National Daily Hospital Executive Briefing
Monday, December 1, 2025
Global & Health Sector Headlines
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Global hypertension crisis deepens; control remains below 25%.
WHO’s 2025 Global Hypertension Report finds 1.4 billion people living with hypertension in 2024, with only one in five controlled, and calls for expanded detection and medication access. -
WHO warns uncontrolled blood pressure places over 1 billion people at risk.
A companion WHO release highlights the economic and clinical toll of unmanaged hypertension and need for primary care–centered intervention. -
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading global killer (19.41M deaths).
AHA’s 2025 global burden report shows 10.85M deaths attributable to high systolic blood pressure alone.
Health Policy & Industry Updates (Leading Section)
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Medicare site-neutral OPPS changes now finalized.
CMS’s 2026 OPPS final rule will cut payments for off-campus HOPD drug administration services by 60%, signaling a structural shift in outpatient payment models. -
AHA warns Congress site-neutral legislation would jeopardize rural and safety-net access.
AHA’s 2025 fact sheet cites major risk to hospitals’ ability to maintain standby capacity and subsidize unprofitable essential services. -
CMS expands its accountable care footprint for 2025.
With 476 MSSP ACOs, including 55 new and 173 renewed, over half of traditional Medicare beneficiaries are now in accountable care relationships.https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/cms-moves-closer-accountable-care-goals-2025-aco-initiatives
https://www.aha.org/news/headline/2025-01-15-cms-announces-increase-accountable-care-relationships -
Medicare Trustees project HI trust fund depletion in 2033.
Incoming revenues will cover roughly 89% of costs at that time; spending will rise from 3.8% to 6.7% of GDP over the long term.
Early Morning Briefing Highlights
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Hospital-at-home waivers extended but remain time-limited; AHA seeks 5-year extension.
https://www.aha.org/fact-sheets/2024-08-06-fact-sheet-extending-hospital-home-program
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CMS review finds hospital-at-home improves mortality and lowers spending but shows equity gaps.
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Virtual acute care program cuts LOS by four days but remains financially negative for Medicare/commercial payers.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2835465
Strategic Implications for Hospital Leadership
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Site-neutral policies are now active revenue risks.
The 60% OPPS cut for off-campus drug administration services in 2026 requires immediate oncology/infusion financial stress testing and mapping of exposure by site of service.KFF analysis — https://www.kff.org/quick-take/the-trump-administration-moves-forward-with-medicare-site-neutral-payment-reform/
AHA fact sheet — https://www.aha.org/2025-05-08-fact-sheet-medicare-site-neutral-legislative-proposals-under-consideration-would-jeopardize-access-care-patients-and -
Medicare’s long-term financing pressure will constrain payment updates.
With HI depletion projected for 2033, leaders should anticipate updates below cost inflation and plan capital, cost structure, and staffing models accordingly.2025 Trustees Report — https://www.cms.gov/oact/tr/2025
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ACO expansion is reshaping referral patterns and market positioning.
Hospitals without a defined ACO strategy risk network exclusion as MSSP participation reaches 476 ACOs and over half of Medicare beneficiaries.CMS ACO fact sheet — https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/cms-moves-closer-accountable-care-goals-2025-aco-initiatives
AHA MSSP update — https://www.aha.org/news/headline/2025-01-15-cms-announces-increase-accountable-care-relationships -
Hypertension and CVD trends will drive ED volume, admissions, and post-acute demand.
With 1.4B people affected and 19.41M annual CVD deaths, chronic disease management is a throughput strategy, not just a primary care initiative.WHO Global Report — https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240115569
WHO Hypertension release — https://www.who.int/news/item/23-09-2025-uncontrolled-high-blood-pressure-puts-over-a-billion-people-at-risk
AHA Global Burden — https://professional.heart.org/-/media/phd-files-2/science-news/2/2025-heart-and-stroke-stats-update/factsheets/2025-stats-update-fact-sheet-global-burden-of-disease.pdf -
Hospital-at-home models relieve capacity but remain financially fragile.
Evidence from CMS, AMA, and JAMA shows better outcomes and lower LOS, but reimbursement gaps require payer negotiation and sustainability planning.JAMA Safer@Home — https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2835465
AMA summary — https://www.ama-assn.org/public-health/population-health/hospital-home-saves-lives-and-money-cms-report
AHA extension fact sheet — https://www.aha.org/fact-sheets/2024-08-06-fact-sheet-extending-hospital-home-program
Quality Metrics to Share With Your Team (≤7)
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HI trust fund depletion: Projected 2033; revenues cover 89% of costs.
https://www.cms.gov/oact/tr/2025 -
Long-term Medicare spending: Rising from 3.8% → 6.7% GDP over forecast horizon.
https://www.cms.gov/oact/tr/2025 -
Site-neutral OPPS impact: 60% cut for off-campus HOPD drug administration in 2026.
https://www.kff.org/quick-take/the-trump-administration-moves-forward-with-medicare-site-neutral-payment-reform/ -
ACO penetration: 476 MSSP ACOs; >50% of beneficiaries in accountable care.
https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/cms-moves-closer-accountable-care-goals-2025-aco-initiatives -
Hypertension burden: 1.4B people affected; control rates below 25%.
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240115569 -
Global CVD mortality: 19.41M deaths; 10.85M attributable to high systolic BP.
https://professional.heart.org/-/media/phd-files-2/science-news/2/2025-heart-and-stroke-stats-update/factsheets/2025-stats-update-fact-sheet-global-burden-of-disease.pdf -
Hospital-at-home outcomes: ~4-day LOS reduction; sustainability requires reimbursement at ~50–60% of hospital costs.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2835465
Leadership Call to Action (≤5)
- Conduct a site-neutral revenue stress test for infusion/oncology services.
- Update Medicare long-range assumptions for 2026–2030 board planning.
- Define and formalize your ACO participation strategy.
- Treat hypertension/CVD as a capacity and throughput issue, not only a primary care issue.
- Build a sustainability plan for hospital-at-home, including payer negotiations.
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