AHA Press Releases

The American Hospital Association (AHA) Board of Trustees has elected Laura Kaiser, president and CEO of SSM Health, based in St. Louis, Mo., as its Chair-elect Designate. Kaiser will be Chair-elect in 2027 and become the 2028 Chair of the AHA, the top elected official of the national organization that represents America’s hospitals and health systems and works to advance health in America.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) today announced that the Ralph H. Johnson VA Health System in Charleston, S.C., is the 2026 recipient of the AHA Quest for Quality Prize. Advocate Health in Charlotte, N.C.; Connecticut Children’s in Hartford, Conn., and Nicklaus Children’s in Miami have been named finalists.

Two programs will be honored with the 2026 American Hospital Association Circle of Life Award for their efforts in palliative and end-of-life care. The winning programs are Erie County Medical Center, Buffalo, N.Y., and the Geriatrics and Extended Care Hospice and Palliative Medicine Team, Orlando VA Health Care System, Orlando, Fla.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) announced today that Sky Lakes Medical Center in Oregon is the 2026 winner of the AHA’s Foster G. McGaw Prize for Excellence in Community Service. Sky Lakes Medical Center is a 176 licensed bed standalone community hospital in Klamath Falls, Ore., that opened in 1965. It serves more than 80,000 people across 10,000 square miles of southern Oregon and northern California.

America’s hospitals and health systems continue to operate under growing financial challenges that threaten their ability to provide care. At the same time, CMS’ proposed outpatient policies would further reduce resources available, including another insufficient reimbursement update, an excessive productivity adjustment, and additional payment reductions affecting key hospital services.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) today announced the appointment of Steve Walsh as its next President and Chief Executive Officer.

AHA can confirm that Eli Lilly has taken the extraordinary action of denying 340B discounts. Congress should immediately use its oversight authority and demand HHS take a position on drug companies’ attempts to hijack the 340B program through burdensome claims-data demands.

Eli Lilly will soon take the extraordinary step of denying 340B discounts under its unlawful claims data policy.  This decision will undoubtedly harm America’s most vulnerable patients and communities, forcing hospitals to divert resources away from care and towards onerous and expensive administrative burdens.   

The Medicaid program is a lifeline for tens of millions of Americans – children, seniors, people with disabilities and hardworking individuals who otherwise do not have access to affordable coverage. The AHA and its members share CMS’ goal of ensuring the fiscal integrity of the Medicaid program so that it can remain strong for those who rely on it.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) today announced that five exemplary programs have earned the AHA Dick Davidson NOVA Award for their hospital-led collaborative efforts that improve community health.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) and the West Health Institute announced a new three-year initiative to help hospitals and health systems operationalize and scale proven technologies across care environments to improve patient outcomes and support care teams.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) today announced that two federal hospital leaders will be honored for their outstanding service to the health care field.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) today announced that its 2026 Award of Honor will be presented to Carolyn Clancy, M.D., for her long devotion to advancing health care quality and patient safety.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) today announced that its 2026 Award of Honor will be presented to The John A. Hartford Foundation for its dedication to improving care for older adults.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) today announced that the 2026 Justin Ford Kimball Innovators Award will be awarded to Harsh K. Trivedi, M.D., president and CEO of Sheppard Pratt in Baltimore.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) will present its highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award, to Jonathan B. Perlin, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Joint Commission.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) today announced that four retiring state hospital association executives will be awarded its 2026 Board of Trustees Award.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) today announced that Deborah Bowen, FACHE, CAE, president and CEO of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), will be awarded its 2026 Board of Trustees Award.

A group of hospital stakeholders, including the American Hospital Association, the Federation of American Hospitals, National Association of Long Term Hospitals and Coalition of Long-Term Acute-Care Hospitals, released the Long-Term Acute Care Hospital (LTCH) Reform Policy Principles.

While the American Hospital Association appreciates CMS’s efforts to expand the reach of value-based models, we believe that mandatory participation presents significant challenges, particularly for hospitals that lack the scale or financial capacity to make the necessary investments in care redesign.