Affordability in Action: Joining Forces to Lower Hospital Prices - Home

Affordability in Action: Joining Forces to Lower Hospital Prices 0

As hospitals in New York City and beyond continue to raise prices that drive unsustainable healthcare spending, 32BJ Health Fund, 32BJ Labor Industry Cooperation Trust Fund (LICF) and its partners are demonstrating that change isn’t just possible, it’s happening.

💰 Groundbreaking direct contract negotiations to lower hospital prices

📃 New legislation requiring fair prices for routine care, regardless of setting

📢 Coalitions building political power to hold hospitals accountable to the patients they serve

This is what affordability in action looks like.

Meet the urgency of the moment and join a growing movement of collaborators tackling the problem and solutions head on at 32BJ Health Fund and 32BJ LICF’s fifth annual daylong conference. They invite policymakers, consumer advocates, employers, healthcare purchasers, and health system leaders to explore the latest strategies to address unchecked hospital prices.

Join 32BJ Health Fund & 32BJ LICF to network and learn about:

Where to start with direct contracting, negotiation strategies, and ways to scale
Advocacy blueprints that inspire policymakers to action
Curbing hospitals’ anti-competitive market practices
Solutions to contain out-of-network costs

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Metropolitan Pavilion
125 West 18th Street
New York, NY 10011

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Additional Information:

For more information, please email LICF@32bjfunds.com.

A current preview of session topics. . . 0

The Insiders: What’s Wrong with the Status Quo

The U.S. healthcare system is working exactly as it was designed. That’s bad news for employers and patients grappling with unsustainable hospital prices. Former industry insiders—from hospital leadership to insurance executives—will unpack how corporate structures and incentives often drive hospitals to maximize profits. The good news? They know it doesn’t have to be this way.

The U.S. healthcare system is working exactly as it was designed. That’s bad news for employers and patients grappling with unsustainable hospital prices. Former industry insiders—from hospital leadership to insurance executives—will unpack how corporate structures and incentives often drive hospitals to maximize profits. The good news? They know it doesn’t have to be this way.

The U.S. healthcare system is working exactly as it was designed. That’s bad news for employers and patients grappling with unsustainable hospital prices. Former industry insiders—from hospital leadership to insurance executives—will unpack how corporate structures and incentives often drive hospitals to maximize profits. The good news? They know it doesn’t have to be this way.

The U.S. healthcare system is working exactly as it was designed. That’s bad news for employers and patients grappling with unsustainable hospital prices. Former industry insiders—from hospital leadership to insurance executives—will unpack how corporate structures and incentives often drive hospitals to maximize profits. The good news? They know it doesn’t have to be this way.

State Policy Leaders in Fair Pricing Action

A movement to lower hospital prices is gaining steam across the country. Legislators are willing to take bold actions to address unregulated commercial market hospital pricing. Learn how enacted legislation in other states, and opportunities in New York State like the Fair Pricing Act, could improve affordability for employers and patients.

A movement to lower hospital prices is gaining steam across the country. Legislators are willing to take bold actions to address unregulated commercial market hospital pricing. Learn how enacted legislation in other states, and opportunities in New York State like the Fair Pricing Act, could improve affordability for employers and patients.

A movement to lower hospital prices is gaining steam across the country. Legislators are willing to take bold actions to address unregulated commercial market hospital pricing. Learn how enacted legislation in other states, and opportunities in New York State like the Fair Pricing Act, could improve affordability for employers and patients.

A movement to lower hospital prices is gaining steam across the country. Legislators are willing to take bold actions to address unregulated commercial market hospital pricing. Learn how enacted legislation in other states, and opportunities in New York State like the Fair Pricing Act, could improve affordability for employers and patients.

Fixing the No Surprises Act’s Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) Process

The current arbitration process for determining out-of-network payments threatens healthcare affordability, leaving employers and union health funds on the hook for exponentially increasing out-out-network costs. Experts will dissect IDR’s unintended consequences and explain how purchasers can work with advocates to demand regulatory relief—and ultimately, reform.

The current arbitration process for determining out-of-network payments threatens healthcare affordability, leaving employers and union health funds on the hook for exponentially increasing out-out-network costs. Experts will dissect IDR’s unintended consequences and explain how purchasers can work with advocates to demand regulatory relief—and ultimately, reform.

The current arbitration process for determining out-of-network payments threatens healthcare affordability, leaving employers and union health funds on the hook for exponentially increasing out-out-network costs. Experts will dissect IDR’s unintended consequences and explain how purchasers can work with advocates to demand regulatory relief—and ultimately, reform.

The current arbitration process for determining out-of-network payments threatens healthcare affordability, leaving employers and union health funds on the hook for exponentially increasing out-out-network costs. Experts will dissect IDR’s unintended consequences and explain how purchasers can work with advocates to demand regulatory relief—and ultimately, reform.

Understanding and Curbing Anti-Competitive Market Power

Anti-competitive contracting practices can challenge employers’ ability to negotiate lower hospital prices and encourage patients to seek higher-value care. This panel will focus on what comes next: how purchasers can push back against hospital market power, and when policy changes or litigation may be necessary to create a more affordable, competitive healthcare market.

Anti-competitive contracting practices can challenge employers’ ability to negotiate lower hospital prices and encourage patients to seek higher-value care. This panel will focus on what comes next: how purchasers can push back against hospital market power, and when policy changes or litigation may be necessary to create a more affordable, competitive healthcare market.

Anti-competitive contracting practices can challenge employers’ ability to negotiate lower hospital prices and encourage patients to seek higher-value care. This panel will focus on what comes next: how purchasers can push back against hospital market power, and when policy changes or litigation may be necessary to create a more affordable, competitive healthcare market.

Anti-competitive contracting practices can challenge employers’ ability to negotiate lower hospital prices and encourage patients to seek higher-value care. This panel will focus on what comes next: how purchasers can push back against hospital market power, and when policy changes or litigation may be necessary to create a more affordable, competitive healthcare market.