This year, every county in California will begin operating a new option for civil courts to be involved in the treatment of people with a serious mental illness: The CARE Act. Hospitals often treat individuals with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders who are in crisis and are not stabilized in treatment – people who seem to […]
What’s happening: A summary of the finalized changes to Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D programs for contract year 2025 is now available.
What else to know: The regulation is effective June 3.
What’s happening: As a condition of participation, Medicare-certified hospitals must complete attestation and acknowledgment of physicians with newly granted admitting privileges in the previous calendar year.
What else to know: Attestation statements for 2023 should be submitted by May 3.
What’s happening: Summaries of the hospice wage index, inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) prospective payment system (PPS), and skilled-nursing facility (SNF) PPS proposed rules are now available.
What else to know: Comments on the proposed rules are due by May 28.
What’s happening: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has increased the maximum loan amount that can be forgiven for doctors who commit to practicing in a health professional shortage area.
What else to know: HRSA is accepting applications to participate in this year’s program through May 9 at 4:30 p.m. (PT).
What’s happening: A CHA-opposed Assembly bill that would have expanded the definition of elder abuse and neglect will not move forward this year.
What else to know: CHA opposed Assembly Bill (AB) 2800 (Kalra, D-San Jose), which would have expanded the types of conduct that constitute elder abuse while lowering the standard of proof a plaintiff must meet to recover on such claims. CHA’s opposition to this bill centered on its undermining of the stabilizing influence of MICRA.
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed fiscal year (FY) 2025 inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) rule falls short of what hospitals need to keep up with rising costs and health care needs.
What else to know: The rule includes a net market basket update of 2.6%. As a result of all proposed changes, CMS estimates that hospital inpatient payments will increase by $3.2 billion in FY 2025. Comments are due June 10.
Earlier this week, the California Hospital Association (CHA) issued an alert urging members to testify at the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) board meeting on April 24. With the board’s final decision on a spending target expected at either the April 24 or May 22 board meeting, it is crucial that hospital voices continue […]
What’s happening: This week, CHA launched a social media campaign highlighting the challenges rural hospitals – particularly critical access hospitals – face and urging lawmakers to act so that rural health care is preserved.
What else to know: The campaign is intended to cultivate support for Senate Bill (SB) 1423 (Dahle, R-Bieber), which would provide additional financial support for California’s critical access hospitals (a concurrent budget effort is underway). CHA-sponsored SB 1423 will be heard in the Senate Health Committee on April 24.
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” — Gandhi