HFMA Annual Conference 2026 reimagines the on-site experience

HFMA Annual Conference 2026 attendees should expect a reimagined experience built around inclusivity and making the event easy to navigate.

More than 4,000 finance leaders and solution partners committed to advancing the future of financial sustainability in healthcare are expected to attend the four-day event, June 7-10, at the Gaylord Resort & Conference Center in National Harbor, Maryland.

“HFMA’s Annual Conference is where the community comes together to learn from one another,” said HFMA’s Tracy Benway, vice president member experience. “Beyond the educational sessions, it’s really about connecting with peers who are navigating many of the same challenges in healthcare finance. We’ve intentionally added experiences this year that create more opportunities for those conversations and idea sharing to happen naturally.”

Educational tracks

The educational tracks this year are:

• Executive Leadership
• Finance & Accounting
• Revenue Cycle
• Leadership Development
• Legislative & Compliance
• AI, Innovation & Technology
• HFMA Exchange Series

What’s new at HFMA AC 2026

Here are a few of the additions.

HFMA Booth: Take a tour of 80 years of HFMA history. The HFMA booth will include a visual walk-though, showcasing the Association’s story over its 80-year history, and an opportunity for attendees to purchase HFMA swag.

Innovation Playground. Attendees can expect an interactive, high-energy space to explore cutting-edge solutions, engage with industry partners and discover practical ideas they can take home and apply within their organizations.

Wellness Center. The Wellness Center, which is tucked away from the show hall, offers light healthy refreshments and a bank of automated massage chairs to help people decompress.

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Sneak peek at conference keynotes and special events

Setting the tone for HFMA Annual Conference 2026 are keynote addresses on topics of interest to healthcare finance leadership. Speakers include the following.

C. Ann Jordan, JD, president and CEO, HFMA (10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET, June 8)
Jordan will share powerful insights on the transformative forces reshaping healthcare finance. She will challenge the HFMA community to move beyond surviving disruption to architecting the future. She will then moderate the panel “Reimagining healthcare financial sustainability: from cost containment to vitality” with national leaders in policy, finance and technology. The panelists will deliberate about what the future of healthcare must become to advance affordability, access and better outcomes for all.

Panel speakers are:

• Scott Hawig, executive vice president and CFO, BJC Health System
• Mike Marks, CFO, HCA Healthcare
• Shiv Rao, MD, founder & CEO, Abridge
• Seema Verma, executive vice president and general manager, Oracle Health and Life Sciences, and former CMS administrator

Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith (10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. ET, June 10)
Smith will present “Built to win: thriving through change, pressure and complexity,” connecting the mindset of championship teams to the realities facing today’s healthcare finance community. Drawing from his journey at the highest levels of professional sports and business, Smith will share compelling stories that illuminate what it takes to adapt to change, perform under sustained pressure and maintain excellence over time.

An additional keynote address, yet to be confirmed when this issue of hfm went to press, will be offered on June 9.

Also, the conference will commemorate HFMA’s 80th Anniversary with two events.

80th celebration session: Where legacy meets what’s next (4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET, June 7)
Honoring HFMA’s legacy and the leaders shaping its future, this session will open with a warm Chapter welcome, followed by Jordan presenting the prestigious Board of Directors Award and the installation of HFMA’s new Chair Matthew Cox, FHFMA, CHFP, CPA, executive vice president and CFO of Corewell Health. Next is a fireside chat with Cox and Tina Freese Decker, FACHE, MHA, MSIE, Corewell’s president and CEO.

HFMA’s 80th Anniversary Celebration (7 p.m. – 9 p.m. ET, June 7)
This event, in the Gaylord’s Potomac Ballroom, includes a live concert featuring a live band, dance floor, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

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