STAT+: At hospital finance conference, a call to end the friction that’s keeping costs high

STAT PlusBusiness At hospital finance conference, a call to end the friction that’s keeping costs high Affordability was a major theme, but the price of medical care was rarely mentioned Manage alerts for this article Email this article Share this article By Tara BannowJune 12, 2026 Hospitals and Insurance Reporter Tara Bannow[email protected]Tara covers the business of health care. Her stories focus on hospitals, doctors, and how their business practices affect patients — especially when private equity gets involved. She also writes about health insurance and ideas for improving our broken health system. You can reach Tara on Signal at tarabannow.70. NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — At this week’s annual meeting of hospital finance leaders, the exhibit hall was packed with dozens of billing and collections companies. Armed with candy, tote bags, and pens, they smiled at passersby, eager to explain why their tactics would extract the most money from health insurers. The sheer number of “revenue cycle” vendors who attended the Healthcare Financial Management Association’s annual conference in Maryland — outnumbering even the hospital attendees, according to a list shared by an organizer — was a visible reminder of the enormous industry built around just paying medical bills. Advertisement The U.S. health care industry spends roughly $200 billion annually on financial transactions: claims processing, payment, collections, and prior authorization. And yet the proliferation of billing vendors seemed to clash with the main theme of HFMA’s conference, affordability, spotlighting the need to simplify the billing process so that health care is less costly and more accessible for patients. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article — plus daily market-moving biopharma analysis — by subscribing to STAT+. Already have an account? Log in Monthly $39 Totals $468 per year $39/month Get Started Totals $468 per year Starter $30 for 3 months, then $399/year $30 for 3 months Get Started Then $399/year Annual $399 Save 15% $399/year Get Started Save 15% 11+ Users Custom Savings start at 25%! Request A Quote Request A Quote Savings start at 25%! 2-10 Users $300 Annually per user $300/year Get Started $300 Annually per user View All Plans To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. Subscribe Log In health care costs, Health insurance, hospitals, Policy Submit a correction requestReprints Tara Bannow Hospitals and Insurance Reporter Tara covers the business of health care. Her stories focus on hospitals, doctors, and how their business practices affect patients — especially when private equity gets involved. She also writes about health insurance and ideas for improving our broken health system. You can reach Tara on Signal at tarabannow.70. Newsletter Unpacking the business — and secretive inner workings — of the U.S. health care industry Recommended D.C. Diagnosis June 11, 2026 STAT Plus: A suspicious denial pattern in Medicare Advantage The Readout June 11, 2026 STAT Plus: Novartis doubles down on molecular glue strategy Advertisement Exclusive June 11, 2026 STAT Plus: Private Medicare plans erect barriers to rehab care in pursuit of profit, federal investigators find The Readout June 10, 2026 STAT Plus: Hope for Kendall Square’s lab market D.C. Diagnosis June 9, 2026 STAT Plus: Trump’s health care affordability czar takes aim at hospitals Subscriber Picks