IHA Daily Briefing: September 28

IHA Webinar: Strategies for MA Cost Report Requirements Oct. 7

Newly mandated reporting of median Medicare Advantage (MA) payor-specific negotiated charges (PSNCs) will make even more price information available to the public, potentially causing consumers to misinterpret charge data. Additional administrative burden could result by way of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) price transparency efforts.

A complimentary IHA webinar on Oct. 7, from 11 a.m.-noon CT, will explain the complexities of the new requirements that:

• Involve reporting by Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Group (MS-DRG);
• Rely heavily on accurate machine-readable file (MRF) data and detailed discharge-level analysis;
• Apply to cost reporting periods ending on or after Jan. 1, 2026; and
• Must be done on the new worksheet S-12.

Alicia Faust, principal with Forvis Mazars' Healthcare Performance Improvement Practice, will lead the webinar. She'll cover MA negotiated rate data elements required for cost report submission; how to determine your hospital's reporting scope; end-to-end workflow to calculate the discharge-weighted median PSNCs; and cross-functional processes needed to support accurate MRF maintenance, internal controls, and prompt preparation for the 2026 reporting requirement.

There is no fee to attend. The webinar will be recorded and made available to all registrants following the program. Register today.

Staff contact: Cassie Yarbrough

ICAHN RHTP Funding: Applications for Two Grant Opportunities Now Open

The Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network (ICAHN) today announced the release of two competitive funding opportunities through the Illinois Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). Applications for both opportunities are now available through the Euna Solutions Grants Portal beginning today, Sept. 28, 2026. Eligible hospitals have 10 business days to complete and submit their applications. Applications are due Oct. 9, 2026, by 5 p.m. CT. Awardees will be notified the week of Nov. 9, 2026. Available funding opportunities include:

Disease Prevention and Chronic Disease Management
This opportunity provides funding for eligible hospitals to implement evidence-based chronic disease prevention and management programs through the development of classes, curricula, educational materials, and other interventions. Programs may include diabetes prevention; mental health first aid; nutrition and physical activity programs; chronic disease self-management; and tobacco cessation. Click here to apply.

Building a Resilient Workforce

This opportunity supports programs designed to attract and retain healthcare professionals, including physicians, advanced practitioners, and allied health professionals. The program focuses on three areas including recruitment of healthcare professionals or the development and expansion of new healthcare service lines; strategies that strengthen and support the healthcare workforce hospitals already have; and providing individuals with opportunities to advance their education and careers in healthcare. Click here to apply.

Note: If you've used the Euna Grants Portal before, simply log in with your existing username and password. If you're new to Euna, you'll need to create an account first before beginning the application process.

ICAHN noted that viewing the informational slides and a webinar recording before completing an application is strongly encouraged. The webinars provide important information about the funding opportunities, application requirements and submission process. These recordings can be found on the ICAHN RHTP Information & Tools webpage, and addition to other information on the grants, application materials and related links, and budget worksheets. The Euna Solutions Grants Portal will also house important information and application resources.

Staff contacts: Jordan Powell, Abby Radcliffe

Cybersecurity Alert: Two Critical Vulnerabilities in Citrix NetScaler

The American Hospital Association has issued a cybersecurity alert notifying the hospital community that within the last 24 hours, according to reporting by multiple credible sources, two high-risk vulnerabilities were discovered in Citrix NetScaler Application Delivery Controller (ADC) and NetScaler Gateway appliances. The reports show that the vulnerabilities were being actively exploited by cyber adversaries to take control of NetScaler devices to execute code remotely, potentially allowing access to internal networks. These are critical vulnerabilities, scoring a 9.5 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS). Citrix has published fixes for the affected software. Hospitals and health systems should implement the updates provided by Citrix as soon as possible and closely monitor networks for any signs of compromise that may have occurred prior to implementing recommended Citrix mitigations. Software updates and configuration changes are recommended. Click herefor additional information from the Cybersecurity Infrastructure & Security Agency.

IDPH Urges Illinoisans to Get Vaccinated Against Measles as Cases Rise

As measles cases across the country increase, the Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) is reminding residents to protect themselves by confirming they are vaccinated against the disease. IDPH said that while the risk for getting measles remains very low for residents, vaccination is the most effective step people can take to protect themselves and their loved ones. In 2026 to date, there have been 23 confirmed measles cases in Illinois, primarily driven by a 16-case outbreak in Douglas and Moultrie counties. Additional recent cases not related to outbreaks have been identified in Kane and Madison counties. IDPH maintains a list of potential exposure areas, which can be found here.

Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative Annual Conference Nov. 10

Registration is now open for the Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative (ILPQC) 14^th Annual Conference, an opportunity for all perinatal stakeholders to share strategies and lessons learned from perinatal quality improvement efforts across Illinois and the country. National and state leaders will provide resources and expertise as ILPQC launches its new statewide obstetric and neonatal quality improvement initiatives to improve perinatal outcomes. The annual conference will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at the Westin Lombard Yorktown Center.

Click here to register. For more information on the agenda, including times and topics, click here. The conference is intended for obstetricians, neonatologists, pediatricians, nurse midwives, and other perinatal healthcare practitioners, nurses, lactation counselors, perinatal health educators, social workers, quality leaders, public health professionals, and all perinatal health advocates. Click hereto reserve your hotel room. The early bird rate is available until this Wednesday, Sept. 30.

ILPQC is also encouraging all hospital teams to submit an abstract on completed or in-progress quality improvement work in any area. Abstracts submitted by Wednesday, Oct. 7, will be reviewed for awards. Click here for more information.

Illinois Respiratory Disease Surveillance Data

The Infectious Respiratory Disease Surveillance Dashboard from the Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) provides the latest data on hospital visits, seasonal trends, lab test positivity and demographic data. IDPH also tracks COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus information through the Illinois Wastewater Surveillance System dashboard.

Briefly Noted

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Friday the launch of an initiative with a founding group of 37 state partners, including Illinois, to focus on how quality is measured in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program. CMS said the Investing in Health Outcomes initiative will prioritize measures that demonstrate meaningful improvements in prevention, chronic disease management and behavioral health.

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