Rich Daly
About the Author
Rich Daly is senior editor, policy affairs with HFMA, based in Alabama. His healthcare policy and finance reporting experience includes staff writer positions with Modern Healthcare and Congressional Quarterly (both focused on healthcare regulatory and legislative developments); editor-in-chief of 340B Report (the only news outlet focused on daily policy, legal, and business developments in the 340B program); and serving as a content director for Sg2/Vizient Inc (producing reports on financial pain points and solutions for health systems). He previously covered daily news for HFMA and wrote features for Healthcare Financial Management magazine, where his recognitions included the Stephen Barr Award (the only individual achievement award) from the American Society of Business Publication Editors.
Latest Work
FastFinance: Legal boost for HRSA 340B rebate; Rule details coming Medicaid provider tax changes
HFMA’s FastFinance newsletter is now a podcast. Host Rich Daly discusses the most current and relevant healthcare news, delivered in an easily digestible format. A recent legal ruling underscored that federal officials have the right to approve 340B rebates, which could increase the likelihood of a federal pilot. Also, this week’s Weird Number: $10 million.…
Biggest SDP recipients raise concerns about implementing rule
Hospitals in the states that receive the most funding from state-directed payments (SDPs) identified the range of impacts from a proposed rule and suggested alternative approaches. The comments from hospitals and hospital advocacy groups came in response to a proposed rule implementing SDP provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). OBBBA, enacted a…
What appeals court 340B rebate decision means for federal rebates
An appeals court barred 340B rebate programs by drug manufacturers, among recent legal developments. The case could have ramifications for federal 340B rebates. On July 21, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld a lower court ruling that barred alternative 340B rebate models without explicit approval from HHS. “That’s certainly welcome news…
Medicaid programs mull dropping insurers
Various state Medicaid programs are considering replacing outside managed care plans with in-house management. Such a reversal of the multi-decade trend to outsourcing overall management of Medicaid plans to various insurers and reverting to fee-for-service (FFS) Medicaid could have major ramifications for hospitals and health systems. Bruce Greenstein, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health…
Vizient: Healthcare utilization shifts will reshape care delivery over the next decade
A slowdown in inpatient admissions was among the 10-year health system volume projections in the annual look ahead from Vizient. The 2026 Impact of Change forecast, released June 30, highlights how shifts in care delivery, patient complexity and site-of-care access challenges are reshaping healthcare utilization and will change the structure of the healthcare continuum. Here…
How Congress sees direct contracting impacting hospitals
Members of Congress said they expect hospitals and health systems to see both financial benefits and losses under a broader rollout of direct contracting. An expansion of direct contracting and direct primary care (DPC) between employers and providers drew bipartisan support at a July 1 congressional hearing that highlighted legislation to boost such arrangements. These…
FastFinance: AI nurse opposition; OPPS changes detailed
HFMA’s FastFinance newsletter is now a podcast. Host Rich Daly discusses the most current and relevant healthcare news, delivered in an easily digestible format. AI resistance by nurses is spreading nationwide but there are ways hospitals can use it to boost their productivity while minimizing opposition. Also, this week’s Weird Number: 66%. That’s the share…
Hospitals confront nursing opposition to AI
Health systems’ adoption of artificial intelligence to improve productivity increasingly is meeting opposition from their nursing staff. Nurse opposition to AI has become most visible in nurse strikes, where limits and guardrails on AI deployment for clinical and administrative uses have emerged. Sixty-five percent of hospitals reported using AI or predictive models integrated with their…
States push new hospital funding arrangements
States are implementing a growing number of initiatives to provide funding for rural or otherwise financially struggling hospitals. This push comes amid data showing that a record number of hospitals are financially distressed, and advocates warn that coming federal Medicaid cuts will worsen the situation. Indiana targeted funds Indiana hospitals celebrated a new arrangement within…
Hospitals get wins on price cap bills
Hospitals scored victories recently in the ongoing push across multiple states for price caps for their organizations. The 2026 legislation followed three states that enacted hospital price caps in 2025. A total of 13 states considered reference-based hospital pricing legislation last year, according to tracking by the National Academy for State Health Policy. Delaware delay…