OH Pulse – March 22, 2026

Mar 24, 2026

Single-payer health care returns to Ohio Capitol with bold no-tax-hike pledge
Democratic sponsors led by Sen. William P. DeMora and Paula Hicks-Hudson introduced Senate Bill 78 on March 3, creating the Ohio Health Care Plan — a statewide single-payer system covering all residents with zero copays, deductibles, or pre-existing condition denials for primary care, mental health, prescriptions, dental, and vision.
Backers promise 91% of Ohioans see no tax increase, with funding via payroll, gross receipts, and income taxes plus federal dollars that would replace private premiums and boost take-home pay. The bill received its first hearing but faces steep Republican skepticism over feasibility and scale.
Cleveland.com {Paywall}

AHA’s Costs of Caring report lays bare escalating hospital financial pressures
U.S. hospital expenses jumped 7.5% in 2025 — more than twice the growth in hospital prices — with labor swallowing ~60% of costs and another 36% tied to treating higher volumes of sicker patients.
Over 56% of hospital spending went to service lines reimbursed below cost, including behavioral health (74.5% payment-to-cost ratio), while Medicare paid just 83 cents on the dollar.
Administrative burdens added another $43 billion in billing and collections costs nationwide, squeezing margins and threatening 24/7 community care.
Ohio Hospital Association | AHA Costs of Caring

Cleveland Clinic Chief Investment Officer Stefan Strein to exit after decade-long tenure
Stefan Strein, Cleveland Clinic’s inaugural Chief Investment Officer since 2015, will depart April 10, 2026, after overseeing $17 billion in long-term, short-term, pension, and insurance assets plus $16 billion in retirement plans.
Strein is leaving to become President, CEO, and CIO of UNC Management Co., serving the University of North Carolina System.
The transition marks the end of a pivotal era managing one of health care’s largest investment portfolios.
Becker’s Hospital Review
Bon Secours Mercy Health taps Dylan Clark as Chief Analytics & AI Officer
Bon Secours Mercy Health named Dylan Clark, former leader of data strategy and analytics at MedStar Health, to head its systemwide data, analytics, and artificial intelligence strategy. Clark will build an enterprise AI governance framework and report directly to Chief Information and Technology Officer Edmund Siy.
The move signals accelerating investment in AI to drive efficiency and insights across the multi-state system amid relentless cost and workforce pressures.
Becker’s Hospital Review

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Sources curated from public reporting and association releases.
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