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
Counties Approved to Deliver Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System Services
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
As of April 1, 26 counties were approved to deliver Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS) services, representing nearly 88 percent of the Medi-Cal population statewide. Fourteen additional counties are in various phases of implementation.
Federal Court Stops 340B Medicare Rate Cuts for Hospitals
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
Last week, a federal district court ruled that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) exceeded its statutory authority when it implemented a 30% reduction to 2019 Medicare reimbursement rates — included in the federal fiscal year (FFY) 2019 outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) final rule — for certain pharmaceutical drugs covered by the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
3.6M Californians Would Benefit from Coverage Expansion, Report Finds
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
A new report from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research examines how current policy proposals to expand coverage would impact residents across the state, finding that as many as 3.6 million Californians would benefit.
CHA Issues Summary of FFY 2020 LTCH PPS Proposed Rule
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CHA has issued a summary — prepared by Health Policy Alternatives, Inc. — of the federal fiscal year 2020 long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment system proposed rule. The summary describes payment, policy and quality proposals under the LTCH Quality Reporting Program. Comments on the proposed rule are due June 24.
Improvements Announced for Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor Program
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) this week announced a number of improvements to the Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) Program, seeking to reduce providers’ burden by better targeting program integrity efforts.
Governor’s Revised Budget Makes Important Coverage Investments, Fails to Include Vital Medi-Cal Funding
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
Yesterday, CHA issued a news release on Gov. Newsom’s revised 2019-20 state budget. CHA applauds the Governor for making investments that improve Californians’ health and well-being, including: ongoing support for expanding Medi-Cal coverage to young adults, regardless of immigration status; imposing a state-level individual coverage mandate; broader premium subsidies for low and middle-income families; and significant investments in behavioral health.
Assisted Living Waiver Renewal Approved
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
On Feb. 28, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the Home- and Community-Based Services Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) renewal, effective March 1, 2019, through Feb. 28, 2024. The renewal includes 2,000 slots added in the CMS-approved amendment from October 2018, for a total capacity of 5,744.
UnitedHealthcare Delays Change to Sepsis Review Policy Following CHA Advocacy
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
In a May 3 letter to CHA, UnitedHealthcare (UHC) announced it will temporarily suspend implementation of its new sepsis review policy in California until Nov. 1. The delay — a result of CHA’s advocacy on the issue — is intended to allow additional time to work through administrative and other issues that are unique to the California market, in particular due to California hospitals’ prevalent use of full-risk, capitated, delegated network arrangements.
May 20 Marks Comment Deadline for DMHC Draft Implementation Guidance on Licensure Regulation
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) has released draft guidance and accompanying forms — a confidentiality request form and an expedited exemption request form — related to its Knox-Keene licensure regulation. The regulation, among other things, defines various types of risk and requires entities that assume any amount of global risk to either obtain a license under the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975 or receive an exemption from DMHC.
CHA Advocacy Alert on Patient Protection Bill Urges Removal of Unnecessary Default Payment Rate
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
Yesterday, CHA issued an Advocacy Alert on Assembly Bill 1611 (Chiu, D-San Francisco), which would protect patients from balance billing for emergency services. CHA supports the elements of the bill that would protect patients. However, the bill as currently written would also impose a default out-of-network reimbursement rate that will ultimately incentivize health insurance companies to avoid contracting with hospitals, driving reimbursement rates below the cost of care. CHA remains opposed to this bill unless it is amended to remove the default rate.
