Preparing for a Future Without HPP: What States and Emergency Managers Need to Do Now

As the federal budget process moves forward, the proposed elimination of the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) has sent shockwaves through public health and emergency management communities. For over two decades, HPP has been the backbone of healthcare system readiness - supporting regional coordination, surge planning, resource tracking, and more. Without it, emergency managers and state leaders will face a significant gap. But there are concrete, proactive steps they can take now to protect lives, health systems, and community resilience.

5/27/20252 min read

a black and white photo of people in a hospital

The proposed elimination of the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) in the federal budget has sparked real concern among public health and emergency management professionals. For more than 20 years, HPP has helped hospitals, clinics, and emergency agencies plan for and respond to crises. It’s been the backbone of coordination, resource tracking, and system-wide readiness.

Now, that backbone is at risk. But states and local leaders don’t have to be caught flat-footed. There are clear steps they can take to keep coordination strong and ensure communities remain protected-even without HPP support.

1. Keep Healthcare Coalitions Alive and Well

The infrastructure HPP helped build shouldn’t disappear with its funding. States can—and should—maintain these networks:

Conduct a readiness audit to see where coalitions stand and what’s needed to sustain them.
Keep open lines of communication between hospitals, EMS, public health, and emergency managers.
Look to existing funds like public health preparedness grants or state emergency dollars to maintain coordination roles.

Coalition support doesn’t have to vanish. Regional health departments or hospital systems can often serve as natural hosts for this work.

2. Build Tools That Connect Healthcare and Emergency Response

Without HPP, the link between healthcare systems and public safety may fray. States can take matters into their own hands:

Set up regional or statewide platforms to share real-time data on bed availability, supply needs, and system stress.
Use consistent reporting formats that emergency managers and health officials alike can understand.
Team up with universities or nonprofit partners to build and sustain these systems affordably.

Health Response Alliance is actively piloting platforms that do exactly this—helping clinics and NGOs stay connected when it matters most.

3. Help Clinics Speak the Language of Emergency Management

Too often, hospitals and clinics don’t know how to effectively ask for help during an emergency. That’s fixable:

Offer training sessions that show providers how to submit clear, detailed resource requests.
Create standard request templates—for example, what information to include when asking for medications or equipment.
Help clinics document critical info ahead of time: patient population, specialties, power needs, and so on.

These steps empower clinics to act faster and plug into local and state systems without delay.

4. Look Beyond Traditional Funding Streams

HPP might be disappearing, but the need for preparedness isn’t. States can explore other ways to keep key functions funded:

Consider using Medicaid Section 1115 waivers to tie preparedness into health system metrics.
Approach private foundations or corporate partners to support coalition coordination and preparedness infrastructure.
Tap into climate resilience funds, infrastructure grants, or even resilience bonds.

Preparedness is about equity, too. Many funders want to back efforts that protect vulnerable communities during disasters.

5. Make the Case: Preparedness Is Economic and Homeland Security

When hospitals go offline, everything else suffers—schools, businesses, and local economies.

Remind decision-makers that resilient health systems = resilient communities.
According to the U.S. Chamber Foundation, every $1 spent on preparedness saves up to $13 in response and recovery.
Without HPP, states could be forced to rely more heavily on federal programs that may not be timely or tailored to local needs.

Governors and lawmakers need to treat healthcare preparedness as a core part of their state’s security strategy—not just a line item in a health budget.

Where We Go From Here

Cutting HPP doesn’t stop disasters. If anything, threats are becoming more complex and more frequent. The question isn’t whether we prepare—it’s who will do it, and how.

At Health Response Alliance, we’re working with partners across the country to meet that challenge head-on. From coordination tools to clinic training, we’re helping build the next generation of readiness.

If you’re navigating what comes next, let’s connect.