• The government shutdown nearing the end as Congress delays action on ACA subsidies.

• AHA flagging concerns over cuts to state directed payments.

• Applications for the 2026 cohort of the Healthcare Leadership Academy.

• GOP leaders plan for the House to begin voting on the package after 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Speaker Mike Johnson holds a narrow two-vote margin to pass the bill.

• Notably, the agreement does not include an extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium subsidies that expire at the end of the year.

• Senate Majority Leader John Thune committed to hold a vote in the coming weeks on legislation to extend the tax credits in exchange for passage of the funding bill.

• Elimination of scheduled Medicaid disproportionate share hospital cuts;

• Extension of the enhanced Medicare low-volume adjustment and Medicare-dependent hospital program for rural hospitals;

• Extension of key Medicare telehealth waivers and the hospital-at-home program;

• Extension of the 1.0 floor on the Medicare work geographic practice cost index; and

• Extension of add-on payments for Medicare ambulance services.

• In Arizona, programs like HEALTHII are projected to deliver $2.9 billion in net payments next year.

• Clarify definitions so SDP caps align with existing Medicaid FFS UPL policies.

• Use net-of-tax calculations to avoid deeper-than-required cuts.

• Offer flexibility by grandfathering current rates or total payment amounts.

• Allow post-payment reconciliation for SDP arrangements.

• Remove hold-harmless attestations, which add paperwork without improving oversight.

• The AzHHA Foundation partners with Creighton University’s College of Professional and Continuing Education to provide healthcare leadership and management education to rising leaders within AzHHA member hospitals.

• Nine months of learning begins in March 2026 and culminates in November 2026 which includes three in-person and six virtual sessions.

• The HLA is geared toward mid-level managers and early-stage executives to prepare them for C-suite positions.

• This is third cohort of the HLA. Learn more about the program here.

• Pros:

  • May include extra services like vision, hearing and dental.

  • Has an annual out-of-pocket maximum ($9,350 in-network/$14,000 combined in 2025).

  • Often combines drug and medical coverage into one plan.

• Cons:

  • Limited provider networks (average plan only includes ~50% of U.S. physicians).

  • Requires approval for specialists, treatments and many services.

  • Hidden costs and denied coverages may lead to higher expenses than Original Medicare.

  • Higher costs may result from coverage denials and hidden fees under Medicare Advantage.

“The orthopedic program at Tucson Medical Center, in partnership with the Tucson Orthopaedic Institute, delivers comprehensive, patient-centered care for a full range of bone, joint, muscle and connective tissue conditions. Together, these teams form southern Arizona’s leading orthopedic network, offering both nonsurgical and advanced surgical treatments tailored to each patient’s individual goals.”

Becker’s Hospital Review