How to take advantage of the early bird rate for the 2025 Arizona Hospital Leadership Conference.
Peer support training for health professionals.
Comment letter on OPPS proposed rule
The American Hospital Association has developed a model letteraddressing two components of the 2026 outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) proposed rule:
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposal to accelerate the timeline for clawing back 340B payment funds resulting from the agency’s unlawful policy between calendar years 2018 and 2022.
To conduct a drug acquisition survey.
Why it matters: Both of these issues impact all hospitals, not just 340B hospitals.
What’s next: We encourage OPPS hospitals to use this model letter to submit comments to CMS on or before 8:59 p.m. Arizona time on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.
AzHHA also intends to submit a letter on behalf of hospitals.
Please feel free to add comments on other policies in the proposed rule such as increased price transparency requirements and the proposal to apply Physician Fee Schedule-equivalent rates to drug administration services furnished at excepted off-campus provider-based departments(rural sole community hospitals exempted).
Additionally, to help AzHHA make its comment letter the most persuasive, please send us your feedback on the following:
CMS is proposing to require a survey of all hospitals on covered outpatient drugs which will be used to set payment rates in the CY 2027 OPPS rulemaking. Hospitals will be required to report acquisition costs for each separately payable drug acquired under the OPPS, including specified covered outpatient drugs (SCODs), and drugs and biologicals that CMS historically treats as SCODs.
CMS estimates that this survey will take approximately 73.5 hours for a hospital to complete at an approximate $4,000 cost per hospital.
Is this a reasonable estimate of the time involved? Can you provide any additional details on how much time this might take?
Additionally, if CMSdecides to accelerate its 340B clawback from a 0.5% annual reduction to a 2.0% annual reduction beginning in January, how will this impact your budget?Please provide specifics, such as purchasing new medical equipment and hiring staff, etc.
Questions? Please reach out to Amy Upston, director of financial policy and reimbursement.
Take advantage of the early bird rate: 2025 Arizona Hospital Leadership Conference
The bottom line: The 2025 Arizona Hospital Leadership Conference will be held at the exquisite Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson on Oct. 29-31.
The big picture: This will be an inspirational gathering of more than 200 hospital and healthcare executives seeking opportunities for continuing education, meaningful discussion and relationship building. This year’s conference theme is “Advocacy in action: shaping the future, leading forward.”
The Wellbeing Collaborative, in partnership with Heather Rabin, Ph.D. (Dignity Health), is offering a powerful in-person training for healthcare professionals interested in building or strengthening peer support programs in their organizations.
Why it matters: This interactive session includes real-world strategies, hands-on practice and expert guidance to promote connection, resilience and psychological safety across teams.
What’s next: The training will take place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, at the ASU Chandler Innovation Center.
Applications due Friday, Aug. 29: AHA’s Rural Hospital Excellence in Innovation Award
The American Hospital Association (AHA) is accepting applications for the Rural Hospital Excellence in Innovation Award.
Why it matters: This award honors rural hospitals that are leading the way in innovative, sustainable and community-centered care.
What’s next: If your hospital is operating unique programs and services that address healthcare challenges in your community, submit an application by 10 a.m. Arizona time on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025.
Honorees will be recognized at the AHA’s Rural Health Care Leadership Summit in February 2026.
Spotlight: Tammy Franqueiro’s mentoring experience with the Arizona Transition to Practice Program
Tammy Franqueiro, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, CENP, director of nursing education and professional development at the University of South Florida, Florida Center for Nursing, has more than three decades of experience in nursing which includes bedside care and leadership positions.
Through each of these roles, she’s seen firsthand how support and professional development contribute to the success of new nurses.
The big picture: Mentoring provides many benefits to new graduate nurses by providing an additional layer of support to help them be successful in their new roles.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Thursday, Aug. 21 - Better Health for Mothers and Babies Webinar Series: Webinar One In collaboration with AzHHA, Regional One Health and Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation, the American Hospital Association (AHA) is launching the Better Health for Mothers and Babies series. Join us for the first session to learn about strategies to improve maternal health. Register today.
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.
