July 2026 in review: Provider tax limits proposed as mega-deals multiply
July 2026: CMS proposes Medicaid provider tax limits, the AHA presses for changes to the work rule, and hospital mega-mergers keep accelerating.
July 2026: CMS proposes Medicaid provider tax limits, the AHA presses for changes to the work rule, and hospital mega-mergers keep accelerating.
June 2026: CMS issues the Medicaid work requirement rule, April margins tick up as bad debt rises, and CHS sells four Arkansas hospitals to Freeman.
May 2026: CMS proposes caps on Medicaid state-directed payments, Nebraska starts work requirements, margins recover and Quorum Health goes nonprofit.
April 2026: CMS proposes a 2.4% FY2027 IPPS update and mandatory CJR-X, finalizes a 2.48% MA increase, and Q1 hospital M&A hits a six-year high.
March 2026: Sutter and Allina plan a $26B system, CMS details six-month Medicaid renewals, and ACA enrollees shift sharply toward bronze plans.
February 2026: Congress extends hospital at home, telehealth and DSH relief; Kaufman Hall reports flat 2025 margins; ransomware closes UMMC clinics.
January 2026: enhanced ACA subsidies lapse, CMS proposes a 0.09% MA rate change for 2027, and 400 new residency slots go to teaching hospitals.
December 2025 recap: enhanced ACA subsidies expire, CMS awards first-year rural transformation funds to all 50 states, HHS releases AI strategy and RFI.
November 2025 recap: shutdown ends with telehealth and hospital at home extended to Jan. 30; CMS finalizes 2.6% OPPS update with site-neutral expansion.
October 2025 recap: shutdown halts Medicare telehealth and hospital at home, ACA premiums climb about 26%, Q3 hospital M&A rebounds, 2026 PFS finalized.
September 2025 recap for hospital leaders: shutdown deadline, ACA subsidy cliff, $50B rural health fund opens, and a $100,000 H-1B fee.
August 2025: Hospitals pushed back on a 340B rebate pilot, a court approved the $2.8B BCBS provider settlement, and Epic detailed its AI roadmap.
A practical executive agenda for hospital and health system leaders, four times a year.