The American Hospital Association will hold its 2017 Annual Membership Meeting May 7-10 in Washington, D.C., and NJHA is planning a robust slate of events to coincide with the conference.

This year’s AHA gathering, to be held at the Washington Hilton, will feature several speakers and briefings to address the future of healthcare coverage, including an assessment of potential coverage alternatives, as well as implications for hospitals and health systems.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin, MD, will address the membership May 8. Confirmed by the Senate as VA secretary earlier this month, Dr. Shulkin previously served as VA undersecretary for health since July 2015. His diverse healthcare background includes service as a physician, chief medical officer and hospital and health system leader at Morristown Medical Center and Atlantic Health System.

The agenda also contains prominent keynote speakers such as Nicolle Wallace, political analyst and former White House director of communications under Present George W. Bush; Frank Sesno, former CNN Washington bureau chief; and former Sens. Trent Lott and Tom Daschle, coauthors of Crisis Point: Why We Must and How We Can—Overcome our Broken Politics in Washington and Across America, who will discuss how the country must move beyond politics to governing.

Trustee education sessions include a presentation by James E. Orlikoff, president of Orlikoff & Associates, identifying the trends impacting boards and outlining take-home strategies for effective governance.

NJHA staff will hold a briefing May 8 at 4 p.m. and will be joined by Rob Butora, senior health policy advisor for New Jersey Rep. Leonard Lance (R-7). Butora will provide an update on what the healthcare field can expect Congress to accomplish this year and Rep. Lance’s work as a member of the House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee. NJHA will lead a series of Capitol Hill visits May 10 with the N.J. federal delegation staff.

In addition, NJHA will host a dinner for members on Monday evening at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab, and on Tuesday evening will host a reception at the Botanic Garden with fellow hospital executives from California, New York, Illinois and Pennsylvania. New Jersey delegation health staff have also been invited.

NJHA encourages CEOs and government relations officers to attend and urges them to bring a member of their management team, a physician, a trustee or a volunteer. A large and visible presence will reinforce the intensity of our advocacy efforts.

Click here for the complete schedule and registration information. Early bird rates are available through March 24. Contact NJHA’s Joanne Aaronson with any questions or to schedule a meeting with delegation members during the Wednesday Hill visits.