Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. April 21 testified in two hearings on the proposed fiscal year 2027 HHS budget, which requests $111.1 billion.
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UnitedHealth Group announced plans to expand its Rural Payment Acceleration Pilot to reduce Medicare Advantage payment processing times for rural hospitals to less than 15 days, on average.
Marc Boom, M.D., president and CEO of Houston Methodist and 2026 AHA board chair, spoke April 21 at POLITICO’s Health Care Summit about health care affordability.
Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., ranking member, House Ways and Means Committee, chatted with Steve Walsh, president and CEO, Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association, on a range of health care topics, including the crucial role hospitals play in their communities and how the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits at the end of last year are affecting the political discourse surrounding hospitals and health care.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, discussed his priorities for rural hospitals in Missouri and across the nation.
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and New York Times bestselling author Jon Meacham discussed the nature of American politics through pivotal moments in U.S. history.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, spoke on the need for Congress to address reductions in federal funding from the budget reconciliation bill passed in July 2025, prior authorization challenges presented by insurers, strengthening the health care workforce and improving telehealth in rural areas.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services leaders today announced a voluntary pledge that hospitals can
CMS Deputy Administrator and Director of Medicare Chris Klomp and Deputy Administrator and Chief of Staff Stephanie Carlton talked with AHA Board Chair Marc Boom, M.D., president and CEO, Houston Methodist, about CMS’ policies in the past year and looking ahead on affordability, commercial health plan accountability, drug prices and the Rural Health Transformation Fund.
Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, joined Bill Gassen, president and CEO of Sanford Health and AHA chair-elect, for a fireside chat.
The 2026 AHA Annual Meeting began today with Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of Corewell Health and 2025 AHA board chair, who discussed the need for leaders to approach health care with skill and compassion and to share patient stories with policymakers as they make critical decisions that impact the field.
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., vice chair of the Republican Conference and member of the Senate Finance Committee and its Subcommittee on Health Care, joined Denise Webber, president and CEO of Stillwater Medical Center, for a conversation on building a health care workforce in rural areas, regulatory relief, and how prior authorizations, particularly from Medicare Advantage providers, disrupt patient care and delay payments to hospitals.
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Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Congress must set aside partisanship to address urgent health care issues, including affordability and access to care.
FBI Co-deputy Director Andrew Bailey discussed a rise in cyber and physical threats impacting health care.
Jim VandeHei, CEO of Axios; Marc Boom, M.D., AHA board chair and president and CEO of Houston Methodist; Anne Klibanski, M.D., president and CEO of Mass General Brigham; Jonathan Perlin, M.D., president and CEO of Joint Commission; and Ladd Wiley, senior vice president of global corporate affairs, public policy and advocacy for Epic, all participated in the panel discussion “AI in Health Care: Navigating Policy, Regulation, and the Road Ahead."
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz, M.D., and CMS Deputy Administrator and Director o
AHA Board Immediate Past Chair Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO, Corewell Health, and Rob Allen, president and CEO, Intermountain Health, participated in a discussion moderated by Jim Skogsbergh, former chair of the AHA Board of Trustees, for a discussion about the opportunities and challenges facing health care leaders in today’s landscape.
President Trump April 18 signed an executive order to accelera