Name: Elizabeth Schwartz
Previous title: Executive director of U.S. policy and government relations, Merck
New title: Senior vice president and head of government relations, Federation of American Hospitals
Schwartz joins the national trade association representing for-profit community hospitals and health systems from biopharmaceutical company Merck, where she led advocacy initiatives for nearly a decade.
In her role, Schwartz will lead FAH’s advocacy with policymakers and stakeholders and advance the trade group’s interests, which include those of its approximately 1,000 hospital members. The group has been ramping up its advocacy: In 2025, it spent $3.6 million on lobbying, its highest amount since 2019, according to federal disclosures.
“She understands not only the policy landscape, but also the political dynamics that shape it — an increasingly important combination in today’s environment,” Charlene MacDonald, president and CEO of FAH, said in a Thursday statement.
She will head up government relations during a contentious time for the healthcare sector, as hospitals stare down significant cuts from federal healthcare programs.
The Trump administration has rolled out several policy changes that threaten hospitals’ bottom lines, including billions of dollars in cuts to the safety-net insurance program Medicaid and related payments from states.
In addition, hospitals are contending with flagging financials after Congress let more generous subsidies for Affordable Care Act plans expire, which caused many patients to drop coverage and damaged a once-reliable earnings stream for health systems.
“At a time when affordability and transparency are front and center in health care discussions, we have an important story to tell about how taxpaying hospitals are increasing access, advancing innovation, and working to make care more affordable for patients,” Schwartz said in a statement to Healthcare Dive.
