Leadership Dialogue

In early July, Congress enacted the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — a sweeping package that contained many of President Trump’s legislative priorities on taxes, border security, energy and deficit reduction, as well as significant policy changes to Medicaid and the Health Insurance Marketplaces. This legislation will have a significant impact on hospitals and health systems as the changes are enacted.

In this episode, 2025 AHA Board Chair Tina Freese Decker talks with AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack about the legislation’s key provisions that apply to health care. Freese Decker and Pollack discuss how the AHA is helping the field prepare for some of the law’s changes, as well as ongoing efforts to mitigate some of the policies.

During the conversation, Freese Decker and Pollack also look ahead to the many key advocacy priorities that are still on the table for the remainder of the year, including several provisions that the AHA hopes to get enacted as part of a government funding bill at the end of September.

Grassroots advocacy and sharing stories with legislators about the real-world impact the policies they enact will have on patients and communities remain vital, and the conversation closes by exploring what this looks like for hospitals and health systems.

* Note that this conversation was recorded on July 11, 2025.