As the HFMA annual conference kicks off in Denver, CFOs are preparing to tackle urgent financial, regulatory, and ethical challenges.
The Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) is kicking off its annual conference in a few days in Denver.
The conference will host roughly 70 planned sessions with topics including leadership and innovation trends, AI and cybersecurity, strategic investments and alternative payment models, navigating the regulatory landscape and protecting rural health systems.
Navigating Federal Uncertainty
CFOs are deeply stressed about the federal regulatory climate, and for good reason; Congress is potentially on its way to cutting Medicaid even further than previously thought, which could result in an extra $200 billion in uncompensated care costs.
One of the more technically innovative sessions, "Protecting Revenue with AI Automation for Medicaid Enrollment," will highlight how two hospitals, Saint Peters University Hospital and AtlantiCare, are leveraging automation to streamline enrollment in Medicaid, charity care, and FQHC programs. The session will explore how AI is being used to bridge the gap between data collection and successful application submission, helping hospitals in low-income areas secure reimbursement and reduce labor costs. Speakers will include Garrick Stoldt, CFO of Saint Peters University Hospital, Sandra Gubbine, AVP of Revenue Cycle at AtlantiCare, and
Pedram Afshar, CEO of Escher Health.
As CFOs face mounting complexity in compliance, the session "Navigating the Changing Regulatory Landscape" will offer a comprehensive update on recent legislation affecting medical debt, credit reporting, and patient payments. Policy shifts at the federal, state, and local levels are dismantling the traditional approach to revenue cycle management (RCM). Panelists will outline actionable steps for maintaining compliance without compromising recovery rates or patient satisfaction. Speakers include Timothy Haag, board president/president & CEO of ACA International/State Collection Service, Mike Frost, partner at Frost Echols PLLC, and Leah Dempsey, shareholder at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP.
Attendees will also learn about advocacy efforts by organizations like the American Collectors Association and explore how providers can align RCM strategy with evolving legal frameworks.
Protecting Rural Healthcare
Rural hospitals face distinct financial vulnerabilities, often exacerbated by limited resources and external shocks, and with federal dollars being pulled back, many are at risk of closure. The session "Building Back Stronger: A Roadmap for Rural Healthcare Resilience" will feature executives from Ballad Health's Unicoi County Hospital, which endured a temporary closure following Hurricane Helene. The discussion will focus on adaptive leadership, particularly the entrepreneurial mindset required to navigate operational disruptions in under-resourced settings.
CFOs of rural systems will gain insights into disaster recovery, risk mitigation strategies, and long-term sustainability planning, all essential for preserving care access in rural America. Speakers will include Pam Austin, CIO of Ballad Health, Laura Kreofsky, rural health director at Microsoft, and Jason Griffin, head of digital health strategy at Nordic.
Payer Relations: Turning Conflict into Leverage
When are payers not on the minds of CFOs? The conference will also tackle the evolving dynamics between providers and payers in the session "Turning Payor Challenges into Opportunities." In a time where contract disputes are increasingly public and politically charged, this session examines the business case behind terminating a major managed care agreement. Matt Stacell, chief administrative officer at Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) will walk attendees through how their organization balanced board governance, donor relations, and public messaging to strengthen its negotiating position. Panelist Kevin Thilborger, chief revenue strategy officer/ chief managed care officer at Unlock will also speak at this session.
This session will include strategies for managing multi-pronged payer relationships, including fee-for-service, ACO, risk contracts, and value-based arrangements, along with best practices for using media to build stakeholder support.
Ethics in Healthcare Finance
Today's healthcare climate features deep financial strain and cultural reckoning, and ethics has become a top concern for CFOs. Rick Gundling, former CFO and HFMA content director, will lead the session "Ethics in Healthcare", which will examine how leaders can uphold transparency, integrity, and trust in financial decision-making.
Gundling will explore a practical framework for ethical leadership, including real-world dilemmas faced by finance executives. Attendees can reflect on how to build ethical cultures from the top down, with a focus on character-driven leadership in times of uncertainty.
Marie DeFreitas is the CFO editor for HealthLeaders.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Sessions will showcase how hospitals are using AI to streamline Medicaid enrollment and manage revenue cycles in low-income areas.
With looming Medicaid cuts and shifting legislation around medical debt and payment practices, CFOs must rethink their compliance and contract strategies.
From disaster recovery in rural systems to confronting ethical dilemmas in finance, CFOs are focusing on transparency, sustainability, and adaptive governance.