate the 2008 rule and incorporate several additional federal conscience-related protections. It would apply to all entities that receive funds through programs funded or administered in whole or part by HHS, including the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The new Conscience and Religious Freedom Division will execute and enforce the proposed regulation as finalized.
CHA is currently reviewing the proposed rule’s details and the challenges it may pose for hospital operations, as well as the implications, if any, of potential conflict between the proposed rule and existing California law.
