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
Webinar Will Detail No Surprises Act and What It Means for Hospitals
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
On March 24 from 11 a.m. to noon (PT), CHA will host a members-only webinar explaining the No Surprises Act, which prohibits patients from getting surprise bills in certain out-of-network situations.
Chad Mulvany, CHA vice president, federal policy, will lead the discussion on the act, which was signed into law last year as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and addresses surprise medical billing for federally regulated plans and in states without surprise billing laws.
Transition Continues to Blue Shield Vaccinator Network
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
As previously announced, the state of California has contracted with Blue Shield of California to create a statewide network of COVID-19 vaccine providers.
A hospital, clinic, pharmacy, or other entity that wishes to administer COVID-19 vaccines after March 31 must sign an agreement with Blue Shield. The contract, which Blue Shield states is now final, requires vaccine providers to:
CEO Message: Our Selfless Health Care Workers
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
“Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live.” – Oscar Wilde
As COVID-19’s winter surge continues to wane, as the supply of vaccinations begins to grow, and as the warmer months of spring and summer approach, state and federal leaders are under increased pressure to return to “normal” — whatever that might look like — in all facets of life: schools, businesses, restaurants, entertainment, and more.
House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Telehealth
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
On March 2, the House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health held a virtual hearing on The Future of Telehealth: How COVID-19 is Changing the Delivery of Virtual Care. The subcommittee is chaired by Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (CA-18) with Reps. Matsui (CA-6), Cardenas (CA-29), Ruiz (CA-36) and Barragan (CA-44) among its members.
CMS Provides Training for Falls Assessment in Post-Acute Care Settings
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has developed a web-based training program for the standardized patient assessment data elements related to falls.
U.S. House Advances COVID-19 Bill
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
On Feb. 27, the House of Representatives passed a modified version of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319), a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package that focuses on vaccines, testing, and public health, while also providing assistance to individuals and families, among other provisions. The Senate will consider the bill this week and is expected to further modify the legislation.
Key health care provisions include:
OSHPD Establishes Commission, Developing Processes for Hospital Supplier Diversity Reports
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
On March 12 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (PT), the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) will hold the first meeting of its Hospital Diversity Commission, which is comprised of representatives from health care, procurement, and other stakeholders.
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:
