In this issue:

Michigan Sinks Lower in List of Healthy States

Revisiting California’s Nurse-to-Patient Staffing Regulations

Health Care Champions Elected to State House of Representatives

Viewpoint: Joint Effort Required to Create a Healthier Michigan

Minnesota is Healthiest State; Michigan Lags Far Behind

Two new studies reaffirm Michigan’s status as one of the nation’s least healthy states.

Michigan Ranks 29th among States in Health Status
Minnesota is the nation’s healthiest state, Louisiana ranks last, and Michigan placed 29th, slightly worse than last year, according to the 2004 edition of America’s Health: State Health Rankings, released this month by the United Health Foundation.

In the 15th annual edition of the study, Michigan received high marks for having a low rate of uninsured citizens, a low rate of motor vehicle deaths, and high access to prenatal health care. Michigan recorded bad scores for its high rates of smoking, obesity, cardiovascular disease and infant mortality.

Michigan Black, Hispanic Children Less Likely to Have Health Care
Black and Hispanic children in Michigan are less likely to be insured than white children, and fewer minority children are covered by a state health care program than whites, according to a report by the statewide children's advocacy group Michigan’s Children.

Twenty percent of Hispanic children, 10 percent of black children and 7 percent of white children are uninsured in Michigan, according to the report on racial and health disparities that was released earlier this month.

The situation is causing too many minority families to get their health care from hospital emergency rooms, one of the more costly options available, said Sharon Claytor Peters, president of Michigan's Children.

“The evidence is mounting that Michigan is one of the nation’s least healthy states. Health care simply must become the state budget and public policy priority to reverse these very alarming numbers,” said MHA President Spencer Johnson.

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California Seeks to Ease Nurse-to-Patient Staffing Regulations

Nurse-to-patient staffing regulations are threatening patient care in California, where top state health officials have now proposed easing the rules.

California State Health Director Sandra Shewry this month announced proposed changes to the state’s nurse-to-patient ratio regulations, citing concerns about their effect on patient care and the state’s fragile health care system. Since the mandatory ratio went into effect Jan. 1, 11 hospitals have had to close their emergency departments or psychiatric units, or shut their doors entirely, and four have asked for permission to suspend the use of available beds because they cannot provide enough nurses to meet the ratios.

California health care providers have been unable to meet the state’s mandatory ratios, largely because of the nation’s worsening nursing shortage. The MHA is in the early stages of developing strategies to address the growing shortage of nurses in Michigan, a looming crisis that threatens the delivery of critical health care services in hospitals and long-term-care facilities statewide.

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Health Care Champions Elected to State House of Representatives

Election year 2004 will be remembered as an unprecedented and resounding success for the MHA and the millions of patients Michigan hospitals serve.

Each of the 13 Michigan House of Representatives candidates — seven Republicans and six Democrats — who won the MHA’s official endorsement also won on election day.

As a result, the 93rd Legislature will have a larger collection of representatives who understand and support public policies to protect health care services, workers and patients.

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Seeking a Healthier Michigan

Spencer Johnson, president Michigan Health & Hospital Association

The 2004 edition of America’s Health: State Health Rankings released earlier this month contains sobering — but all too familiar — news about the health status of Michigan citizens.

This annual report from the United Health Foundation ranks states in terms of the overall health of their citizens. For the ninth time in the 15-year history of the study, Minnesota is the nation’s healthiest state. Louisiana is the least healthy. Michigan ranks a deplorable 29th, one spot worst than last year.

Why are Michigan citizens so unhealthy? Those of us who have dedicated our lives and careers to delivering health care in the state did not need another report to tell us why. We have known for years: Michigan citizens smoke too much, eat too much, and don’t get enough exercise. Relatively speaking, our infant mortality rate is also alarmingly high.

The real question is: why are we, as a state, failing to provide the health care public policies and budgetary support that can help to improve these shameful numbers? Evidence abounds that the state could do more to deliver adequate health care services to Michigan citizens. Our Medicaid system fails to provide full reimbursement for the costs of providing health services. That results in increasingly diminishing access to health care for the children, families and elderly citizens the program is supposed to help. Over the past six years, state government funding for Michigan hospitals and doctors to care for Medicaid patients has been cut more than $505 million. During those same years, the number of Medicaid patients seeking care has skyrocketed from about 900,000 to 1.4 million. In part because government does not pay its fair share for health care, costs for employers and employees are increasing at an alarming rate.

On the other hand, part of the problem — and solution — rests with each and every Michigan citizen. Too many of us make behavioral decisions that are bad for our health. We must make more responsible choices to avoid tobacco, to eat properly, and to exercise regularly.

If the 93rd Michigan Legislature does its share and we as citizens do ours, Michigan will become a healthier place to live, work and raise our families.

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