The American Hospital Association (AHA) named Steve Walsh, President and CEO of the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association (MHA), as its new leader. Walsh, a former Democratic representative in Massachusetts, has a record of opposing immigration enforcement in healthcare settings, criticizing Republican Medicaid reforms, and highlighting systemic racism in public statements.
In 2020, Walsh issued a statement declaring, that “systemic racism is a sickness just as potent as the diseases we treat every day,” and affirmed that “Black Lives Matter.” He committed MHA to addressing “inequities” in public health and championing equitable access to care.
Walsh also supported efforts to restrict ICE access to hospitals. In January 2026, Gov. Maura Healey (D., Mass.) filed legislation and signed an executive order to prohibit ICE civil arrests in non-public areas of hospitals and medical facilities without a judicial warrant, aiming to ensure patients seek care without fear of detention. The measures also cover schools, courthouses, and places of worship.
On Medicaid policy, Walsh also opposed President Donald Trump’s reforms in the One Big Beautiful Bill. In May 2025, MHA criticized a House Energy & Commerce Committee proposal to cut $625 billion from Medicaid over a decade, which would reduce federal matching rates for certain populations, impose work requirements, and tighten eligibility checks. Walsh stated that Medicaid forms the foundation of healthcare for two million people in Massachusetts and warned that cuts would challenge patient care financing amid existing hospital pressures.
Federal data shows significant Medicaid spending on emergency services for illegal immigrants. A Congressional Budget Office analysis estimated more than $16.2 billion in federal and state taxpayer costs since the start of the Biden-Harris administration — a 124 percent increase compared to the prior period — under emergency Medicaid rules for those otherwise ineligible due to immigration status.
A Republican Senate source told the Reporter that “it is a bold move, although probably not surprising, for the hospital association to select a Democrat who went all out for BLM as its leader. The hospitals worked hard to kill President Trump’s Medicaid reforms and they often align with the left on policy.”
The revelations of Walsh’s partisan background comes amid intensifying scrutiny from Congress and federal regulators in the Trump administration on hospitals’ role in healthcare costs.
The AHA and its allies, for their part, note that Walsh’s appointment received immediate praise from state Hospital Association leaders across America. “The AHA will continue serving as the leading advocate for hospitals and health systems while advancing policies that improve patient access, quality, innovation, and care for all Americans,” a spokesman told the Reporter. “Steve’s leadership of the AHA will build upon this longstanding mission, which is informed by a broad range of national viewpoints and voices.”
Marc L. Boom, the Chair of the AHA’s Board of Trustees, said that Walsh has “demonstrated an ability to bring people together, build consensus and advance meaningful solutions on behalf of patients, caregivers and communities.”
Thornton Kirby, the President and CEO of the South Carolina Hospital Association, said that he “couldn’t be more enthusiastic about Steve Walsh’s selection as the next President and CEO of the American Hospital Association. During the eight years I’ve had the privilege of working with Steve, I’ve come to know him as an exceptional collaborator, a pragmatic leader, and someone who understands that meaningful progress in healthcare comes from bringing people together around shared solutions.”
“Steve is thoughtful, patient, and relentlessly focused on results,” Kirby added. “Whether tackling policy challenges or operational issues, he has an uncommon ability to listen, build trust, and align diverse perspectives in service of a common goal. Most importantly, he never loses sight of the people at the center of every decision — the patients and communities we all serve.”
Walsh’s appointment was also welcome news to Caylee Noggle, the President and CEO of the Georgia Hospital Association.
“I’m honored to call Steve Walsh both a friend and colleague, and I’m thrilled by his selection as the next President and CEO of the American Hospital Association,” Noggle said. “The AHA Board has wisely chosen a respected leader and healthcare expert who will guide our diverse field with unmatched experience, compassion, and vision. Steve’s unwavering commitment to advocacy, his proven talent for bringing people together and building consensus, and his ability to lead meaningful change will serve our nation’s hospitals, health systems, and communities exceptionally well. I look forward to our continued partnership and to supporting Steve as he leads AHA into this new era. The American Hospital Association has chosen an outstanding leader, and America’s hospitals are in very capable hands.”
