AHA leaders kick off 2026 Annual Meeting

The 2026 AHA Annual Meeting began today with Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of Corewell Health and 2025 AHA board chair, who discussed the need for leaders to approach health care with skill and compassion and to share patient stories with policymakers as they make critical decisions that impact the field.

"We connect people to purpose," Freese Decker said. "That's why we're here - to remind those in Washington that people are at the heart of every policy debate and decision. That focus on people defines us as leaders in this field."

Freese Decker introduced Marc Boom, M.D., president and CEO of Houston Methodist and 2026 AHA board chair, who urged hospitals to unite to address immediate challenges and lead health care into a promising future.

"No one is better positioned to advocate for patients than hospitals and health systems, and the clinicians who care for them," Boom said. "We must step into a convening role to address affordability in a meaningful way. This challenge can't be solved by any single sector acting alone. Instead of pointing fingers, we need to all share accountability and have honest, open collaboration."

AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack discussed the need for policymakers and other stakeholders to understand the pressures hospitals are currently facing and opportunities for hospital and health care leaders to shape the future of health care delivery.

"[Policymakers] need to understand that hospitals are different than other parts of the health care system as they support a wide spectrum of services … We also need to make sure that legislators understand that hospitals today are balancing rising costs across the board, many of which are completely outside of our control," Pollack said.

In addition, Pollack outlined three areas of focus for stakeholders to ensure access to high-quality, accessible and affordable care. These include improving the health of individuals and communities, reducing regulatory burdens and eliminating administrative waste, and continuing to advance value through care transformation and delivery system reforms.

"In addition to what hospitals are already doing on their own to achieve efficiencies, we also must offer specific policy solutions that can meaningfully improve value and affordability," Pollack said. "All stakeholders must be part of this discussion because hospitals cannot solve this on our own. And we need to provide leadership and work with partners in good faith if we are to truly address the total cost of care."

Stacey Hughes, AHA executive vice president of government relations and public policy, and Frank Sesno, former CNN Washington bureau chief, discussed how issues in the current political landscape have elevated the national conversation on health care access and affordability, and how they could impact this year's midterm elections.

"It's been a long time since health care has had that position in voters' concerns," Hughes said. "For us, I think it really demands us to be very present in the conversation around affordability."

Hughes also shared key advocacy messages with hospital leaders as they meet with their legislators on Capitol Hill this week. They include protecting access to care, advancing affordability solutions and strengthening the health care workforce. For more information and resources, visit the AHA's Advocacy Action Center.

For more coverage from the AHA's 2026 Annual Membership Meeting, visit the AHA's news page.