The One Big Beautiful Bill Passed. Here's The Marketing Pivot Every Health Tech Company Needs to Make.
I've been putting off my newsletter for 2+ years. Here's why the One Big Beautiful Bill finally made me hit publish.
Millions of Americans with Medicaid are about to lose health coverage. That's been the big headline ever since H.R.1 (aka the One Big Beautiful Bill) began making its way through Congress.
But buried in the same legislation is a $50 billion opportunity that will reshape health tech, and your marketing strategy needs to account for it.
A Quick Intro (Skip If You Just Want the Good Stuff👇🏻)
I've been thinking about starting a newsletter for 2+ years.
Since 2023 I've been getting my fractional CMO practice off the ground and have been in hardcore "build mode," which didn't leave a lot of time for writing a newsletter. Plus, there are plenty of knowledgeable voices in healthcare, and I wasn't sure I had anything important enough to say.
Then the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) passed this month. I couldn't let the moment pass.
The implications for health tech and healthcare services companies are massive. The companies that understand and act on these changes now will be set up to succeed in their markets for the next decade.
I spent a day researching its impacts so I could help my clients navigate the largest healthcare market contraction since the Great Depression AND the most significant government-backed technology adoption program in healthcare history.
So, if we haven't met yet – Hi, I'm Heather, and I help health tech and healthcare service companies plan, build and execute repeatable marketing strategies and scalable systems.
Now that intros are out of the way, let’s get to the good stuff.
In this newsletter, I will:
Walk you through the $50 billion rural health opportunity and why states control the keys
Show you the strategic shifts you need to make in the next 5 months
Preview what's coming in future editions to help you navigate these changes
(If this newsletter isn’t for you or you just don't want to hear from me, no hard feelings. You can unsubscribe here.)
I promise to make this worth your time. Everyone always wants to know "what's in it for me?,” so you'll always walk away with tangible ideas, strategies and frameworks you can put into action right away.
We'll cover everything from messaging and positioning to demand generation and complex B2B marketing strategies, but this legislation is too big to ignore for my first newsletter.
The Strategic Marketing Shift Every Health Tech Company Needs to Make
A lot has already been written about the OBBB. This isn't another policy explainer.
I want to talk about this through the lens of health tech sales and marketing. Not just nitty-gritty tactics, but the big picture, overarching strategic shifts you need to be considering and planning for now.
While B2C health tech companies face the biggest threat, EHR, telehealth, AI diagnostics, practice management and pretty much every other health tech vertical will certainly deal with downstream impacts.
Here's what this means for you:
$1 trillion in Medicaid payment cuts over 10 years = budget cuts, longer sales cycles and delayed tech purchases
Customer consolidation reducing your addressable market
Shift from innovation-focused to cost-reduction messaging
Geographic disruption hitting Medicaid expansion states hardest
Along with risks, the legislation also creates the largest government-backed technology opportunity in healthcare history.
The $50 Billion Hidden Opportunity: States Hold the Keys
The OBBB includes a $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program ($10B annually, 2026-2030), but here’s the thing: states will control the funding, not individual providers.
Here's how it works: applicants need to prove they'll improve rural health access through technology. Get approved? Then they choose how to spend the money across 11 categories, including:
Technology solutions for chronic disease management
Training rural hospitals on AI and remote monitoring adoption
Technical assistance and cybersecurity improvements
Value-based care model development
Mental health and substance use disorder treatment access
States must submit applications by December 31. That's less than 5 months to position your company as a preferred technology partner.
Instead of just targeting rural hospitals directly, you now need relationships with state health departments, hospital associations and the agencies writing these applications.
How do you actually position for this funding? What messaging resonates with state agencies? Which partnerships matter most?
I’ll be diving deep into this (and more) in the coming weeks.
What's Coming in This Newsletter Series
Over the next several editions, I'll share the strategic marketing shifts health tech companies need to make right now:
Go-to-Market Strategy Pivots
Customer segmentation based on new market realities and funding opportunities
Sales territory realignment based on Medicaid expansion vs. non-expansion states and other geographic market shifts
Channel strategy optimization for both traditional and state agency partnerships
Messaging & Positioning Strategy
Repositioning for cost reduction and ROI-focused value propositions
Developing government relations messaging for state agencies
Building compliance expertise positioning for new regulatory requirements
Demand Generation Strategy Shifts
Account-based marketing targeting state health departments and emerging high-value segments
Thought leadership campaigns positioning for transformation funding opportunities
Content strategy pivots that resonate with budget-conscious healthcare buyers
How I Can Help Right Now
The companies that act on these insights in the next 5 months will have a massive competitive advantage.
Need help assessing your market for OBBB risks and opportunities? Ready to tackle long-term strategic shifts? Grab 20 minutes here and let's figure out your next move.
P.S. Forward this to any health tech founders or leaders who need to understand how this legislation affects their business.
About the Author
Heather Lodge, Fractional Chief Marketing Officer, The Hybrid CMO
Heather helps growing health tech and healthcare service companies transition from ‘spaghetti-against-the-wall’ marketing to scalable operations so they can go toe-to-toe against better-funded rivals. She helps establish clear market positioning, develop focused account-based marketing programs and build the systems and teams needed to scale effectively. Heather’s approach combines strategic leadership with hands-on execution, building marketing programs that drive consistent revenue growth.