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
DMHC Issues All Plan Letter on Compliance with Mental Health and Substance Use Parity Law
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
On Jan. 5, the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) issued All Plan Letter (APL) 21-002 to all commercial full-service health plans and specialized health plans offering behavioral health services that are regulated by the department. The guidance is designed to ensure health plans comply with amendments made to Senate Bill (SB) 855 (Wiener, D-San Francisco), the mental health and substance use parity law that took effect on Jan. 1.
Data Reporting Updates Include ICU Surge Beds, Therapeutic Fields
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
With the surge in COVID-19 cases and the decreasing ICU capacity across California, the state finds it necessary to track ICU surge beds. To capture this information, CHA will update the CHA COVID-19 Tracking Tool to include a new field called ICU Surge Beds (a subset of the Total Surge Beds field) on Jan. 8.
CEO Message: Fighting a Surge on Top of a Surge
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
While we all are grateful to leave 2020 behind us, the first several months of the new year will not provide any respite from the relentless spread of COVID-19, especially in these early weeks as the holiday gatherings transform into mass hospitalizations throughout California.
The projections are frightening. As many as 15,000 new COVID-19 patients could need hospital care by the middle of this month, and the cases will continue to climb through late February before things might begin to level off.
DMHC Issues All Plan Letters in Response to Public Health Order
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
On Jan. 6, the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) released All Plan Letters (APL) 21-003 and 21-004 in response to the public health order issued and amended earlier this week by the California Department of Public Health.
CHA Submits Comments on Prior Authorization, 1135 Waiver Process Proposals
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CHA recently submitted comments on a proposed rule by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) – in coordination with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology – intended to streamline and reduce the burden associated with health plan prior authorization processes through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
Updates for the Week of Jan. 4
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:
Instructions to Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) on COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers for Medicare-Dependent, Small Rural Hospitals and Sole Community Hospitals
COVID-19 Vaccines: CDC Long-Term Care Facility Toolkit
CMS Provides Extension for Certain Medicare Cost Reports
Friday Webinar Will Detail State Health Order on Hospital Surge
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
To help hospitals and health systems understand the State Health Order on Hospital Surge that was issued by the California Department of Public Health on Jan. 5 and amended on Jan. 6., CHA will host a webinar Jan. 8 from 8 to 9 a.m. (PT).
HHS Issues Guidance Requiring Manufacturers to Provide 340B Discount at Contract Pharmacies
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
On Dec. 30, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services general counsel issued an advisory opinion requiring pharmaceutical manufacturers to sell covered entities 340B drugs at or below the ceiling price when those drugs are distributed through a contract pharmacy.
Medicare Sequester Suspension Extended Through March
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, signed into law on Dec. 27, extends the suspension of the 2% Medicare sequester until March 31. The suspension, which was included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, took effect on May 1, 2020, and was scheduled to expire on Dec. 31, 2020.
Federal Court Blocks Implementation of Medicare Part B Drug Pricing Rule
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
On Dec. 28, a federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted a preliminary injunction preventing the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) from implementing the Most Favored Nation (MFN) interim final rule.
