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
Key Seismic Compliance Relief Bill Introduced
Earlier this week, we shared important news on a significant step forward in CHA’s efforts to address the 2030 seismic standards, one of the hospital field’s top priorities.
OHCA to Finalize Data Collection Requirements in the Coming Weeks
What’s happening: This week, OHCA released a close-to-final draft regulation and supplemental guidance on the total health care expenditure data collection process, which contains few substantive changes from the prior draft version.
What else to know: Payers remain responsible for reporting the data under the revised guidance. CHA remains concerned about the lack of transparency and standardization and urges members to contact OHCA on its related spending target proposal using the template letter and talking points included in this week’s alert.
CMS Updates Hospital Guidance for Texting Patient Info
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated guidance for hospitals and critical access hospitals related to texting patient information.
What else to know: Hospitals should use a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant secure texting platform that complies with Medicare and Medicaid conditions of participation.
Changes Proposed for Accrediting Organizations Requirements
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued proposed changes to accrediting organization (AO) requirements.
What else to know: The proposed changes are intended to strengthen the agency’s oversight of AOs and prevent conflicts of interest. Comments are due to CMS by 2 p.m. (PT) on April 15.
CHA Opinion Piece Shines Light on Insurer Crisis in Orange County
What’s happening: CHA President & CEO Carmela Coyle shares how vulnerable Californians in Orange County are losing access to health care because an insurance company is dropping safety-net hospitals.
What else to know: CalOptima has dropped from its network four hospitals that serve people experiencing homelessness, substance abuse disorders, chronic health conditions, and more. CHA is calling for regulators to take action to preserve health care access for California’s most vulnerable patients.
Rural Health Care Access Is Statewide Concern
Health care access for more than 2 million Californians is shrinking.
Federal Judge to Determine Legality of Health Care Employer Provisions in City of Inglewood Ordinance
What’s happening: In a lawsuit brought by CHA, a federal judge is set to rule on whether portions of an Inglewood ordinance conflict with the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
What else to know: The ordinance increases minimum wage for health care workers at a broad range of health care facilities yet prohibits employers from using lawful economic bargaining tools to fund the increase. CHA is not challenging the increased minimum wage.
Medicare Coverage for Behavioral Health Expanded
What’s happening: The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) announced that Medicare will cover visits with mental health counselors, addiction counselors, and marriage and family therapists, effective since Jan. 1.
What else to know: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will conduct both routine and focused program audits of Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations in 2024 to assess compliance with new requirements.
CMS Provides “Two-Midnight Rule” Guidance for Medicare Advantage Plans
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a frequently asked questions (FAQ) document on finalized contract year 2024 Medicare Advantage (MA) policies.
What else to know: The document provides guidance on how the “two-midnight” hospital admissions policies apply to MA patients when MA organizations are permitted to deny payment through post-claim audits.
Changes Finalized to Substance Use Disorder Record Sharing Rules
What’s happening: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued long-awaited regulations implementing changes to requirements for sharing substance use disorder (SUD) patient data.
What else to know: The CHA-supported regulations are intended to better align SUD record-sharing rules with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements.
