IHA Daily Briefing: January 27

First IHA Board Meeting of 2026
The Board of Trustees of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA) convened Friday, Jan. 23, for its first meeting of 2026, which focused on strengthening legislative relationships, sharpening advocacy messaging, and aligning around key state and federal priorities for the year ahead.

A significant portion of the meeting centered on relationship building with legislators, with President & CEO A.J. Wilhelmi and Senior Vice President Dave Gross outlining IHA's major legislative engagement opportunities in February and May. Trustees also discussed practical tactics hospital leaders can use to deepen relationships with lawmakers and shared best practices for conducting effective, impactful legislator meetings.

Board members also had a forward-looking discussion centered on key state advocacy priorities for 2026, including passage of IHA's 340B legislation; educating legislators about the harmful impact of the state's medical liability environment; the status of Illinois' new Healthcare Workforce Task Force-a key IHA advocacy priority passed last spring; the Rural Health Transformation Program and associated funding; implementation of Medicaid managed care prior authorization reforms; and the enhanced Hospital Assessment Program payments being made again in 2026. The board also discussed key federal policy issues affecting hospitals.

Your Immediate Action Needed - 340B Action Day on Feb. 1
Protecting and strengthening the 340B Drug Pricing Program remains one of IHA's most urgent legislative priorities. HB 2371 -which passed the Senate unanimously-now awaits final action in the House. Whether this legislation advances will depend, in large part, on the level of visible, on-the-ground engagement lawmakers see from hospitals and the communities they serve.

340B Action Day on Sunday, Feb. 1, in Chicago is a critical opportunity to do exactly that. This event, led by community advocates in partnership with local Federally Qualified Health Centers and hospitals, will elevate the real-world impact of the 340B program at a decisive moment in the legislative process. Healthcare providers and community leaders will share firsthand stories demonstrating how 340B expands access to care, sustains critical services, and supports Illinois' most vulnerable populations. Click here to view the informational event invitation.

The hospital community continues to face an intense and well-funded effort by pharmaceutical manufacturers to weaken the 340B program and stall progress in Springfield. This opposition is organized, aggressive, and persistent. It is essential that policymakers hear just as clearly-and just as forcefully-from the hospitals, providers, patients, and communities that rely on 340B every day.

We strongly urge hospitals to actively engage and mobilize staff, patients, community partners, and local legislators-and to encourage their participation on Feb. 1. A strong, diverse turnout is essential to sending an unmistakable message: Illinois hospitals and communities stand united behind HB 2371 and action is needed now.

Staff contact: Jordan Powell

IHA: Rural Health Funding Helpful, but Insufficient to Offset Medicaid Cuts
In a recent interview with Capitol News Illinois, Jordan Powell, IHA's Senior Vice President of Health Policy and Finance, said that while the new federal rural healthcare funding is an important and helpful investment for Illinois' rural hospitals and communities, he cautioned it will not come close to offsetting looming Medicaid cuts included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) passed last summer.

Illinois will receive $193 million annually through the federal Rural Health Care Transformation Program-funding Powell noted hospitals will put to good use to support workforce, technology, and access to care in rural areas. However, he emphasized that the funding is not a long-term solution, as H.R. 1 Medicaid changes could reduce Illinois Medicaid funding by as much as $4.5 billion annually by 2031. Without additional action, Powell warned that many of the state's small and rural hospitals, which serve large numbers of Medicare and Medicaid patients-and nearly 30% of which already operate at a deficit-may still be forced to scale back services, reduce staff, or potentially close.

State Announces $50 Million Grant Program to Support Community Health Centers
Gov. JB Pritzker announced today a $50 million grant opportunity is available through the Rebuild Illinois Capital Program. The funding will support Community Health Center Construction Grants for Federally Qualified Health Centers and others to expand access to healthcare services by facilitating the construction or renovation of community-based health care facilities, especially for centers in underserved and rural areas. Eligible providers can apply by March 20 for up to $3 million in capital improvement funding to enhance patient care and access, expand facility capacity, or update healthcare infrastructure. More information can be found in the online grant application.

SAMHSA Hosts Webinars as Substance Use Treatment Month Concludes
As Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment Month draws to a close, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is hosting two webinars on Jan. 28 and 29. The SUD 101 Webinar will be held tomorrow, Jan. 28 at 11 a.m. CT, focused on SUD treatment options and on the work SAMHSA is doing to facilitate greater access to treatment and to more fully equip medical professionals in position to provide that treatment. Click here to register for the Jan. 28 webinar.

The noon CT webinar this Thursday, Jan. 29, Pathways to SUD Treatment & Recovery, will share information on treatment protocols and recovery options that support the goal of helping people find the most appropriate means to attaining and retaining recovery. The program will be followed by a fireside chat facilitated by SAMHSA experts, who will discuss the evolution of the concept of recovery, and the positive impact centering individuals who have SUD during the treatment process can have on the success of their recovery efforts. Click here to register for the Jan. 29 webinar.

Illinois Respiratory Disease Surveillance Data