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
CHA to Hold Member Briefing on Finalized Area Wage Index Proposal, Next Steps
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CHA will host a complimentary members-only briefing Aug. 16 from 10-11 a.m. (PT) to update members on the finalized changes to the area wage index in the federal fiscal year 2020 inpatient prospective payment system final rule, as well as CHA’s next steps.
CHA Submits Comments to CMS with Suggestions for Reducing Regulatory Burden
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CHA has submitted comments responding to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) request for information on reducing regulatory burden on hospitals and other health care providers. As part of its Patients over Paperwork initiative, CMS seeks input on ways to alleviate unnecessary administrative burden and improve patient care.
TriWest to Administer California’s VA Community Care Network
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded TriWest Healthcare Alliance (TriWest) a contract to administer the VA’s Community Care Network (CCN) in California. TriWest will establish and maintain a network of community care providers in the state, as outlined in the Veterans Community Care Program final rule.
CMS Issues Calendar Year 2020 ESRD/DMEPOS Proposed Rule
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued its proposed rule revising the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) prospective payment system (PPS) and policies related to durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) for calendar year (CY) 2020. CHA has made available a detailed summary of the proposed rule, prepared by Health Policy Alternatives. Comments on the proposed rule are due Sept. 27.
2017-19 Hospital Fee Program Invoices Due Aug. 22
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
Last week, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) sent hospitals invoices covering the first phase of managed care directed payments (MC2 DP(A)) for the 2017-19 Hospital Fee Program. The invoices cover July 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, and are due Aug. 22.
Updates for the Week of Aug. 5
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services this week released the following information:
Reminder: Aug. 15 Deadline for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF), Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH), and Skilled-Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program Data Submission
IRF Quality Reporting Data Submission Deadlines LTCH Quality Reporting Data Submission Deadlines SNF Quality Reporting Program Data Submission Deadlines
Hospice CASPER Review and Correct Reports Available for Download
Updated Discharge Planning for Homeless Patients Guidebook Now Available
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CHA has updated the Discharge Planning for Homeless Patients guidebook and released a free PDF download for CHA members.
CMS Issues Final Rule for FFY 2020 Hospice Payment
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued its final rule updating hospice payment rates for federal fiscal year (FFY) 2020. CMS finalizes a net payment increase of 2.6%, or $520 million, as compared to FFY 2019. The rule also rebases the rates hospices are paid for certain types of care. In addition, the rule modifies the beneficiary hospice election statement to reduce the time spent trying to obtain information needed for treatment decisions and accurate claims submissions.
CMS Issues FFY 2020 Long Term Care Hospital PPS Final Rule
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued the final rule for the long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment system (PPS) for federal fiscal year (FFY) 2020. The provisions of the final rule will be effective Oct. 1, 2020.
Below are highlights of the final rule.
Payment Impact As provided in the FFY 2016 final rule, LTCHs are reimbursed under a dual-rate system; patients who meet specified criteria are reimbursed by the LTCH PPS standard federal payment amount and remaining patients are reimbursed at the lower site-neutral payment rate. Implementation of the dual-rate payment system included a transition period during which facilities received a blended rate. For cost reporting periods beginning in FFY 2020, the transition period will end and LTCHs will be paid exclusively on the site-neutral payment rate for patients who do not meet LTCH PPS criteria.
Overall, CMS projects that LTCH PPS payments will increase by approximately 1%, or $43 million. For cases reimbursed at the site-neutral rate, CMS projects a decrease of approximately 5.9%.
Quality Reporting/SPADEs CMS finalizes several proposals relating to the LTCH Quality Reporting Program (QRP), including the addition of several standardized patient assessment data elements (SPADEs), several of which address social determinants of health. CMS also finalizes two new measures addressing transfer of health information and changes the existing “Discharge to Community” measure to exclude baseline nursing home residents.
CDPH Notifies Nursing Facilities About Revised Minimum Data Set Section S Form
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The California Department of Public Health has issued All Facilities Letter 19-25, notifying nursing facilities, skilled-nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, and swing bed hospitals of revisions to two forms – the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Section S form and the California Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form. Beginning Oct. 1, all Medicare and Medicaid health care facilities must use the revised MDS form specific to California.
