HaysMed
HaysMed President and CEO Edward (Eddie) Herrman was recently selected as one of only four hospital executives nationwide to participate in a special healthcare policy roundtable with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in Washington, D.C.
The April 17 meeting, hosted at the HHS headquarters, brought together a select group of health system leaders to discuss the future of American health care with a focus on the ‘Making America Healthy Again’ (MAHA) initiative, rural access challenges, administrative burden reduction, and the use of digital health and AI.
“It was an incredible honor to represent not only HaysMed but also the entire rural health landscape in Kansas,” said Herrman. “Secretary Kennedy was engaged and direct. He not only wanted to hear our challenges; he asked for specifics and solutions.”
During the 75-minute session, Herrman highlighted the unique health care delivery challenges faced by providers in rural areas, including transportation barriers, food scarcity, lack of post-acute care options, and inequities in federal pilot programs.
HaysMed, a leading regional tertiary center in western Kansas, serves a vast geographic area stretching westward with no comparable providers until Denver. Herrman emphasized the importance of continued federal support for rural hospitals that act as lifelines for their communities.
He also brought forward key concerns around Medicare Advantage denials, excessive administrative and compliance requirements, and the discontinuation of preventative outreach programs due to funding limitations.
“Rural hospitals like HaysMed are doing everything we can to keep our communities healthy,” Herrman added. “But we need the federal government to recognize how different the rural reality is from urban America.”
According to Herrman, Secretary Kennedy requested a detailed list of regulatory burdens and associated costs to help guide forthcoming policy reform efforts.
“It’s a testament to the reputation our team has built at HaysMed,” said Herrman. “Our participation shows that rural voices matter and that we can help shape national policy for the better.”