2025 Healthcare CFO Concerns Revealed: Key Insights from Our Latest Survey

Key Insights on Healthcare Finance in 2025

A recent Deloitte survey reveals that healthcare finance leaders are shifting their priorities. Instead of focusing solely on growth, 84% of respondents are now worried about business conditions due to regulatory changes, economic uncertainty, and supply chain issues. This caution suggests a more strategic outlook for 2025.

This survey, part of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, gathered insights from 64 healthcare finance leaders, including representatives from health systems and health plans. They identified key concerns in an ever-changing environment.

Changing External Factors

Healthcare finance leaders face many external pressures. Rising healthcare costs and patient affordability are top concerns. For instance, Medicare Advantage saw its medical loss ratio reach a peak in early 2025 due to increased healthcare usage. This trend is expected to continue, affecting financial strategies.

Interestingly, internal issues like workforce challenges and cybersecurity are now less urgent. While burnout and low employee trust are still problems, finance leaders are shifting focus from aggressive cost-cutting to sustainable growth, despite the ongoing need for cost surveillance.

The Impact of Regulations

Finance leaders highlighted tariffs and trade policy as significant threats. About 20% of a typical US hospital’s expenses are related to imported goods. New tariffs could increase costs by over 15%, complicating supply chain negotiations. Health plan finance leaders pointed to changes in drug pricing policies as particularly impactful. Regulations from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will cap out-of-pocket drug costs and might shift financial burdens to health plans.

Concerns about potential Medicaid reforms could also lead to reimbursement rate issues, impacting the care of previously insured patients.

Strategic Growth for Financial Health

Enhancing financial performance requires a holistic approach, according to the Deloitte survey. Leaders are focusing on growth, revenue improvement, and smart spending. Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have traditionally driven growth, but many have found limited success. Instead, 90% of respondents are exploring partnerships for growth. Such collaborations are viewed as ways to enter new markets without the complexity of full integration.

While many organizations are engaging in value-based contracts (VBCs), most report challenges from payment issues and insufficient data capabilities. Recent regulations may push healthcare institutions to improve their data systems, including using advanced technologies like AI for better diagnostics.

Cost Management and Service Optimization

Many health systems and plans see unprofitable services. For instance, half of the health plans reported consistent underwriting losses in key areas. Around one-third of organizations report that service optimization efforts have made a strong impact, emphasizing the need to evaluate and possibly reduce services that don’t enhance customer experience.

Optimizing operating models, such as by outsourcing, offers potential savings. Yet, only a small fraction of leaders are prioritizing this. Those who have outsourced often see significant benefits, indicating the need for careful risk assessment regarding quality and data security.

Investments in Technology

Healthcare organizations are prioritizing technology investments to enhance data quality and reporting. However, only about one-third of leaders report strong impacts from modernizing their technology. Data modernization is key to improving operations, and 53% of health systems have seen benefits from innovative technologies like AI and cloud computing.

A holistic view that includes data accessibility and workforce needs is crucial as organizations adopt technologies to improve care delivery.

As healthcare finance leaders navigate these challenges, understanding the complexities of their environment is essential to thrive in the coming years.

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