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
CMS Proposes Reducing Medicare Payments to Physicians
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its calendar year (CY) 2025 physician fee schedule (PFS) proposed rule.
What else to know: The proposed CY 2025 PFS conversion factor is $32.36, a decrease of $0.93, or 2.8%, from CY 2024.
Hospitals Eligible to Receive Free Naloxone from DHCS
What’s happening: In 2018, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) established the Naloxone Distribution Project (NDP) to distribute naloxone — also referred to as “Narcan” — and fentanyl testing strips to key stakeholders free of charge.
What else to know: Hospital emergency departments are among those who can apply online to receive free naloxone and testing strips. Since the program’s inception, hospitals have received 332,000 naloxone testing kits and 188,000 fentanyl testing kits.
HQI Quality Quarterly Highlights Data-Driven Patient Safety Strategies
What’s happening: The July edition of Quality Quarterly explores why effective patient safety strategies are grounded in the timely collection and analysis of data and examines the rise in sepsis mortality rates in hospitals.
What else to know: Quality Quarterly is intended to support the work of patient safety professionals by providing information on clinical developments, new technologies, and peer learning opportunities.
CHA Webinar Will Provide Seismic Legislation Updates
What’s happening: CHA will host a members-only webinar to provide seismic legislation updates on July 24 at 9 a.m. (PT).
What else to know: The webinar will provide the latest information on Senate Bill (SB) 1432, CHA’s sponsored seismic relief legislation, as it continues to move through the Legislature and was recently voted out of the Assembly Health Committee with a 14-0 vote.
CHA Comments on DMHC Network Adequacy Standards
What’s happening: CHA continues its work to hold insurance companies accountable for providing timely, comprehensive patient care. Last week, CHA submitted a letter to the Department of Managed Health Care urging it to expand network adequacy standards to reflect patients’ current health care needs and hold plans accountable for making those life-changing, lifesaving services available.
What else to know: In the letter, CHA supports the department’s efforts to update the network adequacy standards to reflect the current needs and range of services required by enrolled beneficiaries, including updating standards for access to mental health services, and expanding the list of required provider types. CHA also urged the department to develop and implement specific measures and clear standards to ensure plan compliance.
New OHCA Educational Resources Available
As the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) continues its efforts to curb growth in health care spending following its setting of a 3.5% growth target in April (ramping down to 3% in 2029), CHA has released a series of brief presentations to help hospital leaders understand both the process and potential implications of OHCA decisions.
CMS Proposes Inadequate Outpatient Payment Update
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the calendar year (CY) 2025 outpatient prospective payment system proposed rule.
What else to know: The rule includes a net market basket update of 2.6%. As a result of all proposed changes, CMS estimates that hospital outpatient payments will increase by $1.8 billion in CY 2025, excluding changes in enrollment, case mix, and utilization.
CMS Issues CY 2025 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its calendar year (CY) 2025 proposed rule for the physician fee schedule (PFS).
What else to know: Comments on the proposed rule are due Sept. 9.
ONC Issues Additional Rule on Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability
What’s happening: The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) issued a proposed rule to advance interoperability and improve information sharing among patients, providers, payers, and public health authorities.
What else to know: The proposed rule builds upon a final rule published in January.
Updates for the Week of July 8
Reminder: Hospital Price Transparency Resources Available to Help Hospitals Comply with July 1, 2024 Requirements Updated eCQM Data Element Repository (DERep) for CY2025 Reporting and Performance Periods Care Compare June Refresh of IRF QRP and LTCH QRP Data Available IRF Quality Reporting Reconsideration and Exception & Extension LTCH Quality Reporting Reconsideration and Exception & Extension […]
