Cedar

The affordability crisis isn’t coming in 2026. It’s already here. If patient out-of-pocket rises another 10 - 15%, as many expect, we can’t pretend better billing tools will solve the problem. Text-to-pay is great. Apple Pay is great. But none of that helps a patient who just lost Medicaid coverage and suddenly owes $11,000. That’s an affordability issue, not a billing workflow issue. The real opportunity in 2026 is connecting people to the financial resources, coverage pathways, and aid they already qualify for but rarely access. If we get that right, there’s reason for optimism. 🌶️ I shared more in Cedar’s new Hot Takes: Bold Predictions for 2026 series My prediction is just one. See what others like Baystate Health CEO Peter Banko had to say about healthcare affordability here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gSPSF_98

Hot Take Number 1: 30% less administrative waste in 2026 - feat. Florian Otto of Cedar With AI models already delivering 20 - 40% efficiency gains, next year is when providers actually capture it at scale. This is the first of 14 bold predictions for 2026. Follow along, or binge them all here: https://lnkd.in/ee2MS3bd

“It was sometimes an uphill battle to gain the confidence of the patient,” explains Lynn Van Houten, Vice President of Revenue Cycle Services at NAPA. That's why NAPA partnered with Cedar to power their patient financial engagement strategy. Where patients once hesitated at unfamiliar anesthesia billing, they now find a straightforward payment process they can trust. This improved patient experience strengthens NAPA’s role as an extension of their partners, ensuring exceptional service continues through all their financial interactions.

🌶️ My hot take for 2026: Healthcare can cut administrative waste by 30%. And we’re closer than people think. AI is already delivering 20 – 40% efficiency gains across core administrative tasks. As models improve, the compounding impact is undeniable. Less bloat means lower cost, fewer errors, and faster access for patients. The transition won’t be comfortable. It requires real operational change, not hype. But the upside — for patients and for the healthcare system — is massive. I break it down in Cedar’s new Hot Takes: Bold Predictions for 2026 series. Hear how industry leaders like The University of Texas Medical Branch’s Jamie Bailey, MBA, CPA and Fortuna Health’s Nikita Singareddy are preparing for 2026 here: https://lnkd.in/dkFYWSa2

Cedar Pay drives superior patient engagement and payments by connecting patients to EOB insights, HSA funds, and more.