Category: Member News

News to Know – Dec. 15, 2025

Member News
New to Know

New to KnowMHA Endorsed Business Partner CorroHealth is offering an opportunity to help members get ahead of 2026 budget pressures in coding and clinical documentation improvement (CDI). As a partner, CorroHealth has guaranteed to help members reduce costs by at least 10%. Simply provide a look at total budgeted spend and the coding or CDI volumes it covers. CorroHealth will provide back the savings and you can determine if there is a need to have a deeper discussion. Members may contact Laura Penton at CorroHealth to learn more about this limited time offer.

Unemployment Benefit Waiver Bill Clears Senate; International Physician Legislation Advances

Member News

Legislation to waive the collection of improper unemployment benefits cleared the Michigan Senate in a unanimous vote, while bills creating a new pathway for internationally educated physicians advanced in the House during the week of Dec. 8.

Senate Bill 700, sponsored by Sen. Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton), would prohibit the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency from recouping improperly paid unemployment insurance benefits caused by administrative errors after a three-year period. The MHA worked with stakeholders in the business community to secure key changes to the bill to ensure employers are not held financially liable through the 100% employer-funded unemployment insurance trust. The Senate passed the amended bill unanimously on Dec. 9 and referred it to the House Appropriations Committee for further consideration.

Legislation that would create a pathway for internationally educated physicians to practice in Michigan was reviewed by the House Rules Committee on Dec. 11. House Bills 4925 and 4896, introduced by Rep. Phil Green (R-Watertown Township) and Rep. Jason Woolford (R-Howell), are supported by the MHA following amendments made during the legislative process. The bills remain in the House Rules Committee for a vote before advancing to the full House chamber.

Members with questions may contact the MHA advocacy team.

 

Common Ground: Statewide effort tackles postpartum depression and perinatal mood disorders

Member News, MHA In The News

Lauren LaPineCommon Ground published a story Dec. 9 on the behavioral health collaborative that the MHA has launched to address postpartum depression and perinatal mood disorders.

Lauren LaPine-Ray, vice president, policy and rural health, MHA, is quoted in the story discussing the MHA’s role in convening the collaborative and the need to address these issues.

“For mothers, depression rates continue to increase,” said LaPine-Ray. “Making sure we have real support for behavioral-health services in this state is somewhere we urgently need to see change and investment.”

The story also highlights collaborative partners, including Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, with their Mother & Baby Day perinatal mood disorder program, and Michigan State University’s ROSE (Reach Out, Stay, Strong, Essentials) postpartum depression prevention program.

Members with any questions regarding media requests should contact John Karasinski at the MHA.

2026 MHA Healthcare Leadership Academy Registration Now Open

Member News

The MHA is pleased to offer its popular Healthcare Leadership Academy in 2026. In partnership with Executive Core, two power-packed modules in February and May will feature leadership 360° feedback with personalized executive coaching, the development of advanced business acumen and the opportunity for intimate discussion with senior healthcare leaders.

The cohort meets Feb. 25-27 and May 7-8 at MHA Headquarters in Okemos. Organizations can recognize rising healthcare leaders and strengthen their teams by registering participants for the program. Class size is limited.

For more information, please contact Erica Leyko at the MHA.

MDHHS Launches 2025 Customer Satisfaction Survey for Public Health Laboratory Partners

Member News

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Bureau of Laboratories (BOL) is inviting public health partners to complete the 2025 Customer Satisfaction Survey by Dec. 31, 2025, to gather feedback that will help improve statewide laboratory services.

The invitation is open to all individuals who work with or rely on laboratory services. Multiple responses from each organization are encouraged, as individual perspectives help MDHHS BOL better understand the needs and experiences of public health partners.

Members with any questions may contact the MHA policy team.

Building Trust and Access to Key Services Addressed by MHA Health Access & Community Impact Council

Member News

The MHA Health Access & Community Impact Council held its second meeting of the program year Dec. 4, diving into priority areas outlined in the 2025-26 MHA Strategic Action Plan.

Guided by co-chairs Jeremy Cannon, vice president and chief nursing officer at Kalkaska Memorial Health Center; and Sharon O’Leary, chief health equity officer and medical director of Michigan Data Analytics at Trinity Health Michigan, the meeting opened with council member storyboard profiles highlighting organizational activities and programs focused on improving community health:

  • No Wrong Door: Mobilizing Michigan for Coverage – Chiquita Berg, MD, vice president, community health and well-being, shared the Trinity Health Michigan-led initiative, a coordinated statewide approach that leverages community touchpoints to support and protect Medicaid coverage.
  • Building Engagement & Community Trust – Kyrsten Newlon, director, communications & donor development, Hillsdale Hospital, highlighted communication channels and strategies used to connect with the community – build trust, combat misinformation and raise awareness of obstacles and unique circumstances faced by rural hospitals and providers.

MHA staff provided updates on association level initiatives closely linked to focus areas of the council, including:

  • The MHA’s communication and marketing strategy supporting the program year’s Strategic Action Plan.
  • An overview of association-level data sources aimed at identifying strengths and opportunities for improving data integration and building a more comprehensive understanding of regional and community health needs.
  • Recap of federal and state policies impacting health and healthcare sectors including H.R.1 impacts to Michigan, Medicaid workforce requirements and redeterminations, state budget recap and medical debt legislation.

As part of the meeting’s deep dive, council members reviewed progress of member-led workgroups established under the council’s guidance. These workgroups are developing a roadmap for scalable implementation of key strategies to advance community health across four areas: Access, Quality Improvement, Patient Experience and Community Alliance, and Care Integration. Members also engaged in sharing strategies and updates on creating resilient and adaptive regional food systems and coordinated response networks to address ongoing community needs. This discussion built on the Nov. 24 MHA Health Access & Community Impact Office Hours session featuring 211 and its role in connecting individuals with essential community services.

For more information on the MHA Council on Health Access & Community Impact, contact Ewa Panetta, director of community health impact and engagement at the MHA.

Survey Seeks Insights on Rural Veterans’ Healthcare Needs

Member News

A needs assessment survey supported by the Michigan Center for Rural Health, the Improving Veterans Access to Healthcare and the Frontier Veterans program is seeking to identify the needs of veterans and their providers in rural communities. The effort aims to improve rural enrollment, access and health for veterans and their caregivers, with a key focus on strengthening the capacity of critical access hospitals and other rural healthcare organizations to better serve rural and underserved Veterans.

Members across rural regions are encouraged to complete the brief survey by Jan. 1, 2026. Survey questions are geared toward clinicians, billing staff, community health workers, social workers, referral navigators and quality management professionals representing rural areas.

Members with questions may contact Ewa Panetta, director of community health impact and engagement at the MHA.

Hospitals Help: Henry Ford Health’s Hospital-Based Doula Program

Hospitals Help, Member News

To help address the alarming rate of maternal and infant mortality, Detroit-based Henry Ford Health established a hospital-based doula program in 2024 that makes a trained professional available to provide emotional, physical and educational support before, during and after pregnancy to patients with Medicaid Health Plans. The program is believed to be the first of its kind in the country.

Members of the Henry Ford Health Doula Program team.
Members of the Henry Ford Health doula program team.

Studies suggest that care from a doula can make labor and delivery safer for pregnant people and babies. Through the program, eligible patients can request a doula at any time during their pregnancy. If an individual arrives at the hospital to deliver a baby and staff learn they’ve had little or no prenatal care, they can offer the services of an on-call doula, who provides an added layer of care during and after delivery. In its first year, nearly 200 pregnant people enrolled in the doula program.

Research conducted at Henry Ford Health after the implementation of the doula program found that those with greater social risk were more likely to engage in doula care when services were integrated and accessible, underscoring the importance of tailoring programs and outreach.

“Far too often individuals arrive at the hospital to give birth having had no prenatal care,” said Dr. D’Angela Pitts, maternal fetal medicine, Henry Ford Health. “These patients are most at-risk for complications during and after birth. That’s why we took the extra step of having doulas on call in the hospitals.”

For more information and hospital stories, check out the 2025 Community Impact Report. Members with questions may contact Lucy Ciaramitaro at the MHA.

MHA Monday Report Dec. 8, 2025

Member News, Monday Report

Stop the Bleed Legislation Advances, Preadmission Screening Bill Introduced

Legislation protecting good Samaritans who apply bleeding-control techniques passed the Senate Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, while a bill modifying timeline requirements for preadmission screening assessments of Medicaid patients was introduced during the …

CMS Releases 2026 Home Health PPS Final Rule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a final rule updating the home health prospective payment system (PPS) for calendar year 2026. Highlights of the rule include: An updated 30-day …

MDHHS Launches RHTP Listserv to Share Program Updates

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recently launched a Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) listserv to provide timely updates, announcements and resources related to the state’s implementation of the program. Hospitals, health …

Health Access & Community Impact Office Hours Launch

The MHA Health Access & Community Impact Office Hours series kicked off Nov. 24 with a session highlighting 211 and its role in addressing food access amid ongoing challenges related to food insecurity. Sarah Kile, …

Nominations Open for 2026 Michigan Hometown Health Hero Awards

The Michigan Public Health Week Partnership, a coalition of 13 statewide organizations that include the MHA, is seeking nominations by Friday, Dec. 19, for individuals and organizations that have contributed to improving the health and …

MHA Rounds graphic of Brian PetersMHA CEO Report — Dedicated to Care Every Day of the Year

During the holiday season, we look forward to annual traditions and time spent with loved ones. While many of us gather around our tables this season, we are all aware of individuals who sacrifice this special time …

Centering Lived Experiences to Improve Maternal Care: Reflections from the Birth Experience Project

Over the past year, I supported the Birth Experience Project, a mixed-methods study examining how Black women across Michigan experience pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum care. As part of this effort, I assisted in analyzing …

Keckley Report

The 10 Healthcare Headlines you Might See in 2026

“2026 is a mid-term election year. In 2016 (Trump 45 Year One), Republicans controlled 31 governorships and 68 legislative chambers. This January, the GOP will control 26 governorships and 57 legislative chambers– a 15% reduction on both. Politics is divided, affordability matters most to voters and healthcare is a high-profile target for campaigns so humility, thoughtful messaging backed by demonstrable actions will be an imperative for every healthcare organization.

2026 is a HUGE year for U.S. healthcare. The outcome is unknown.”

Paul Keckley, Nov. 23, 2025

Stop the Bleed Legislation Advances, Preadmission Screening Bill Introduced

Member News

Legislation protecting good Samaritans who apply bleeding-control techniques passed the Senate Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, while a bill modifying timeline requirements for preadmission screening assessments of Medicaid patients was introduced during the week of Dec. 1.

House Bills (HB) 4108 and 4847 along with Senate Bills (SB) 590 and 591 were reported favorably to the full Senate chamber by the Senate Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. The bills strengthen the state’s Good Samaritan Law for all individuals acting in good faith when applying bleeding control techniques in emergency situations. HBs 4108 and 4847, sponsored by Rep. Dave Prestin (R-Cedar River) and Rep. Steve Frisbie (R-Battle Creek), expand the Good Samaritan Law by providing civil immunity for who apply bleeding-control techniques before professional responders arrive. SB 590 and SB 591, sponsored by Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) and Sen. Rick Outman (R-Six Lakes), serve as the companion bills in the Senate. The MHA supports both sets of bills, which advanced out of committee and are now before the full Senate for consideration.

HB 5334, introduced by Rep. Matthew Bierlein (R-Vassar) was referred to the House Health Policy Committee. The bill requires the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, or its community mental health program, to have a preadmission screening unit assess a patient covered through Medicaid within three hours after hospital notification. If the preadmission screening requirement is not completed within the 3-hour timeline, the hospital can proceed with screening the patient and supporting their continuity of care. This legislation seeks to address concerns surrounding timely access to care and the ability to transfer or refer patients to an appropriate care setting or provider. This bill was developed in response to feedback from the MHA Behavioral Health Integration Council, and the MHA collaborated with legislative partners to support its introduction, along with an accompanying infographic that illustrates the screening timeline and process. The MHA supports this legislation as introduced and looks forward to its advancement in the state legislature.

Members with questions may contact the MHA advocacy team.