Connecticut Hospital Leaders Connect With Congressional Delegation on Capitol Hill

This week, on Capitol Hill, Connecticut hospital and health system leaders sat down with Connecticut’s congressional delegation to discuss timely regulatory and legislative topics as the midterm elections near, examine how Medicaid cuts are uniquely affecting hospitals, and dive into the Connecticut Hospital Association’s (CHA) key federal advocacy priorities.  The congressional visits coincided with the 2026 American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Meeting, which kicked off on Monday, April 20.

The team of Connecticut hospital representatives comprised leaders from Bristol Health; Connecticut Children’s; Hartford HealthCare; Nuvance Health, part of Northwell Health; Trinity Health Of New England; and Yale New Haven Health.  The group met with U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy as well as U.S. Representatives Joe Courtney, Jahana Hayes, Jim Himes, and John Larson.  Hospital leaders urged the congressional delegation to oppose proposals that would undermine Medicaid and Medicare programs, impose site-neutral payments, and weaken the value of the 340B Drug Program.  The group encouraged them to endorse proposals that extend enhanced premium tax credits for health insurance marketplace plans, protect healthcare professionals from workplace violence, reduce gratuitous prior authorization tactics that take clinicians away from the bedside, and increase government reimbursement to pay for the full cost of care provided to Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries.

The group underscored that Connecticut hospitals continue to confront strong economic headwinds as pharmaceutical, labor, and supply costs continue to rise — collectively reporting anemic operating margins of only 0.2% in 2024.

Hospital associations from across the country echoed these themes at the AHA Annual Meeting, where more than 1,000 leaders networked and exchanged ideas with peers, engaged with policymakers and elected officials, and participated in insightful forums addressing the most critical issues in healthcare.  Some highlights from the event include conversations with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz about leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare and FBI Co-deputy Director Andrew Bailey about navigating cyberattacks and physical threats.  AHA President Rick Pollack emphasized the importance of enhancing quality through innovation, addressing healthcare affordability through collaborative policy solutions, and strengthening the healthcare workforce by investing in recruitment, retention, and training.

CHA has developed a comprehensive fact sheet detailing Connecticut hospitals’ and health systems’ 2026 federal advocacy priorities, available to download here.