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 Extends Deadline for Comments on Draft Ligature Risk Guidance
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
On June 20, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it has extended the deadline for comments on its draft guidance on ligature risk for psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric units to June 28. Previously, the deadline had been June 17, and CHA submitted a comment letter. CHA encourages members to use the letter in drafting their own comments.
Majority of California Congressional Delegation Cosigns Letter Opposing Changes to Medicare Area Wage Index
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
In a large showing of bipartisan support, 48 members of the California congressional delegation co-signed a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services opposing proposed changes to the Medicare area wage index, which is used to adjust Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and post-acute care services. CHA thanks Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-1) and Rep. Mike Thompson (D-5) for leading the effort, and thanks members for their response to the Advocacy Alert and outreach on this critical issue.
CHA Comments on Proposed Changes to Calculation of Official Poverty Measure
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CHA has submitted comments to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on its proposal to change how inflation is calculated in the Census Bureau’s Official Poverty Measure (OPM).
DMHC Releases Guidance on General Licensure Regulation
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) has released final guidance on its Knox-Keene licensure regulation, which applies to any contract entered into, amended, or renewed on or after July 1. The regulation, among other things, defines various types of risk and requires entities that assume any amount of global risk to either obtain a license under the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975 or receive an exemption from DMHC.
DHCS Releases Access Assessment Draft, Comments Due June 28
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has released a draft assessment of California health plans’ compliance with time/distance access standards for managed care patients. According to the assessment, only a small number of plans failed to meet these standards for at least 99% of enrollees.
CHA Provides Comments on IRF PPS, SNF Proposed Rules for FFY 2020
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CHA has submitted comments on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) federal fiscal year (FFY) 2020 proposed rules for the prospective payment systems (PPS) for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) and skilled-nursing facilities (SNFs).
DHCS Issues June Stakeholder Update
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Department of Health care Services has released a stakeholder update with information on key programs and services, including the Assisted Living Waiver renewal, the Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System Waiver, the Medication Assisted Treatment Expansion Project, and updates to the Medi-Cal provider manual.
HQI Conference Session to Focus on Infection Prevention’s Changing Role
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The 2019 Hospital Quality Institute Conference — themed Respect, Reliability, Resilience — features sessions on the most pressing issues facing quality and patient safety leaders and professionals. This year, the conference will be held Oct. 14-15 in Sacramento at the Golden One Center and The Kimpton Sawyer Hotel.
Deadline Approaching to Ensure Exact Matching on Claims Data for OPPS Providers with Multiple Locations
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CHA reminds outpatient prospective payment system providers with multiple locations that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will activate billing claims edits in July to check whether the address on a provider’s claim exactly matches the address entered into the Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS), as previously reported in CHA News.
CHA Urges Members to Comment on Area Wage Index Changes in IPPS Proposed Rule
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CHA has prepared a letter template that members can use to share with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) their opposition to its proposed changes to the Medicare area wage index, outlined in the federal fiscal year (FFY) 2020 inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) proposed rule. Member input is critical, as this proposal inappropriately and unnecessarily harms California’s hospitals.
