HFMA’s editorial team has earned 12 national honors from two media organizations — the American Society of Business Publication editors (ASBPE) and the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA)
These awards are for work spanning 2025 healthcare industry coverage, special reports, newsletters, podcasts and design.
“These awards reflect the depth of talent and teamwork behind HFMA’s editorial success,” said Brad Dennison, HFMA’s vice president, content and voice. “Our team consistently delivers smart, targeted journalism at a high level, and it’s rewarding to see that recognized.”
National Azbee Awards of Excellence
HFMA earned nine national Azbee Awards of Excellence, conferred by ASBPE on May 14.
Gold Azbee Award winners
Online Single Topic (for OBBBA coverage): Senior editors Rich Daly and Nick Hut, for “Reconciliation bill with substantial Medicaid cost-cutting is set to become law,” July 1, 2025; “Hospitals plan for OBBB rollout,” July 1, 2025; “CBO breaks down how and when the budget reconciliation bill will reduce insurance enrollment,” Aug. 19, 2025; “Hospitals brace for looming federal cuts in Medicaid and elsewhere,” Sept. 30, 2025; and “Rural Health Transformation Program’s application deadline arrives, bringing states and hospitals a step closer to billions in funding dollars,” Nov. 4, 2025
Original Research Article: Jeni Williams, author and senior editor; Brian Goins, senior editor, visuals; Paul Barr, senior editor, for “The Healthcare CFO of the Future — Turning Risk into Opportunity,” April/May 2025 hfm
Silver Azbee Award winners
Email Newsletter of the Year, Design: Brian Goins, senior editor, visuals, for FastFinance, and Rich Daly, author and senior editor, for “MA historic enrollment decline, plan cuts could hit hospitals,” Oct. 8, 2025; “CMS’s next transparency push,” Oct. 15, 2025; and “States, hospitals scramble to hit deadline for rural funds,” Nov. 5, 2025
Regular Column: Jill Geisler, author, for “Do you have the personality of a leader?” April/May 2025 hfm; and “10 questions that can help you lead people who are smarter than you,” October/ November 2025 hfm
Bronze Azbee Award winners
Thought Leadership: Zeev Neuwirth, MD, author, for “How to unravel our nation’s wicked healthcare problem,” December 2025/January 2026 hfm
These awards reflect the depth of talent and teamwork behind HFMA’s editorial success. Our team consistently delivers smart, targeted journalism at a high level, and it’s rewarding to see that recognized.”
Brad Dennison, HFMA’s vice president, content and voice
Runner-up Azbee Award winners
Best Body of Work by a Designer: Brian Goins, senior editor, visuals, for “DOGE comes for healthcare,” April/May 2025 hfm; “This is the moment to act,” June/July hfm; “Hospitals brace for looming OBBBA cuts,” October/November 2025 hfm; Special Report: “The Healthcare CFO of the Future: Turning Risk into Opportunity,” May 16, 2025; and FastFinance newsletter, Oct. 15, 2025
Best Body of Work by a Staff Journalist: Jeni Williams, senior editor, special reports, for “The Healthcare CFO of the Future — Turning Risk into Opportunity,” June-July 2025; “Soaring charity care grabs hospital leaders’ attention,” August/September 2025 hfm; “Financial sustainability is biggest pain point for healthcare leaders,” October/November hfm; “The Healthcare C-Suite of the Future: From AI to ROI — Emerging Needs Drive Demand for New Skillsets,” special report, Nov. 10, 2025, online; and “The Vitalic Health movement,” December 2025/January 2026 hfm
Magazine of the Year, 11 or Fewer Issues per Year: hfm, Brad Dennison, vice president, content; Jean Hodges, executive editor; Eric Reese, managing editor; Brian Goins, senior editor, visuals; Linda Chandler, designer; Marshall Clarke, photographer, for hfm: August/ September 2025; October/ November 2025; and December 2025/January 2026
Email Newsletter of the Year: Rich Daly, senior editor; Brian Goins, senior editor, visuals, for FastFinance, “$50 billion rural healthcare fund distribution plans detailed,” Sept. 24, 2025; “340B group putting final touches on reform bill,” Oct. 29, 2025; and “ACA subsidy vote planned as government reopens,” Nov. 19, 2025
Regional Azbee Awards of Excellence
Earlier in 2026, HFMA won 15 regional Azbee Awards of excellence.
Gold Azbee Award winners
Online Single Topic (for OBBBA coverage): Senior editors Rich Daly and Nick Hut for “Reconciliation bill with substantial Medicaid cost-cutting is set to become law,” July 1, 2025; “Hospitals plan for OBBB rollout,” July 1, 2025; “CBO breaks down how and when the budget reconciliation bill will reduce insurance enrollment,” Aug. 19, 2025; “Hospitals brace for looming federal cuts in Medicaid and elsewhere,” Sept. 30, 2025; and “Rural Health Transformation Program’s application deadline arrives, bringing states and hospitals a step closer to billions in funding dollars,” Nov. 4, 2025
Original Research: Jeni Williams, author and senior editor; Paul Barr, senior editor, for “The Healthcare CFO of the Future — Turning Risk Into Opportunity,” April/May 2025 hfm
Podcast: Rich Daly, podcast host; Erika Grotto, producer; Linda Chandler, sound engineer, for the FastFinance podcast, “One health system’s efficiency push,” Oct. 28, 2025
Thought Leadership: Zeev Neuwirth, MD, author, for “How to unravel our nation’s wicked healthcare problem,” December 2025/January 2026 hfm
Silver Azbee Award winners
Email Newsletter Design: Brian Goins, designer; Rich Daly, senior editor, for HFMA’s FastFinance: “MA historic enrollment decline, plan cuts could hit hospitals,” Oct. 8, 2025; “CMS’s next transparency push,” Oct. 15, 2025; and “States, hospitals scramble to hit deadline for rural funds,” Nov. 5, 2025
Government Coverage: Nick Hut, author, for “Healthcare fraud enforcement ramps up in the Trump administration, with implications for all stakeholders,” Aug. 25, 2025; “CMS describes how $50 billion will be distributed for rural healthcare,” Sept. 15, 2025; and “The hospital tax exemption comes under scrutiny in Congress,” Sept. 17, 2025
Industry News Coverage: Senior editors Nick Hut and Rich Daly for “Hospitals brace for looming federal cuts in Medicaid and elsewhere,” October/november 2025 hfm; “What DOGE’s actions mean for U.S. healthcare,” April/May 2025 issue hfm; and Daly for “Hospitals treating more patients with fewer staff,” FastFinance newsletter, June 2, 2025
News Analysis: Nick Hut, senior editor; and Rich Daly, senior editor, for “Where do we go now? Action needed to address public dissatisfaction with U.S. healthcare,” February/March hfm
Podcast: Erika Grotto, podcast producer and host; Linda Chandler, sound engineer; Nick Hut, senior editor, for HFMA’s Voices in Healthcare Finance podcast, “As RFK Jr. prepares to take on HHS, where is he likely to have the greatest impact?” Feb. 11, 2025
Regular Column: Jill Geisler, author, for “Do you have the personality of a leader?” April/May 2025 hfm; and “10 questions that can help you lead people who are smarter than you,” October/ November 2025 hfm
Bronze Azbee Award winners
Online Video: Erika Grotto, producer and host; Linda Chandler, sound engineer, for HiFi Health News, “How to save on prescription drugs,” Oct. 1, 2025
Podcast: Erika Grotto, podcast producer and host; Linda Chandler, sound engineer; Nick Hut, senior editor; Shawn Stack, policy director, for HFMA’s Voices in Healthcare Finance podcast, “What the Change Healthcare cyberattack means for the future of the industry,” March 25, 2025
Publication Design: Brian Goins and Linda Chandler, designers, for the June/July hfm, August/September hfm
Regular Column: David Johnson, author, for “Consumerism introduces itself to U.S. healthcare,” February/March 2025 hfm; and “A case study in today’s revenue cycle dystopia,” April/ May 2025 hfm
Special Section: Jeni Williams, author; and Paul Barr, senior editor, for “The Healthcare C-Suite of the Future: From AI to ROI — Emerging Needs Drive Demand for New Skillsets,” Nov. 6, 2025
HFMA wins Neal Award best e-newsletter honors
The content team earned its first-ever Jesse H. Neal Award, which recognizes excellence in business-to-business (B2B) journalism, for HFMA’s weekly “FastFinance with Rich Daly,” newsletter.
FastFinance was named the best e-newsletter at the Software & Information Industry Association awards ceremony April 21 in New York City, with Rich Daly, senior editor, accepting the award. Also recognized for work on the newsletter are Brian Goins, senior editor, visuals; and Brad Dennison, vice president, content and voice.
Rich Daly accepts the
Jesse H. Neal Award for the Best eNewsletter at the
SIIA’s awards ceremony.
Judges extol FastFinance
What the Neal judges said about FastFinance: “Excellent presentation in the newsletter to highlight and complement in-depth articles. Great graphics specific to the newsletter provide clarity and interest to topic areas. … distinct format, meaty entries … The [newsletter] presentation sets the bar for what a B2B newsletter should be.”
Entered into the category were the following three issues of the newsletter:
“No DSH lifeline from high court,” May 6, 2025; “Medicaid changes loom,” May 14, 2025; and “Medicaid cuts may never come,” July 30, 2025.
“The Jesse H. Neal Award for FastFinance was a perfect way to mark the one-year anniversary of this one-of-a-kind newsletter — created with hospital and health system CFOs in mind,” Dennison said. “I’m proud of the work we’re doing and grateful to be part of an organization that supports it.”
Other Neal honors
Two additional HFMA entries also enjoyed the distinction of being named finalists in the Neal Awards:
Best standalone issue: “The Healthcare CFO of the Future — Turning Risk into Opportunity,” April/May 2025 hfm
Best podcast: Voices in Healthcare Finance, “As RFK Jr. prepares to take on HHS, where is he likely to have the greatest impact?” Feb. 11, 2025
