In 2009/10 SCA established a coalition of five District hospitals to identify and address opportunities to access federal funds that were not being made available to District hospitals. Through the creation of numerous federal funding programs District hospitals now receive federal funding that reaches their upper payment limit, as well as funding for programs that provide payment outside of the upper payment limit. The District Hospital Leadership Forum (DHLF) is now comprised of 35 hospitals which includes the majority of the District hospitals in California.

Management, technical, and operational support to the DISTRICT HOSPITAL LEADERSHIP FORUM (DHLF)

• Identify and develop innovative payment improvement programs to access federal funding levels to reach upper payment limit (UPL) in the aggregate for California’s District hospitals
• Seek opportunities within the California payment waiver(s) to access federal funding at levels above the UPL in the aggregate for California’s District hospitals
• Recommend and advocate for an equitable funding allocation to all DHLF members on all federal supplemental funding programs
• Lead the DHLF on all advocacy strategy involving issues related to finance and reimbursement matters on behalf of District hospitals
• Representation of District hospitals before the legislature and state regulatory agencies

Financial and Reimbursement Oversight and Improvement Program

• Monitor key state and federal efforts that may impact the hospital financial position in both the short-term and long-term
• Communicate with hospital to provide insight and updates regarding state and federal programs of a financial and reimbursement nature
• Monitor and evaluate opportunities to expand Medi-Cal supplemental payment program reimbursement
• Monitor grant funding opportunities and work with hospital team to prepare applications and monitor process