Sweeping changes to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act are combining with rising health costs to make 2026 a high-stakes year for hospital operators. While major health systems like HCA are likely to weather the worst, some safety net providers and facilities on tight margins could close or scale back services as uncompensated care costs mount and uncertainty around future policies swirls. “We took a big hit in 2025,” said Beth Feldpush, senior vice president of policy and advocacy at America’s Essential Hospitals. “I don’t think that the field can absorb any further hits without us really seeing a crisis.”
Read the full article: Hospitals’ Make-or-Break Year //
Source: https://www.axios.com/2026/01/13/aca-medicaid-hospitals-changes-2026