Radio Advisory 281: What CEOs need to know in 2026 (Part 1)
Jan 13, 2026
Max Hakanson, Advisory Board expert in healthcare financial modeling and care-delivery strategy, and Natalie Trebes, Advisory Board strategist on healthcare policy and access, discuss shifting safety-net responsibility and diffusion of power in 2026. They highlight strained insurance, hospitals, specialty care, and pharmacies. Conversations cover policy-driven funding changes, rural system risks, new entrants, and where organizations might partner or compete.
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Safety Net Responsibility Spreads Wide
- Responsibility for the national safety net is diffusing from federal government to states, health systems, plans, employers, and life sciences.
- Natalie Trebes warns everyone must decide which piece of the safety net they will support.
Spend Control Is Fragmenting
- Control over spend management is shifting away from large insurers toward niche third-party vendors.
- Max Hakanson notes rising disease complexity forces plans to delegate cost controls.
Treatment Decisions Have New Influencers
- Influence over treatment decisions is diffusing beyond clinician-patient encounters to tech, social media, and AI tools.
- Max Hakanson highlights clinicians now juggle many external influences on care.