SHA MEMBER'S PORTAL
2026 Quarterly Newsletter
MAY 2026
MESSAGE FROM SHA PRESIDENT: BRIAN BARGENDER
The Subrogation Health Alliance was built on the idea that, when healthcare subrogation professionals come together to share insights and sharpen their skills, we all benefit. Today, that mission is more important than ever—but not just for the usual reasons.
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Imagine this scenario: a member uses an AI tool during a phone call and concludes that state law prohibits healthcare subrogation. Once that idea is set in their mind, the follow-up questions they may ask their AI tool generate responses that just reinforce that belief. If the subrogation professional on the call cannot clearly and quickly explain how the rules that apply to their specific plan (such as the ERISA FEHB, or Medicare) may preempt conflicting state law, the opportunity to resolve the case file efficiently and fairly may be lost. Worse, if the professional does not understand whether exceptions apply—and when—their misstatements could undermine their credibility during negotiations.
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Health subrogation networking and education will become even more critical for building resilience and adapting to our changing work environment. AI tools are already reshaping how we approach our work—from case file analysis to documentation and automation. These tools can increase efficiency and improve outcomes. However, their value is limited by how well users understand and apply them within subrogation’s unique legal and operational framework.
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Unfortunately, those who do not deeply understand healthcare subrogation—or who lack access to reliable information—will be at a disadvantage. New professionals already face that challenge; they may not yet know which questions to ask, how to identify when AI is producing inaccurate or misleading information, or which decisions should or should not be delegated to automation. Without networking and learning from others, those skills can only be built over time.
By contrast, knowledge and experience enhance the value of AI. A subject matter expert can achieve great results without being a “prompting genius.” I am continually impressed by how much more I can accomplish with AI tools when working within areas I already understand, compared to when I am learning something new. The deeper my knowledge base, the easier it is to identify errors, recognize missing nuances, uncover deeper insights, and move efficiently past the initial stages of exploration.
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SHA’s webinars, regional conferences, annual conference, and committees can supplement the learning process. Learning from the experience and insights of other professionals is one of the fastest ways to develop the intuitive understanding necessary to succeed in subrogation—and to effectively leverage AI tools.
Invest in your professional development and tell your peers about the opportunities available through SHA. Attend an SHA event. Participate in a discussion or committee. The connections you build and the knowledge you gain today will quickly begin to pay dividends.
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Thank you.
WELCOME SHA’S NEW VICE PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT
Managing Partner at Kelly, Smith & Schmidt, P.C.
The SHA is proud to welcome Laura D. Schmidt, of Kelly, Smith & Schmidt, P.C., as SHA’s Vice President for 2026. Laura has handled healthcare subrogation matters for more than 20 years and is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She is also a Certified Subrogation Recovery Professional and previously served on the NASP Board of Directors for five years.​
While serving as Co-Chair of the NASP Amicus Committee, Laura authored or co-authored amicus briefs supporting subrogation rights in nine cases before Texas appellate courts, the Fifth, Ninth, and Tenth Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. Her extensive experience and dedication to the industry make her a tremendous addition to SHA’s leadership team, and we look forward to her contributions in this new role.
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The SHA would also like to extend its sincere appreciation to Karie Kath for her service and dedication during her time as Vice President. We are grateful for her contributions to the organization and wish her all the best in her future personal and professional endeavors.
2026 SHA REGIONAL CONFERENCES
We're excited to continue our new Regional Conference series in 2026!
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Our Wisconsin Regional Conference on June 2 in Green Bay has received an incredible response, and we look forward to welcoming attendees for a full day of education, networking, and industry collaboration.
Missing the Wisconsin Event?
Join us for the Kentucky Regional Conference on October 7, 2026 at Hotel Distil in Louisville, Kentucky!
Event Highlights:
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Four practical educational sessions led by industry professionals
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Convenient one-day format (10:00 AM – 3:00 PM)
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Complimentary lunch included with registration
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Networking opportunities with peers across the industry
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Only $30 per attendee
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If your organization has team members within driving distance of Louisville, we encourage you to register before the deadline on Thursday, May 21.
2026 SHA ANNUAL CONFERENCE: UPDATES
Join us October 4-6 in Louisville, Kentucky, as we bring together experienced professionals, emerging leaders, and subject-matter experts to connect through shared knowledge, honest conversation, practical insight, and meaningful professional connections.​
Attendees can look forward to two days of educational sessions, networking opportunities, industry discussions, and practical insights designed to support professionals across all areas of healthcare subrogation and recovery.
GUEST THOUGHT LEADERSHIP ARTICLE
Guest Thought Leadership Article:
Rethinking Subrogation in an Era of Unprecedented Financial Pressure
by The Katch Team
Health plans are facing mounting financial pressure from nearly every direction. Costs continue to rise (national health expenditures are projected to have reached $5.6 trillion in 2024 1 ) and traditional cost containment strategies are having trouble keeping up.
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Employer-sponsored health plans face a projected 8.5% medical cost trend for group coverage and 7.5% for individual plans in 2026. 2 Margins are tightening and CFOs are under pressure to uncover savings in places they’ve never looked before.
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In an era of relentless cost pressure, “good enough” subrogation may not be good enough anymore.
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What might a smarter approach to subrogation look like? Earlier intervention, more meaningful AI integration, and operational models designed to reduce abrasion across the ecosystem.
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Proactive intervention
Traditional subrogation has long been an effective way to drive savings, but now it can deliver even more. Historically, subrogation has been a game of catch-up: pay the claim, then spend months—sometimes years—chasing dollars after the fact.
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A more proactive approach intervenes earlier in the claims lifecycle, before money ever goes out the door. The impact can be immediate: faster recoveries, reduced overhead, and greater speed to dollars.
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Despite the potential upside, adoption has lagged. Some leaders assume shifting intervention left will disrupt operations or cannibalize traditional recovery opportunities. In practice, many organizations find it can complement them, adding incremental savings and maximizing value. By identifying cases sooner, payers can act decisively, resolve claims more quickly, and optimize the experience across the board.
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Meaningful AI integration
More and more vendors claim their platforms are “AI-powered.” But many times, “AI-powered” simply means a rules engine flagging ICD codes or layering basic machine learning and natural language processing on top of existing systems.
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Health plans under real financial pressure deserve to know the actual capabilities of their subrogation vendor’s AI. Otherwise, it can create false confidence and leave money on the table.
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Meaningful intelligence uses deep learning to recognize complex patterns, explainable AI to ensure transparency, and even agentic AI models that learn and adapt continuously.
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Many executives assume implementing AI means short-sighted savings by cutting staff; in reality, it can mean freeing up experts to focus on the most complex, highest-value cases. In other words, using AI to amplify human expertise, not replace it.
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Provider-centric design
While subrogation ultimately brings money back into the health care ecosystem, some providers and payers see it as a burdensome or inefficient process.
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But subrogation processes and providers don’t have to be at odds with each other. When providers are reimbursed fairly and quickly, and interventions are collaborative rather than confrontational, money flows back into the system without unnecessary roadblocks. Plans that adopt a provider-centric approach often find more value earlier and spend less effort doing so.
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The future of subrogation
In an era of relentless cost pressure, subrogation has an opportunity to become one of the most significant payment integrity savings levers. For that to happen, it means embracing earlier intervention, weaving AI into processes in ways that drive real outcomes, and improving the experience for providers so value doesn’t come at the expense of relationships.
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And that’s just the start. Soon, we may see seamless integration with clearinghouses and claims systems, broader adoption of shift-left approaches, and human-driven AI embedded in processes across the industry.
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As organizations evaluate their current approaches, many leaders will ask an increasingly important question: “Is our subrogation strategy proactive, or are we still paying and chasing?”
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How organizations answer that question could shape the future of subrogation across the industry.
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Keehan, S. P., Madison, A. J., Poisal, J. A., Cuckler, G. A., Smith, S. D., Sisko, A. M., Fiore, J. A., & Rennie, K. E. (2026, July). National Health Expenditure Projections, 2024–33. Health Affairs. https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2025.00545. ↩︎
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PwC. (2024). Medical cost trend: Behind the numbers 2026. https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/health-industries/library/behind-the-numbers.html ↩︎
SHA COMMITTEES
SHA committees are where members help shape the future of the healthcare subrogation industry and support the continued growth of our organization.
We are currently seeking volunteers for the following committees:
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Advocacy
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Conference
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Education & Certification
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Marketing
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Membership
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Technology & Communications
We understand our members have demanding schedules, so involvement is structured to be flexible, allowing you to participate in a way that works best for your availability.
To learn more about each committee and how you can get involved, visit our website and complete the Committee Interest Form. We hope you'll join us in helping shape SHA’s next chapter.
SHA EDUCATION & CONTENT INTEREST SURVEY
Help us shape SHA’s educational programming!
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We’re inviting all members to complete our Education & Content Interest Survey and share insight on the topics, challenges, and learning priorities most important to you. Your feedback directly influences our webinars, conference sessions, and certification development — ensuring our content remains timely, relevant, and impactful.
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🎉 Survey Prize – Don’t Miss Out!
As a thank you for your participation, one survey respondent will be randomly selected to receive a premium prize. We truly appreciate you taking a few minutes to help guide SHA’s educational direction.
OUR NEWSLETTER SPONSORS
A special thank you to our 2026 SHA Newsletter Sponsors for supporting SHA’s educational content and member communications throughout the year!
As part of SHA’s new year-round sponsorship model, sponsors can choose the specific initiatives and educational programs they would like to support. We appreciate the organizations that selected the SHA Newsletter as part of their 2026 sponsorship benefits and helped make this publication possible.