The following statement can be attributed to Brian Peters, CEO of the Michigan Health & Hospital Association.
We are disappointed the Michigan Rural Health Transformation Program application submitted by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services does not include explicit support for Michigan’s 73 rural hospitals.
The application lists four initiatives, none of which include recommendations from Michigan’s rural hospital leaders, who know rural healthcare needs best. Michigan hospitals are set to lose more than $6 billion over the next 10 years due to the federal H.R. 1 Reconciliation Bill. It’s unfortunate Michigan’s application ignored this impact and the intent of Congress to assist rural hospitals most impacted by these federal changes through this program.
This application provided an opportunity to maximize the healthcare impact for rural communities by providing the resources needed by rural Michigan’s leading healthcare providers. While the four initiatives are well intended, the application as submitted fails to maintain access to care in the most meaningful way.