Yesterday on Capitol Hill, Vizient, Inc. hosted a congressional policy briefing titled, "Hospitals’ Financial Health: The Complex Ecosystem of Provider Reimbursement," at the Rayburn House Office Building. The event featured remarks from Rep. Dave Min (D-CA) and drew an engaged audience of congressional staff and industry stakeholders. While unable to attend in person, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) shared remarks in support of the briefing. The discussion focused on how hospitals are navigating a complex financial environment shaped by shifting reimbursement models, evolving policy changes, and increasing care demands.

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From left, Randolph P. Siwabessy, Steven M. Fontaine, Stephanie Daubert and Michael D. Busch participate in the policy briefing, “Hospitals’ Financial Health: The Complex Ecosystem of Provider Reimbursement” at the Rayburn House Office Building May 14, 2025.

“Academic medical centers like UCI Health are training future clinicians while delivering essential care,” said Rep. Min (D-CA). “However, growing financial pressures, especially around Medicaid reimbursement, threaten their ability to keep their doors open. We need to advance policies that ensure reliable reimbursement and protect access to care for all Californians.”

“As a former therapist and licensed nursing home administrator, I’ve seen first-hand the essential need for access to quality care,” said Rep. Thompson (R-PA). “Reliable health systems are necessary for the health and economic well-being of rural communities. I look forward to working with all stakeholders to strengthen quality, lower costs, and increase the availability of care.”

“In neighborhoods across Orange County, hospitals are essential for delivering care, supporting jobs, and keeping our families healthy,” said Rep. Correa (D-CA). “When hospitals in our district face financial strain, the ripple effects are real and immediate. We need strong, common-sense public policy that ensures hard-working American taxpayers have access to the care they need when they need it.”

Moderated by Michael D. Busch, FACHE, senior vice president, member networks at Vizient, the panel featured key healthcare leaders, including:

• Stephanie Daubert, Chief Financial Officer, Nebraska Medicine
• Steven M. Fontaine, Chief Executive Officer, Penn Highlands Healthcare
• Randolph P. Siwabessy, Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, UCI Health & UC Irvine School of Medicine

Panelists discussed the growing financial instability facing hospitals, particularly given the uncertainty around governmental funding. As noted during the briefing, hospitals are a unique combination of public utility, clinical enterprise, and academic mission, which makes their financing inherently complex. Adjusting one policy can unintentionally unravel other parts due to the system’s interconnectedness. Panelists also highlighted rising operating costs, persistent labor shortages, delayed reimbursements, and the widening gap between payment rates and the actual cost of care, especially for Medicaid and Medicare patients.

The panel underscored the need for sustainable policy solutions to protect hospital viability and patient access, highlighting priorities such as stabilizing government reimbursement programs, protecting safety net payments and programs and preserving graduate medical education support.

Learn more about Vizient's advocacy and public policy efforts.

About Vizient, Inc.

Vizient, Inc., the nation's largest provider-driven healthcare performance improvement company, serves more than 65% of the nation's acute care providers, including 97% of the nation's academic medical centers, and more than 35% of the non-acute market. The Vizient contract portfolio represents $140 billion in annual purchasing volume enabling the delivery of cost-effective, high-value care. With its acquisition of Kaufman Hall in 2024, Vizient expanded its advisory services to help providers achieve financial, strategic, clinical and operational excellence. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Vizient has offices throughout the United States. Learn more at www.vizientinc.com.

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