Healthcare finance news for hospital and health system leaders

Patients are becoming a larger source of financial exposure for health systems, pushing CFOs and revenue cycle leaders to rethink where affordability fits in their broader financial strategy. An Oct. 26 report from Cedar and the Health Management Academy found…

As artificial intelligence saturates the vendor market and board expectations rise, most health system CFOs face pressures to evaluate investments quickly while protecting margins that recovered from the pandemic but remain thin. Caswell Samms, executive vice president and CFO at…

In healthcare, faster payments don’t always mean faster access to cash. Even when a reimbursement lands in seconds, it still has to clear several hurdles before it can be used: matching to remittance information, reconciliation, posting, and resolution. Manual or…

Revenue growth continued across the hospital industry in 2025, with many of the nation’s largest health systems posting mid- to high-single-digit gains fueled by stronger patient volumes, improved payment rates and the expansion of ambulatory and pharmacy operations.  But the…

Healthcare costs rank among U.S. adults’ top financial worries, with 26% saying they are “very” worried about affording healthcare for themselves and their families, according to Oct. 23 KFF polling data.  The concern is similar to the 27% who are…

The U.S. spent $5.3 trillion on healthcare in 2024, or more than $10 million every minute, according to a KFF Health News analysis published Oct. 23. The analysis draws on the most recent national health expenditure data from CMS. National…

Ask a Revenue Cycle Leader is a series featuring insights from health system and hospital revenue cycle executives nationwide. Becker’s poses questions on the most pressing issues in healthcare finance — from payer relations and automation to workforce and patient…

The U.S. uninsured rate among working-age adults is already climbing before more coverage losses are expected to hit next year, leaving some healthcare leaders warning of the time before the Affordable Care Act when more Americans went without insurance and…

Contract breaks between major health systems and certain Medicare Advantage insurers are continuing in 2026. Providers dropping plans often cite prior authorization denials and slow reimbursement; in other cases, insurers are terminating the contracts themselves. MA now covers more than…

Chicago-based Rush University System for Health recorded operating income of $56.6 million (1.3% margin) for fiscal year 2026, compared with operating income of $32.5 million (0.8% margin) in fiscal 2025, according to its audited financial statements for the 12 months…