09/27/2026

The Data Exchange Framework: What Every California ASC Needs to Know

Dont miss this weeks Adminstrator Mastery Series Education: Hot Topic: Payor Contracting!

This Wednesday - Everybody is Welcome!

September 30, 2026 | 3:00 – 4:00 PM

Negotiating Payer Contracts: Getting Paid What Your ASC Is Worth

Speaker: Rita Reyes-Williamson, VP of Contracting (West), AMSURG
1 Hour CEU/AEU: Financial

Payer contracts are one of the most powerful levers an ASC administrator has to protect and grow the financial health of their facility — yet most ASCs leave money on the table simply by not knowing what is negotiable, when to push, and how to build a strategy that works in their market. This practical session walks you through the fundamentals of managed care contracting, how to model and rank your contracts, what to watch for in the fine print, and how the major health plans structure their agreements and where the real opportunities lie.

REGISTER - September 30th Session

The Data Exchange Framework: What Every California ASC Needs to Know

Every ambulatory surgery center in California is now required to sign the state’s Data Sharing Agreement.

Several CASA members have recently received notices from the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) stating that their surgery center is out of compliance with California’s Data Exchange Framework (DxF). This is a real requirement; it now applies to every ASC in the state, and HCAI will begin naming non-compliant organizations publicly on January 1, 2027. Below is a short history of how the requirement reached surgery centers, who it applies to, and how to register.

What is the Data Exchange Framework?

The DxF is California’s statewide agreement for sharing health information among providers, health plans, and social services organizations. It is not a state database. Participants sign a single Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) and agree to follow a common set of policies for exchanging patient information securely. HCAI now administers the program.

How the Requirement Reached Surgery Centers

The DxF was created in 2021, but ASCs were not named in the original law. Surgery centers were brought in explicitly by SB 660 in 2025. The timeline below covers only the milestones that matter for ASCs.

Note on deadlines. SB 660 placed ASCs within the category of “physician organizations and medical groups,” whose statutory deadlines (signing by January 31, 2023, and exchanging data by January 31, 2024) have already passed. HCAI’s FAQ lists those same dates for ASCs. In practice, HCAI is treating any ASC that has not signed as out of compliance now.

Which ASCs Does This Apply To?

All of them. The law requires “an ambulatory surgical center or accredited outpatient setting” to sign the Data Sharing Agreement. This includes:

• ASCs licensed by the California Department of Public Health
• Medicare-certified ASCs
• Accredited outpatient surgery settings

HCAI’s guidance states that each required organization must sign the agreement itself. Another organization, such as a management company or health system, cannot sign on its behalf.

How to Register

1. Sign the Data Sharing Agreement through HCAI’s signing portal: https://signdxf.powerappsportals.com/
2. Get connected. Choose how you will exchange data, whether through a Qualified Health Information Organization (QHIO), a national network, another intermediary, or direct connections. Using a QHIO is optional.
3. Declare exchange readiness by entering your exchange choices in the DxF Participant Directory.
4. Begin sharing health information with other participants as required under the DxF Policies and Procedures.

More information for participants: https://dxf.chhs.ca.gov/for-participants/

Received a Notice from HCAI?

Do not ignore it. Complete the signing process above as soon as possible, and keep a copy of your signed agreement and confirmation. Send questions about your center’s status to HCAI at dxf@hcai.ca.gov. CASA members can also contact us for help.

Sources

SB 660, chaptered text (Chapter 325, Statutes of 2025): https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB660/2025

HCAI, California Data Exchange Framework SB 660 Fact Sheet: https://dxf.chhs.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/California-Data-Exchange-Framework-SB-660-Fact-Sheet.pdf

HCAI DxF FAQ: Who is required to sign the Data Sharing Agreement: https://dxf.chhs.ca.gov/faqs/1/

HCAI DxF Frequently Asked Questions: https://dxf.chhs.ca.gov/faq/

HCAI DxF, For Participants: https://dxf.chhs.ca.gov/for-participants/

Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection, SB 660 analysis (July 16, 2025): https://apcp.assembly.ca.gov/media/1002

AB 133 (Chapter 143, Statutes of 2021), bill history: https://legiscan.com/CA/bill/AB133/2021

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