Policy & Advocacy

Northeast Ohio hospitals and healthcare providers deliver quality care to patients and support healthier communities. Our health systems continue to face unprecedented challenges, including workforce shortages, soaring costs of providing care, severe underpayment by Medicare and Medicaid, delays in payment by third-party insurers, and overwhelming regulatory burdens.

The Center for Health Affairs amplifies the voice of Northeast Ohio healthcare institutions to protect access to quality care and services for the communities we serve.

Our priorities:

Advocate for sustainable healthcare financing across all provider settings while ensuring fair reimbursement structures that support hospitals, community health centers, behavioral health providers, home care, and other essential healthcare organizations.

• Funding: Advocate for maintaining and improving state and federal healthcare funding.
• Efficiency: Work to reduce administrative burdens to ensure timely care and reimbursement.
• Coverage Expansion: Support expanding health coverage and addressing charity care rates.
• Access & Outcomes: Focus on eliminating barriers to care and improving health outcomes regionally.
  • Reject harmful site-neutral payment policies.
  • Prevent Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payment cuts.
  • Protect the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
  • Extend telehealth flexibilities including the hospital-at-home initiative.
  • Protect The Health of Our Communities: Maintain Medicaid Funding
    • HPIO has released a new brief titled "Policy Considerations: The Future of Group VIII (expansion) Medicaid Coverage in Ohio."

Advocate for policies that address workforce shortages across all healthcare sectors from hospitals to home health, long-term care, and behavioral health. Strengthen pathways into healthcare careers through education partnerships, loan forgiveness programs, and workforce development initiatives.

• Workforce Safety: Ensure the safety of healthcare workers in the region.
• Workforce Shortages: Address workforce shortages and stimulate interest in healthcare careers.
• Burnout Reduction: Tackle hospital workforce burnout through administrative reforms and well-being initiatives.
  •  Reauthorize and Fund the Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act

Advocate for advancing quality, equity, and innovation and support systemic changes for a more effective healthcare system that supports community well-being.

• Patient Safety & Cybersecurity: Safeguard patient safety and protect data from cyber threats with AI advancements.
• Social Determinants of Health (SDoH): Leverage data-driven strategies and cross-sector partnerships to address social determinants of health while ensuring that healthcare providers across settings—hospitals, community clinics, behavioral health services, and long-term care—have the resources to improve population health outcomes.
• Integrated Health: Promote initiatives that support a more integrated and cohesive healthcare system.
• Equity in Care: Bridge gaps to ensure equitable care across all aspects of healthcare delivery.

The Center for Health Affairs has joined forces with The Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare to strengthen patients’ access to high-quality, life-saving healthcare — 24/7/365.