This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued the final rule for the prospective payment system (PPS) for home health agencies (HHAs) for calendar year (CY) 2020. The provisions in the rule will be effective Jan. 1, 2020.
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The 2020 California Hospital Volunteer Leadership Conference will be held Feb. 17-19 at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach.
Last year, the conference focused on innovative strategies to address the transformations within health care. The 2020 conference theme — Engineering Change. Inspiring Leadership. — will focus on how to best plan and motivate volunteer leaders to adapt to these changes.
The conference, which is presented by the California Association for Hospitals & Health Systems (CAHHS) Volunteer Services, is designed for hospital volunteer leaders, paid staff who manage volunteer programs, community partners, and hospital inter-professional peers looking to expand their services through the use of volunteer programs.
The conference will provide an excellent forum to meet and network with other leaders who believe volunteering is a core strategic function of every hospital organization.
Registration for attendees, sponsors, and advertisers is available exclusively online on the conference web page.
Discounted sleeping rooms are available at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach until Jan. 24, 2020. To book a room at the conference hotel, call (800) 233-1234 and reference CAHHS or California Hospital Volunteer, or visit www.calhospital.org/CAHHS-2020-hotel.
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released the following information:
Provider Claims Must Include Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers by Jan. 1, 2020
Webcast: Submitting Your Medicare Part A Cost Report Electronically Webcast, Nov. 5
Success with the Hospice Quality Reporting Program Webinar, Nov. 14
IRF/LTCH/SNF Quality Reporting Program Submission Deadline Nov. 15
Nursing Home Compare Refresh
Final OASIS D-1 Data Submission Specifications Available
October 2019 Hospital Compare Data Updates Available
Final Rule Rescinds HIPAA and ACA Requirements for a Health Plan Identifier and Other Entity Identifier
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a statement alerting the public to potential medical device shortages due to the recent closures of certain facilities that sterilize devices using ethylene oxide.
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The California Health Facilities Financing Authority (CHFFA) reminds public and nonprofit hospitals that it offers financing options, including bonds or loans, if they need to invest in additional backup generators to ensure electricity and continuity of operations during power outages. The flyer linked above includes details about CHFFA’s bond financing program, tax-exempt equipment financing program, and the HELP II loan program, as well as contact information for additional details.
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Office of Statewide Health Planning & Development (OSHPD) will hold a psychiatry residency stakeholder meeting Nov. 7 from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. in Sacramento to solicit feedback on developing a psychiatry residency grant program.
OSHPD is exploring development of the program as part of the psychiatric education capacity component of the 2020-25 Mental Health Services Act Workforce Education & Training Five-Year Plan.
The meeting will include a discussion of survey responses received from educational and training programs, hospitals, and county behavioral health directors.
Those interested in attending the meeting are asked to register online. For more information, contact OSHPD at MHSAWET@oshpd.ca.gov.
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
About a year ago, the Behavioral Health Action Coalition held a historic forum focused on mental health and substance use disorders in California, featuring then-Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. This week, in a much-deserved recognition, the coalition named Gov. Newsom a Behavioral Health Champion.
CHA co-founded Behavioral Health Action in 2018 with the National Alliance for Mental Illness, California, to lead a partnership of more than 50 organizations from health care, education, labor, law enforcement, local government, and business — all focused on eliminating stigma and engaging lawmakers to develop solutions to the behavioral health challenges faced by millions of Californians (check out all of our efforts here and here).
The coalition’s one-on-one conversation with Newsom shortly before his election to the governor’s office was a catalyst for something new in California: As lieutenant governor, he was the highest-ranking statewide official to meet with such a wide array of behavioral health professionals.
That forum was the beginning not just of a high-level public discussion about the needs of people who face behavioral health challenges — but also the beginning of meaningful statewide change. As he said then about the need for California to set an example for the nation, “[there is] no state more capable than this state to truly lead in this space.”
Once in office, Gov. Newsom quickly announced a first-ever special advisor on mental health care, Tom Insel, MD, who continues to advance the conversation on improving lives and innovating behavioral health care. And, the governor has — most importantly — championed mental health funding on a statewide level.
This year’s state budget recognizes the need for mental health workforce development with $150 million, including $20 million for hospitals to use in emergency departments. It also includes $100 million for whole person care pilot programs, and $70 million for Medi-Cal integration programs.
We were grateful a year ago when he sat down to talk with us and pledged his commitment, and we are grateful now for the important steps he has already taken to help make California a global model for behavioral health.
To borrow from Gov. Newsom: “This is an issue that demands to be treated on par with physical health… and with a sense of urgency.”
Half of us will care for someone living with a mental health issue at some point in our lives. If we are to make good on our commitment to improve lives and relieve suffering, we need to continue to support leaders like Gov. Newsom who champion a better system to care for those with behavioral health needs.
— Carmela
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued the first of two separate regulations finalizing provisions for the calendar year (CY) 2020 outpatient prospective payment system. In the first final rule, released today, CMS raises hospital outpatient payments by 2.6% for CY 2020 and estimates this will increase overall outpatient payments by $6.3 billion compared to CY 2019.
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
Registration is open for the Creating Care Partnerships: Beyond the Continuum conference on March 2-3, 2020. Hosted by CHA’s Center for Post-Acute Care, the conference will highlight how hospitals are moving toward value-based care by reaching across and beyond the care continuum.
This year’s agenda features “real-world” examples of innovative care partnerships that support effective care transitions and value-based care. In addition, clinical experts will address timely topics such as patient activation, the impact of mental health issues, and care for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Tuition scholarships are available for anyone who has not attended a Center for Post-Acute Care Conference since 2016. The first 20 qualified recipients will receive an email confirming their status, limited to one scholarship per facility.
This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
Wildfires pose many challenges for hospitals — evacuating patients, employee concerns for the safety of their family members, and exposure to wildfire smoke. As reported previously in CHA News, Cal/OSHA recently adopted emergency regulations governing employer obligations to employees exposed to wildfire smoke when the air quality index reaches 151.