The newsroom includes access to Council Connect, our twice-monthly newsletter on Hospital Council’s work. Key articles and issues of interest, along with the President’s Message, are included below.
Newsroom
When Good Policy Meets Hospital Reality: What We’re Learning From AB 2975
“The value of an idea lies in the using of it.” – Thomas Edison
Every year, state lawmakers spend months crafting legislation with the lofty goal of improving life for Californians. When their work is done, hospitals have the task of transforming those ideas into actionable solutions, all while ensuring access to the lifesaving care millions of Californians rely on every day.
Section Updates for August 26, 2026
Central Valley: Hospital Council participated in the latest “Future of Medi-Cal” Advisory Commission meeting, which comprises four workgroups — Member Experience & Care Model, Payments and Financing, Rationalized System, and Technology, Data & Infrastructure —that will develop focus areas and recommendations. While recommendations have not yet been created, early discussion has focused on including support...
Hospitals Should Review Preliminary FFY 2028 Wage Index and Occupational Mix Data by Sept. 1
CHA DataSuite has issued a hospital-specific analysis of the Medicare hospital federal fiscal year (FFY) 2028 wage index and occupational mix data.
ShiftMed: It’s Time to Rethink the Nursing Shortage
A blog post from Hospital Council Strategic Partner ShiftMed examines the changing nature of the nursing workforce shortage and provides strategies for improving the conditions nurse leaders face every day.
Leadership Beyond the Hospital Walls
Read only the headlines, and health care looks like a story about scarcity. Margins are thinner. Workforce pipelines are strained. Regulatory demands keep expanding. Patients arrive with needs more complex than any single institution was designed to meet. And in a lot of boardrooms, the hard questions about 2027 are arriving faster than the answers.
Section Updates for August 12, 2026
Central Valley: In the latest meeting of member hospitals’ community benefits leads, Hospital Council continued to coordinate the development of an investment plan to address hunger and food insecurity across Fresno, Madera, Kings, and Tulare counties. With structure and metrics for the group’s shared priorities taking shape, the group is aiming to finalize its plan...
New Business Partner Brings Emotional Well-Being Solutions, EAP Support to Hospitals
Concern, a new Hospital Council strategic business partner, delivers clinically led mental health and employee well-being solutions built within the health care ecosystem. Concern’s professionals are experienced in hospital culture and bring firsthand insight into the pressures facing nurses, physicians, and care teams. This perspective informs their services, which include an access center, counseling, immediate...
Webinar Will Address Supporting People with Disabilities During Extreme Weather Events
On Aug. 27 at 11:30 a.m. (PT), the ADA National Network will host a training focused on the unique challenges faced by people with disabilities during weather emergencies, along with strategies for building a more resilient and inclusive community. The webinar will also help attendees understand the intersection of disability law and emergency response.
EMSA Pauses Audit Tool Compliance Activities Through August
The Emergency Medical Services Agency (EMSA) is pausing some activities associated with Assembly Bill 40 compliance and the ambulance patient offload time (APOT) Audit Tool. All APOT audits, compliance evaluations, and biweekly calls with participating facilities exceeding their APOT standard will be paused through August 2026.
Aug. 27 Webinar Will Highlight New Partner’s Independent Dispute Resolution Platform
On Aug. 27 from 9 to 10 a.m. (PT), new Hospital Council strategic business partner Pivotal will host a webinar about building a sustainable, modern independent dispute resolution program. With customers seeing an 89%-win rate and 5:1 return on investment on out-of-network payment disputes, Pivotal is a strong partner in helping hospitals obtain reimbursement for...
