SACRAMENTO (May 4, 2026) — The California Hospital Association (CHA) has filed a lawsuit against Anthem Blue Cross to prevent the insurance giant from penalizing hospitals when Anthem enrollees choose a doctor that is out of network, a choice explicitly allowed by their health insurance plan.
Dylan’s journey began with a life-threatening diagnosis: four congenital heart defects that required expert care. His family found that care at CHLA’s Heart Institute, where Dylan received the treatment he needed to grow and thrive. Now 19, he’s channeling that resilience into life as an athlete on Pepperdine University’s men’s volleyball team.
A critical deadline passed last week in the state Legislature and there’s good news: both of CHA’s sponsored bills — one that would expand and reinvest in the Distressed Hospital Loan Program and another that would cost out proposed laws — have passed out of their committees.
A recent commentary from an academic whose primary source of funding is a national profit-focused insurance company takes unjust aim at hospitals and the vital care they provide to Californians throughout the state.
Tuesday, May 5, 202611:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., PT
“California hospitals will be facing severe funding losses.”
“If hospitals are starved for the funds they require to operate, they will be forced to cut back on services.”
“OHCA’s actions threaten the viability of the entire health care delivery system.”
These quotes from CHA’s latest legal filing in our lawsuit against the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) underscore what’s at stake for hospitals across California.
Earlier this week, CHA sent a pointed letter to the president of Anthem Blue Cross of California, calling out the insurance behemoth’s new multistate payment policy — an unjust and harmful practice that will penalize California hospitals for providing care to patients involving non-participating physicians or providers.
Sunny Sharma, MD, is used to advising his patients to do their research — and when he experienced hearing loss after having a viral infection, he followed his own advice. After an MRI revealed an acoustic neuroma, Dr. Sharma read research articles, met with several local doctors for referrals, and joined support groups to learn more. UC San Diego Health’s name came kept coming up, so he turned to their acoustic neuroma experts for care. Eventually, he was able to reclaim his dream of running the Chicago Marathon.
I had the privilege earlier this week to welcome and join one of the most important gatherings of rural health care leaders in California: CHA’s annual Rural Health Care Symposium.
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