Changes in federal and state health care policy—and the realities of health plan budgets—are going to bring more emphasis on performance incentives and value-based reimbursement in 2026. That was the conclusion of the recent analysis—2026 Value-Based Care Mandates: Financial Impact on US Hospital Reimbursements. The field is likely to see the expansion of bundled payment models, increasing use of performance-based incentive programs focused on quality, and new population health management requirements for provider organizations.

The likely financial impact on provider organization reimbursement is substantial. The authors estimate a potential 10% to 15% negative effect on hospital reimbursement alone.

As executives in the field look ahead to more revenue—and market opportunities—linked to performance rather than volume, the question is how to prepare. On…