Rick Pollack
President and CEO, AHA
Rick Pollack is president and CEO of the American Hospital Association (AHA), the nation’s largest hospital and health care system membership organization with nearly 5,000 member hospitals, health care systems, networks, and other providers of care.
Articles
Cost Management, Workforce, Commercial Insurer Accountability, Reimbursement
Hospitals Face Increased Costs of Caring for Patients
This week, the AHA released an updated Costs of Caring report, which provides a data-driven assessment of the structural drivers of hospital care cost growth.
Cybersecurity
Staying Cyber Alert and Cyber Ready
As the world has learned in recent years, today’s conflicts are fought with many weapons, and cyber warfare is an integral part of the arsenal.
Leadership, Leadership Development, Leadership
Preparing and Supporting the Next Generation of Health Care Leaders
The AHA Next Generation Leaders Fellowship focuses on developing leaders and empowering them to bring about real and lasting change in the hospitals and health systems in which they serve, as well as in our field overall.
Hospitals Against Violence
Continuing Our Efforts to Address Violence
Every day, the women and men of America’s hospitals and health systems show up for work to deliver healing and hope for patients, comfort families and strengthen communities.
Advocacy & Public Policy, Legislation and Legislative Advocacy
Our Message to Every Lawmaker and Candidate: We Care and We Vote
As we prepare for the 2026 midterm elections and the campaign season begins to heat up, it’s important for all health care providers to speak up, ask hard questions of candidates and evaluate their thinking on the issues that affect our field.
Medicare Advantage
Providing Solutions to Address Challenges with MA Plans
More than 34.1 million Americans were enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan in 2025, accounting for 54% of all Medicare beneficiaries. We have seen enrollment in MA plans increase significantly over the past two decades, and the Congressional Budget Office projects that MA enrollment will continue to grow, potentially reaching 64% of eligible beneficiaries in the next 10 years.
Organ/Tissue/Blood Donation
Amid Severe Blood Shortages, Nearly All of Us Can Offer the Gift of Life
Each year in the U.S., more than 4.5 million lives are saved by blood transfusions, and about 1 in 5 people admitted to the hospital will need blood.
Rural issues, Access to Care in Vulnerable Communities
Supporting Access to Care in Rural Communities
More than 57 million rural Americans depend on their hospital not only as an important source of care but also as a critical component of their area's economic and social framework. Rural hospitals also face the same difficulties shared by many hospitals — including financial stress, workforce shortages, and inadequate reimbursement from government payers like Medicare and Medicaid, just to name a few. The AHA is engaged in many advocacy efforts to support rural hospitals and ensure access to care in rural communities.
Commercial Insurer Accountability
Working to Ensure Commercial Health Insurers Do Their Part to Support Patient Care
Every year tens of millions of Americans dig deep into their pocketbooks to pay for health insurance plans that will cover both preventive and necessary care for individuals and families.
Advocacy & Public Policy, Legislation and Legislative Advocacy
A New Year of Working Together to Advance Health in America
Congress returned to Washington this week with a full plate of issues to contend with in the short term as it defines its legislative agenda for the remainder of 2026.