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
Biden Administration Clarifies COVID-19 Testing Coverage Requirements
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
On Feb. 26, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury updated guidance related to COVID-19 testing. The clarifications should improve access to no-cost-sharing COVID-19 testing for both the insured and uninsured. However, it stops short of requiring health plan coverage of COVID-19 testing for public health surveillance.
The updated guidance clarifies that under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act health plans:
CDC: U.S. Suicide Rate Fell Before COVID-19 Pandemic, But Prevention More Important Than Ever
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Feb. 26 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, after increasing for 13 years, the U.S. suicide rate dropped overall by 2% between 2018 and 2019. But the report cautioned those figures do not account for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
CHA Webinar Will Provide Overview of DHCS 340B Self-Audit
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CHA will host a webinar with Hooper, Lundy, & Bookman, PC, on March 3 from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. (PT) to review the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) requirements for 340B self-audit of fee-for-service claims data, and to discuss developments to date. DHCS announced in July it would send letters to every 340B provider/covered entity demanding they conduct a self-audit.
While some hospitals have already received these letters, most have not. That is expected to change soon, and this complimentary, members-only webinar will help hospitals prepare by answering these questions:
Updates for the Week of Feb. 22
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued the following updates this week:
March 9 Webinar: Q&A Session: CY 2020 eCQM Reporting Using the HQR System
Post-Acute Care Transfers: Bill Correctly
CMS Reopening MIPS EUC application for Individual MIPS Eligible Clinicians, Groups, Virtual Groups, and APM Entities through March 31, 2021 at 5 p.m. PT
CMS Applying MIPS Automatic Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Policy to All MIPS Eligible Clinicians for 2020 Performance Period
CDPH Announces Paperless Process for Issuing Facility Licenses
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
On Feb. 22, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced in All Facilities Letter 21-10 that its Centralized Applications Branch (CAB) will begin a paperless process for issuing health care facility licenses, starting March 1.
CEO Message: Hospitals Endure Massive Financial Hit from COVID-19
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
As Congress continues to deliberate President Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, with House approval expected Friday, a new report from financial consulting firm Kaufman Hall paints a troubling picture of the financial toll the pandemic has taken on hospitals.
CHA Continues Advocacy on Statewide Vaccine Network; Blue Shield Announces Revisions to Contract
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CHA continues to work with the state’s Government Operations Agency and its third-party administrator (TPA), Blue Shield of California, on the new statewide vaccination network.
Currently, Blue Shield is determining which providers will be in its network, and is doing so in three stages:
CHA Participates in EMSA’s Community Paramedicine Advisory Committee Kick-Off Meeting
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CHA will be working with the Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) as a member of the Community Paramedicine Advisory Committee.
The committee, which is required by Assembly Bill (AB) 1544 (chapter 138, statutes of 2020), will advise the authority on the development and oversight of community paramedicine programs and triage to alternate destination program specialties established in AB 1344, the Community Paramedicine or Triage to Alternate Destination Act of 2020.
Feb. 26 Is Deadline for Hospitals to Review Quality Data for April Public Reporting
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CHA reminds hospitals that preview data for April public reporting are currently available for review through Feb. 26. CHA encourages members to view their hospital-specific preview reports, available on the QualityNet website.
CHA Testifies on Specialty Pharmacy Policy Changes
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
On Feb. 18, CHA testified at the Board of Pharmacy Enforcement and Compounding Committee about member concerns on recent specialty pharmacy payer changes. These policy changes disrupt the traditional buy-and-bill method, where hospitals buy and store specialty drugs for general use and bill payers for the dose used when administered to the patient.
