After nearly a quarter century, Chip Kahn to retire from the Federation of American Hospitals

After a 24-year run at the Federation of American Hospitals (FAH), one of Washington’s preeminent health trade associations, President and CEO Chip Kahn announced Friday that he will retire from that position effective December 31, 2025. Kahn graduated from the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University in 1980 with an MPH degree in health administration. 

“What an honor to have an opportunity for a quarter century—and during a consequential period of health policy making—to be the play caller for this important hospital sector. Much has been accomplished,” said Kahn. “Now it is time for a career turn to work on policy from another vantage point. I look forward to engaging in efforts to foster health care affordability, coverage, and quality improvement.” 

During his lengthy tenure, Kahn—only  the third Federation CEO since its founding in 1966—has  skillfully led FAH and its member hospitals through five distinct and diverse presidential administrations and thirteen Congresses, consistently pursuing legislative and regulatory solutions that enable hospitals to provide quality 24/7 patient care to all, while cultivating a reputation of collaboration to further needed health policy reforms, particularly coverage expansion and fair payment for care. Kahn’s legacy of leadership has been recognized in multiple ways, including as the only health leader to be selected for Modern Healthcare’s “100 Most Influential” list every year since its inception 23 years ago. 

“On behalf of the member companies of the Federation of American Hospitals, we want to express our deepest thanks and appreciation to Chip for his many years of outstanding service,” said Marc D. Miller, president and CEO of Universal Health Services and chair of FAH’s Board of Directors. “Chip has been a steadfast leader of the Federation with unparalleled knowledge of healthcare policy matters so important to the community hospital industry.” 

Kahn has had a storied almost 50-year career navigating the intersection of health care, policymaking, and politics. 

First cutting his teeth in politics managing former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s first two campaigns for the House of Representatives, Kahn eventually served on Capitol Hill as health aide to Senators Quayle and Durenberger as well as health counsel to House Ways and Means Committee Republicans during development of many budget bills in the 1980’s and early 90’s. As executive vice president, he managed the Health Insurance Association of America’s (HIAA) pivotal “Harry and Louise” campaign during Clintoncare consideration; served in a keystone role as staff director for the Health Subcommittee of the Ways and Means Committee; and as president and CEO oversaw the rebuilding of the HIAA’s membership base before taking over FAH. 

As head of HIAA, Kahn dedicated much of his energy towards extending access to affordable health coverage to uninsured Americans through the “strange bedfellows” campaigns. He continued that effort over to the federation with the Health Coverage Passport proposal and FAH’s leadership on the mission to expand health coverage. While at FAH, Kahn also continued his leadership creating and guiding policy coalitions that bring disparate interests together to successfully pursue common causes. 

Kahn has also been instrumental in building the current foundations for the nation’s health quality enterprise. He helped spearhead the development of the Hospital Quality Alliance and played an integral role with the National Quality Forum advancing a national strategy for health care quality improvement through better clinical and performance measurement. On a global scale, he has continued to champion health care delivery and quality improvement including as the co-founder and current co-chair of the Future of Health community, an organization that brings together senior executives of leading health organizations from around the world to develop applicable solutions to universal concerns facing health care everywhere. 

As a mark of his commitment to the next generation of health leaders, Kahn has readily served as a mentor and trusted advisor to many. For decades he was a board member and a chair of the David Winston Fellowship, and he has taught heath policy to graduate students at several major universities, including Tulane. For the past six years, he has welcomed students from Tulane’s Health Policy program for a capstone experience in Washington, D.C., including meetings with federal policy experts. 

In recent years, he has worked closely with Dean Thomas LaVeist to establish a Health Policy Institute at the Celia Scott Weatherhead School to provide much needed research and advocacy on a wide range of issues impacting the healthcare field today and into the future.

“Chip Kahn is a dedicated and loyal supporter of this school,” said LaVeist. “He is always ready to engage students and faculty to discuss the important issues facing healthcare today. We are enormously proud of his accomplishments and congratulate him on a remarkable career. We hope to see more of him in his retirement!”

He has received numerous recognitions from his alma mater, including the Champion of Public Health Award in 2001 and the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year Award in 2019.