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
More Than $5 Billion in Settlement Opportunities Still Available
The $5.54 billion Visa/Mastercard Class Action Settlement deadline recently passed, but more than $5 billion is available in active class action settlements with upcoming deadlines in 2025 — including the $2.8 billion Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) provider settlement. Organizations may still be eligible to recover funds.
Hospitals Are Here to Help
On Jan. 27, the Hospital Council Board of Directors will finalize this year’s major areas of focus. Discussion topics will include efforts to reduce ambulance patient offload times in various areas throughout California, the potential reopening of Madera Community Hospital, the state and federal election impacts on hospitals, insurer accountability, and the importance of participating in the California Hospital Association Political Action Committee.
APOT Standard Adjusted in Sacramento County
Who
What
Hospitals have worked diligently, innovatively, and collaboratively to improve ambulance patient offload times (APOT) in 2024. With a state-highest collective APOT of 73 minutes in December 2023, area hospitals achieved a dramatic improvement over a 12-month period, dropping to 27 minutes in December 2024.
San Francisco Health Director Grant Colfax Resigns
Who
What
San Francisco Public Health Director Grant Colfax, MD, announced his resignation, effective Feb. 7. Deputy Director of Health Naveena Bobba, MD, MPH, will serve as acting director in the interim. In his note to the section CEOs, Dr. Colfax expressed his appreciation for hospitals’ collaboration and partnership with SFDPH, particularly over the course of the pandemic.
MCO Tax Raises Questions, Opportunities
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What
The managed care organization (MCO) tax will bring billions to Medi-Cal providers for years to come, and with the passage of Proposition 35, the dollars will go where intended.
CORPORATE ASSOCIATE MEMBER | POINTCLICKCARE
Join Hospital Council’s Associate Member, PointClickCare, for an insightful webinar on Jan. 15 at 11:30 a.m. (PT). Learn how Torrance Memorial Medical Center’s emergency department (ED) enhanced care coordination, streamlined workflows, and improved patient outcomes using PointClickCare’s ED Optimization solution.
New Deadline Reminder: Act Now on Visa/Mastercard Class Action Opportunity
The filing deadline for the $5.54 billion Visa/Mastercard Class Action Settlement has been extended from Aug. 30, 2024, to Feb. 4, 2025.
Hospitals Host New Elected Officials
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What
As we enter the new year, we have experienced turnover not only in hospital leadership, but also in county and state government. Over the next few months, hospital leaders throughout the South Bay will focus on meeting several new county supervisors and elected officials.
Central Valley’s Regional Approach to Community Health Needs Reduces Cost, Burden
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What
Hospital Council is coordinating a joint Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNA) report for Fresno, Madera, Tulare, and Kings counties.
Eureka Police Department Leads the Way in Decriminalizing Mental Illness
Who
What
Through innovative de-escalation techniques and structural changes in its approach to crisis intervention, the Eureka Police Department (EPD) is transforming how law enforcement handles mental illness and substance abuse crises, effectively reducing 5150 (involuntary psychiatric) holds by 68% since 2018 and diverting nearly 93% of crisis calls in 2024 from hospitalization or incarceration.
