As the 2026 midterm elections approach, healthcare leaders are asking whether this is just another policy cycle or a more pivotal moment in an increasingly complex and fragmented landscape. In this episode of PwC’s Next in Health, Glenn Hunzinger speaks with Kelly Griffin and Philip Sclafani about how shifting policy dynamics, persistent cost pressures, and rapid industry transformation are reshaping strategy across the healthcare ecosystem.

Discussion highlights:

• Why the 2026 midterms are less about sweeping reform and more about signaling the direction of the operating environment
• How affordability, transparency, and increased state-level action are shaping policy and driving industry change
• Why healthcare costs continue to rise and why traditional levers may not be enough to bend the cost curve
• How pharma, payers, and providers are adapting business models amid regulatory pressure and evolving market dynamics
• The growing role of AI, partnerships, and ecosystem convergence in accelerating transformation
• What healthcare leaders should prioritize, from policy intelligence and scenario planning to operating effectively in a more fragmented environment

Speakers:
Glenn Hunzinger, US Health Industries Leader, PwC
Kelly Griffin, Director, Health Policy and Intelligence Institute, PwC
Philip Sclafani, Principal, Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences, PwC

For more information, please visit us at: https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/health-industries/health-research-institute/next-in-health-podcast.html.

With $50 billion flowing through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), healthcare leaders are questioning whether this marks short term stabilization or a real opportunity to redesign rural care. In this episode of PwC’s Next in Health, Glenn Hunzinger speaks with Thom Bales and Jill Olmstead about how states are deploying funds, how accountability is shaping execution, and what sustainable rural transformation could look like.

Discussion highlights:

• Why the RHTP differs from prior relief efforts, with funding tied to measurable outcomes and accountability
• How states are prioritizing workforce sustainability, value based care, and regional partnerships
• The role of technology, telehealth, shared data infrastructure, and AI in expanding access and modernizing rural delivery models
• What successful execution requires across governance, compliance, milestone tracking, and multi state coordination
• Why provider engagement with state strategies and ecosystem collaboration will be critical to success
• What durable rural transformation could look like over the next three to five years

Speakers:
Glenn Hunzinger, US Health Industries Leader, PwC
Thom Bales, US Health Services Advisory Leader, PwC
Jill Olmstead, Principal, Health Services, PwC

You can access the full report here: https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/health-industries/health-policy-and-intelligence-institute/ruralhealth.html

For more information, please visit us at: https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/health-industries/health-research-institute/next-in-health-podcast.html.

From the JPM Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, Glenn Hunzinger, PwC’s Health Industries Leader, speaks with Jeremy Gelber, Partner at Vitruvian Partners, and Claire Love, Principal in PwC’s Deals Strategy practice to explore where healthcare investment momentum is building for 2026, how technology is reshaping value creation, and what investors are watching as care models, consumer behavior, and capital deployment continue to evolve.

Discussion highlights:

• Where technology and AI are delivering near term returns by improving efficiency, reducing administrative friction, and streamlining care delivery and payment
• Why women’s health is gaining attention as an underinvested growth opportunity, driven by unmet need, changing consumer expectations, and attractive long term economics
• How regulatory uncertainty is influencing investment decisions, increasing the importance of scenario planning and flexibility
• Where deal activity is expected to pick up in 2026 across healthcare subsectors, including healthcare IT, pharma services, medtech, diagnostics, and biotech
• How consumer trust, access to health data, and evolving behavior are shaping future care models and investment priorities

Speakers:

Glenn Hunzinger, US Health Industries Leader, PwC
Jeremy Gelber, Partner, Vitruvian Partners
Claire Love, Deals Strategy Principal, PwC

This episode is also available as a video on our website: https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/health-industries/health-research-institute/next-in-health-podcast/2026-healthcare-investment-trends.html

For more information, please visit us at: https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/health-industries/health-research-institute/next-in-health-podcast.html.