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What’s happening: The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) launched a one-stop-shop website with the latest information on the opioid epidemic and the state’s effort to address it.
What else to know: The website is part of Governor Newsom’s attempt to connect people with resources and treatments.
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What’s happening: Following the March 2024 passage of CHA-supported Proposition 1, applications are now open for $4.4 billion in new Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) funding to support capital projects that expand the behavioral health services continuum. What else to know: Hospitals can start the application process now for the first round of grants....
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Representatives from San Mateo County EMS Agency and San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center will speak about the Asiana plane crash and response at the closing session of CHA’s upcoming Disaster Planning Conference, to be held Sept. 23-25 in Sacramento. Participants will gain critical insight into the operational and logistical coordination required during a mass casualty incident response, from first responder triage and treatment to patient care at area hospitals.
Other general session presentations include the Boston Marathon bombing response and recovery; the Hurricane Sandy evacuation; updates from the Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, the California Department of Public Health and the California Emergency Medical Services Authority; and thought-provoking presentations on understanding legal issues and the role of leadership after a disaster. In addition, the program features 16 different breakout sessions, an update on the 2013 statewide medical and health exercise, and a half-day pre-conference workshop titled “Utilities Management: Preserving Critical Systems.”
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What’s happening: John Muir Health in Walnut Creek and Palomar Health in Escondido were among five 2024 Dick Davidson NOVA Award recipients from the American Hospital Association (AHA).
What else to know: The five recipients were honored at AHA’s Accelerating Health Equity Conference in Kansas City, Mo., in May.
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What’s happening: The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) issued demand letters last week to nearly 125 private hospitals seeking to recover overspent funds distributed through the Private Hospital Supplemental Fund (PHSF) program. What else to know: DHCS wants to recover overspent funds from 2013-14 and 2020-21. The overpayments are due to DHCS by April...
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The 2018 California Hospital Volunteer Leadership Conference, Feb. 19-21 in Newport Beach, brings together experts in volunteerism, health care issues and the community for learning and networking opportunities.
Richard Afable, MD, MPH, 2018 chair, CHA and CAHHS boards of trustees, and trustee, Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center, will present the conference’s opening session on Feb. 19, titled “Behavioral and Mental Health Crisis: An Epidemic and An Opportunity.” Dr. Afable will explore the crisis within California’s behavioral health system, which is fragmented, unresponsive to consumer needs, does not always emphasize recovery and serves only a fraction of those in need. Attendees will learn more about ways to solve this crisis using several types of emergency and crisis services under development within California, and the potential roles that volunteers play in the solutions.
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The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a report that found the many varying requirements of the four types of contractors Medicare uses to conduct post-payment reviews imposes an administrative burden on providers. GAO reviewed the different requirements for post-payment review for Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs), Zone Program Integrity Contractors (ZPICs), Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs) and Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERTs) to assess how the differences between the programs impede efficiency and effectiveness. GAO also found that RACs, who are paid fees contingent on the amount of claims recouped or adjusted, conducted almost five times as many reviews as the other three contractors combined, whose reimbursement is not dependent on the amount of their claims reviews. The GAO recommended that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services review the differences between programs to determine those that can be made more consistent and take actions to reduce those differences within an established and publicized timeline. The report is available at www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-522.
The report’s findings echo the concerns California’s hospitals have expressed about the administrative burden associated with the RAC program. CHA continues to advocate for H.R. 1250, the Medicare Audit Improvement Act, and urges members to contact their representatives to co-sponsor the bill. More information is available at www.calhospital.org/advocacy-alert/urge-representatives-support-changes-rac-program-delay-cuts-medicare.
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Last week, CHA held its Behavioral Health Care Symposium, attended by hundreds of clinical professionals, hospital leaders, policymakers, and community stakeholders. This annual gathering highlights the important work hospitals are doing alongside many others to improve behavioral health care across the state. Sessions at the symposium highlighted successful collaborations among hospitals, counties, and health plans.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is tasked with providing emergency assistance to hospitals. The FEMA application process is complex, and the review process takes time. However, there are steps a hospital can take to accelerate payment. In partnership with FEMA Region 9 and CalOES, CHA is hosting a webinar providing an update on the...
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Comments on the proposed rule are due to CMS by June 9. Join CHA’s Megan Howard and Chad Mulvany as they provide a summary of the proposed rule implications on your organization and how you can share your concerns on the impending changes.