(Feb. 28, 2025) – Earlier this week, I joined several Kansas hospital leaders and attended the American Hospital Association's Rural Health Care Leadership Conference. As always, the AHA team did an excellent job with session topics. The conference brought together rural health care leaders and providers nationwide to discuss and explore innovative ways to strengthen and sustain rural health care. The industry experts varied and covered topics such as enhancing workforce wellbeing, incorporating artificial intelligence in care delivery, leveraging clinically integrated networks and achieving financial sustainability in an unpredictable environment. Several useful and practical resources were shared during the various presentations that could benefit rural hospitals and their communities.
Several key messages and topics were highlighted in the educational sessions. One of the most well-attended sessions focused on understanding the current financial environment for hospitals. Presenters from the North Carolina Rural Health Research Program and the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis shared the latest research and trends related to hospital financial distress. While Kansans are aware of the national reports highlighting the vulnerabilities of hospitals across the country, the findings indicate that financial distress occurs in many communities regardless of Medicare designation, type of ownership, affiliation status or operation of long-term care and other services. It was clear that Medicare Advantage continues to grow, with more than 50 percent enrollment in Medicare, including nearly 40 percent of rural beneficiaries. The impact of Medicare Advantage programs did not go unnoticed during the conference and was mentioned in several sessions. KHA will continue to develop resources for members to educate their community members on the Medicare Advantage program. If you have not yet visited the dedicated Medicare Advantage webpage, we encourage you to do so.
Attendees also heard an update from the AHA advocacy team on the latest activities in Washington, DC, and the policy initiatives that are being touted to support rural health care. The AHA advocacy agenda is comprehensive and focuses on five primary areas:
- Supporting Flexible Payment Models
- Ensuring Fair Reimbursement, Access to Capital and Regulatory Relief
- Imposing Commercial Insurance Accountability
- Bolstering the Workforce and
- Protecting the 340B Program
The imminent advocacy focus revolves around extending several expiring rural payment programs and minimizing the Medicaid cuts that Congress is considering. Depending on the upcoming policy decisions, rural hospitals may be disproportionately impacted by the reductions discussed, which would exacerbate an already fragile health system. KHA will continue to partner with AHA and the National Rural Health Association on federal advocacy policies to support and protect Kansas hospitals and our communities.
I also want to thank several current KHA members who attended and presented at the event. Presenters included Benjamin Anderson, president and CEO, and Rex Degner, MD, trustee from Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. Benjamin and Dr. Degner discussed the importance of enhancing collaboration among the hospital board, CEO, and medical staff. Other Kansas hospital and health care leaders who attended represented Holton Community Hospital, Community Memorial Healthcare, Goodland Regional Medical Center, and the Sunflower Health Network. Thank you to everyone for attending and representing Kansas!
--Chad Austin