Special August 2026 Edition

A special, comprehensive discussion of the 2026 Legislative session and a preview of 2027 legislative priorities for SCHA. 

In this special August edition of In Session, SCHA President & CEO Thornton Kirby and Vice President of Government Relations Ryan Burnaugh provide a comprehensive debrief on the conclusion of the eventful 2026 legislative session and what it means for South Carolina's healthcare community. 

Key discussion points include:

• State Budget & Medicaid Funding: A major win was achieved as the General Assembly fully funded the Medicaid agency's maintenance of effort request, avoiding devastating rate reductions. The pair dig deeper into the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) and why its decreasing payment to South Carolina means bigger asks from the state to maintain minimum Maintenance of Effort levels.
• Legislative Defeats & Next Steps: Despite strong advocacy, the HALO Act (Helping Alleviate Lawful Obstruction) and the medical malpractice reform bill fell short in the final days due to a tight time crunch and differences among the House and Senate chambers. Both remain top priorities for 2027.
• Political Landscape: An analysis of the late US Senator Graham's untimely passing, the upcoming August 25 special election runoff between Darline Graham and Ralph Norman for the republican nomination, and the implications of the upcoming open gubernatorial race. 
• 2027 Preview: A look ahead at building comprehensive healthcare workforce package and navigating federal pressures from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) Medicaid cuts. 

As always, special thanks to our member hospitals who showed up at the State House this past year, establishing a powerful visual presence that has resonated with our legislators and built connections for collaboration on the support of our healthcare community.