Having successfully lobbied for delays to Medicare cuts, Kahn sits on our list for the 20th time, marking the only constant appearance during the program’s history. Kahn is president and CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals, a job he has held since 2001. He has worked with multiple organizations, including the National Quality Forum, Center for Digital Innovation, Future of Health (FOH), and AdhereHealth. Before coming to the FAH, Kahn served as president of the President of HIAA (Health Insurance Association of America), where he orchestrated the popular “Harry and Louise” political campaign. He spent more than 10 years on Capitol Hill.

Kahn speaks: “One thing that I’ve learned is that to be successful in the hospital area, the company has to have leadership that has a deep understanding of operations as well as a strategic view into the vision. The companies that have been consistently successful are the ones that understood the basics; at the end of the day, how good a job you do blocking and tackling, dealing with your physicians, dealing with supply, etc., is what matters.”