Our featured ACHE session at the 2025 Arizona Hospital Leadership Conference.
Hospitals facing coverage gaps as Thin Blue Line plans terminate.
AzHHA takes action to defend 340B program
AzHHA filed an amicus brief in the D.C. Circuit alongside a coalition of 36 other state hospital associations.
This case is about protecting the integrity and financial stability of the 340B drug pricing program for hospitals and the communities they serve.
At issue is whether drug manufacturers can bypass long-standing 340B practices by imposing a rebate model that delays critical discounts.
A federal district court recently ruled in favor of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), affirming that manufacturers must seek approval before making such changes.
The bottom line: With the case now on appeal, AzHHA’s involvement reinforces our commitment to defending hospital resources and the protection of this important program.
🔎 Look for an upcoming members-only detailed update on 340B.
🏥Hospitals at risk from funding cuts
A new report from Protect Our Care, released in partnership with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), warns that the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act could have devastating effects on hospitals nationwide. The report includes the following key takeaways stemming from the over $1 trillion in healthcare spending cuts in the bill.
Hospitals face an estimated $340 billion in funding losses over the next decade.
Over 330 hospitals are at immediate risk of closingor scaling back services.
At least 750 additional hospitals are expected to be at risk in the coming years as provisions take effect starting in 2028.
An estimated 477,000 healthcare workers could lose their jobs as a direct result of the Medicaid cuts.
Rural hospitals, community hospitals and safety-net facilities face a particularly high risk, jeopardizing access to care in underserved areas.
The report underscores growing concerns that unless lawmakers act to revise or repeal the law, widespread reductions in hospital services and staffing could reshape the nation’s healthcare landscape. Protect Our Care’s Hospital Crisis Watch tracker provides ongoing data on closures, service cuts and financial pressures affecting hospitals across the country.
The bill is co-sponsored by Arizona Senators Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly and is supported by the entire Senate Democratic caucus.
The Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act would repeal the healthcare cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including all Medicaid cuts, and would permanently extend the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits.
The bill has been endorsed by dozens of advocacy organizations and referred to the Senate Finance Committee.
2025 Arizona Hospital Leadership Conference features ACHE session
This year’s conference theme is centered around advocacy in action as we bring healthcare leaders together to reflect on the current state of the industry and ‘lead forward’ to support Arizona’s healthcare ecosystem.
The conference includes an ACHE session titled “Designing a more efficient & higher quality patient-centered healthcare delivery model.” The panel includes:
Bharat Magu, M.D., FACHE, senior vice president and chief medical officer, Onvida Health
Brett Lee, FACHE, CEO, Northwest Medical Center Houghton
Mimi Coomler, AzHHA Board Chair Elect and CEO, Tucson Medical Center
Praneetha Elugunti, MHA, MBA, administrator Generative AI Program & Center for Digital Health, Mayo Clinic, will moderate the session.
The session is approved for 1.5 face-to-face ACHE education credit.
The big picture: The 2025 Arizona Hospital Leadership Conference is taking place Oct. 29-31, 2025, at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Ariz.
Go deeper: View the 2-and-a-half-day conference agenda here, including breakout session tracks with best practices in innovation, leadership, and policy and advocacy.
What’s next:Register now to receive an early bird discount. This discount ends Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.
Hospitals face coverage gaps as Thin Blue Line plans terminate Aug. 31
The Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI) has taken enforcement action against Thin Blue Line Benefits, LLC, citing evidence of unlicensed insurance activity and unfair or deceptive practices.
Impacted consumers are being transitioned to other marketplace coverage through a Special Enrollment Period (SEP).
Hospitals and health systems should prepare for both coverage disruptions and new enrollment patterns in the months ahead.
Key takeaways include:
Thin Blue Line coverage ends Aug. 31for current enrollees. Patients presenting after this date may experience temporary lapses if they have not yet reenrolled.
Special enrollment periods:
Current enrollees are eligible for a SEP from July 2 to Oct. 30, 2025. Marketplace coverage can begin Sept. 1, 2025, if enrollment occurs before Aug. 31.
Patients previously dropped from Thin Blue Line coverage are eligible for a SEP from Aug. 13 – Oct. 12, 2025, with options for retroactive Marketplace coverage to minimize gaps.
Patients with retroactive Marketplace coverage may have claims reprocessed once coverage is effective.
Hospitals should be prepared for short-term uncompensated care risk if patients delay re-enrollment or experience verification issues.
Physician pay drops despite rising workload
Despite increasing demands and rising workloads, physicians are seeing their compensation decline, according to a recent report from Kaufman Hall. The report analyzes data from over 200,000 employed physicians and advanced practice providers across more than 100 specialties, revealing troubling trends in healthcare reimbursement and workforce sustainability.
Key findings:
Compensation decline: Median payments for clinician services dropped by 7% between Q2 2023 and Q2 2025.
Rising productivity: Over the same period, physician productivity — measured by the effort required to deliver services — increased by 11%.
Staffing gaps: The gap between clinician productivity and the availability of medical support staff continues to widen, placing additional strain on providers.
Why it matters: These findings are especially concerning in light of the proposed 2.5% reimbursement rate from CMS, which follows five consecutive years of payment reductions. This comes amid a worsening physician shortage, threatening the sustainability of care delivery across the country.
It’s worth noting: H.R.1could further erode reimbursement levels.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, its passage will result in approximately 16.9 million individuals losing health insurance coverage, compounding the challenges faced by both patients and providers.
Deadline extended for our September 2025 nursing cohort
Take a stand for Arizona hospitals by joining the AzHHA PAC
If you believe in strong hospitals, healthy communities and smart healthcare policy, this is your cause.
The AzHHA Political Action Committee (PAC) is our shared commitment to protecting healthcare access and quality across Arizona.
The big picture: Policy decisions made at the Arizona Capitol and on Capitol Hill directly shape the care available in your community.
Why it matters: By supporting the AzHHA PAC, you help ensure that hospitals in urban and rural areas, and everywhere in between, have a powerful voice at the state and federal levels.
What’s next: Whether a one-time gift or a recurring commitment, your contribution helps shape a better tomorrow.
Wednesday, Aug. 27 - Undue Medical Debt webinar Thanks to an initiative through the Governor’s Office, Arizona has $10 million to help resolve unpaid medical debt through the non-profit organization Undue Medical Debt. Providers can learn more about the straightforward process to earning revenue from uncollected bad debt and identify opportunities to refine their financial assistance programs to better serve their communities. If you did not already receive an invitation but would like to attend, please reach out to Donna Di Orio.
Sept. 7-12 - National Tribal Health Conference This is a week-long event that serves American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes in the space of health - behavioral and public health. The conference will showcase the interconnectedness of policy, advocacy and Indian health best practices. Register now.
Wednesday, Sept. 24 - 12th Annual Tribal Summit Join Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Health Choice for an in-person event in Flagstaff, Ariz., focused on understanding tribal health, building stronger partnerships and supporting culturally informed care across Arizona. This one-day, free summit will bring together Tribal and non-Tribal healthcare providers, Tribal leaders and community organizations to discuss pressing health topics. Register here.
Friday, Sept. 26 - Arizona Bioethics Network 13th Annual Conference This hybrid event will bring together scholars from various disciplines to explore the ethical questions that shape health in a global context. This year’s conference theme is “The Interconnected World: The Ethics of Global Health Policy.” Learn more and register.
Wednesday, Oct. 1 - Introduction to POLST Join physician orders for life-sustaining treatment (POLST) paradigm for their one-hour virtual workshops equipping healthcare professionals with knowledge and resources to begin using POLST in Arizona. Register here.
Oct. 29-31 – 2025 Arizona Hospital Leadership Conference The 2025 Arizona Hospital Leadership Conference will be held at the exquisite Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson on Oct. 29-31. This will be an inspirational gathering of more than 200 hospital and healthcare executives seeking opportunities for continuing education, meaningful discussion and relationship building. Registerby Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, to receive an early bird discount.
Friday, Nov. 7 - Peer supporting training for health professionals The Wellbeing Collaborative is offering a powerful in-person training for healthcare professionals interested in building or strengthening peer support programs in their organizations. This interactive training includes real-world strategies, hands-on practice and expert guidance to promote connection, resilience and psychological safety across teams. Learn more and register.
