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 to End Medicare Advanced Payments from Change Healthcare Cyberattack Disruptions
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will close the program that provided Medicare accelerated and advance payments to providers affected by the Change Healthcare cyberattack.
What else to know: CMS will no longer accept new applications for these payments after July 12.
CHA Supports Federal Bill to Preserve Access to Care in Rural Communities
What’s happening: CHA sent a letter to the California congressional delegation in support of the Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites (PEAKS) Act (H.R. 7931).
What else to know: The legislation would protect critical access hospitals (CAHs) in rural and mountainous areas by correcting a misalignment in Medicare’s CAH ambulance reimbursement requirements.
CHA Summarizes Finalized Changes to 340B ADR Process
What’s happening: CHA has issued a detailed summary of the final rule updating the 340B administrative dispute resolution (ADR) process.
What else to know: The final rule became effective June 18.
340B and Multiple Federal Issues Simmering
As financial challenges continue to plague California’s hospitals, conversation at the federal level is heating up over 340B, the national discount drug program that serves the most vulnerable patients at nearly 200 hospitals in our state.
CHA to Host 2024 Disaster Planning Conference
What’s happening: CHA will host the 2024 Disaster Planning Conference in Pasadena on Sept. 10 and 11 to discuss disaster planning, training, and implementation.
What else to know: Registration is open. Early bird pricing expires on Aug. 9.
CFPB Proposes Rule Removing Medical Debt from Credit Reports
What’s happening: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a proposed rule that would remove medical debt from credit reports.
What else to know: Comments on the rule are due on August 12.
CHA DataSuite Releases Three Quality Analyses for First Quarter 2024
What’s happening: CHA DataSuite releases three hospital-specific analyses for quality measure trends, value-based purchasing (VBP), and the hospital-acquired condition (HAC) reduction program.
What else to know: The analyses are intended to provide hospitals a preview of the program’s potential impact for federal fiscal year (FFY) 2025, based on the most recent publicly available data and program rules established by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
White House Announces Partnerships to Improve Cybersecurity for Rural Hospitals
What’s happening: Microsoft and Google will provide free or low-cost cybersecurity services to rural hospitals nationwide to help them prevent cyberattacks.
What else to know: The American Hospital Association worked closely with the White House to secure these commitments from private sector partners.
OHCA Proposes Revisions to Cost and Market Impact Review Regulations
What’s happening: Regulatory changes proposed by Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA), including the ability to withdraw information for which a request for confidentiality was denied, largely aim to clarify existing rules.
What else to know: Public comment on the proposal released last week is due June 20. The proposal will be discussed at the OHCA board meeting on June 26.
CHA Urges Hospitals to Contact Lawmakers as Seismic Bill Heads to Assembly Health Committee
What’s happening: CHA issued an alert encouraging members to send letters to their state Assembly members in support of Senate Bill 1432, which offers important modifications to the 2030 seismic standards related to timing and financial support.
What else to know: The deadline to submit letters is June 17. The CHA-sponsored legislation passed out of the state Senate in May on a near unanimous vote. It is scheduled to be heard in the Assembly Health Committee on June 25.
